Artist Bio

 Originally from New Mexico, Vanessa Rusczyk is deeply connected to the landscapes of Western America, an influence that is evident in her art. Her artistic journey began after moving from the East Coast to Southern California, where she explored watercolor painting through workshops. Drawing on her education in engineering and interior design, she developed a meticulous approach to composition and form. Fourteen years later, after starting an educational business with her husband, she transitioned to a full-time art career and changed her medium to oil painting. Her central subjects are the unique and resilient flora of the desert landscapes she explores on hikes, each captured with vibrant colors and contrasting light and shadow to highlight their distinct beauty.

Living in California for 25 years, Rusczyk has explored local coastal chaparral and deserts, particularly Anza Borrego Desert State Park and Joshua Tree National Park. Her distinctive style combines heightened chroma and strong value contrasts with minimal backgrounds, allowing plant life to take center stage in what she calls "portraits" of flora. Working from her studio in suburban San Diego, surrounded by native chaparral and open spaces, she creates realistic yet interpretive works that emphasize the character of Western flora through bold color and composition. Through her paintings, she aims to inspire appreciation and protection of the plants that thrive in these wild spaces.

A signature member of American Women Artists and a member of Women Artists of the West, Rusczyk has exhibited nationally with organizations such as AWA, Oil Painters of America, and WAOW, receiving several awards for her work. Her paintings are currently featured at the Tulsa International Airport as part of a display for the Woolaroc Museum, and her work can be found in private collections across California, New Mexico, New York, and England. She has studied with notable artists including Natalie Featherston, Russell Case, and Natasha Isenhour and completed a residency at New Mexico's Ghost Ranch.

Rusczyk's current body of work focuses on intimate, smaller-scale paintings that capture individual desert plants and their dramatic cast shadows, while simultaneously exploring the broader landscapes these resilient species call home. Her wilderness explorations have expanded to include the Colorado Plateau and high deserts of New Mexico. Her artistic journey reflects her deep connection to the southwestern landscape and her commitment to showcasing the often-overlooked natural beauty of its plant life. Through her work, she continues to bridge the gap between art and environmental awareness, creating pieces that are both visually stunning and ecologically significant.

“I want people to see the beauty around them in native habitats, but also to understand their role. They are the basis of life support for all local insects, birds, and mammals. My paintings draw people in because of their color, composition and technique, but then as the viewer takes a closer look, they want to know more.  Appreciation and the desire to care for something usually starts with an initial attraction that is often hard to explain. My art creates that moment for the viewer.”