June Art Show - “Unmasked: Becoming Visible" by Jennifer Rugge

Exhibit Title: “Unmasked: Becoming Visible”

Artist: Jennifer Rugge

Medium: Earth mineral paints with mixed media including handmade and up-cycled papers on wood, charcoal and gold leaf.

Showing: June 11th - July 18th

Art Show Opening Reception - Friday, June 11th, 4:30–6:30 PM

Join the artist for a Covid-safe viewing. Viewing times are available at 30-minute intervals with ten people maximum per time slot. Masks and social distancing are required.

Reservations are recommended but walk-ins will be accommodated on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please Note: Art show reservations are for viewings ONLY. If you would like to stay for a glass of wine, you must reserve a table separately. Call: 530-265-9463 x206 or Email: reservations@ncwinery.com

About the Show

Jennifer Rugge’s work takes your mind and spirit by the hand & leads you to a path which may at first seem unfamiliar, otherworldly, yet you know it. There are animals, creatures, and figurative or dreamlike beings, gently and powerfully guiding and telling you stories.

She uses a broad selection of colors that range from soft, earthy tones to striking blues or illuminating gold leaf, making stars in a sky that seem to encompass the universe. Charcoal lines help define and speak ancient languages. With it, symbols appear filled with wisdom, contemplation, and ceremony. All resonate beauty and mystery.

Jennifer’s Sculptures echo her Paintings. The three-dimensional beings are stately and almost Totem-like. They too are detailed with symbols and jewel-like markings.

This show beckons us to go inside ourselves and “Unmask.” It is calling us home.

Artist Statement

“Unmasked are the deeper meanings and mysteries of the Ancients which appear in the images that become visible.

The process of my art is one of being unmasked and becoming visible. I am an Earth Artist and so I collect, study, and prepare minerals from the earth to make paints for my artwork. These ochres are ground, mixed with walnut oil and softened beeswax, then naturally and organically the true colors become visible. Charcoal graces the panel as figures of ancient animals emerge along with signs and symbols of early languages. The ochres refine and define the whispers from the Ancestral winds that the earth has experienced before, a past that belongs to us.

Being a lifelong artist along with my relentless interest in historical roots, digging into the ancient past has led me on an intriguing journey to uncover forgotten times, stories and paths. These mysteries reveal clear intelligence and spiritual practices through the Ancient’s art and signs; these become visible through inspirations that emerge from and into my Art. The signs of the past become the visible signs of the now.”

About the Artist

Jennifer Rugge has studied, exhibited, taught, and sold her art around the world – from California to Virginia, Italy, Vienna, and Austria. She has visited the sacred churches of Italy, the Jugenstil of Vienna, and the villages of artists such as Monet, Klimt, and Hundertwasser. She has also studied ancient Italian art techniques including fresco painting, illuminated writing, and gold leaf applications. Jennifer also visited the outback of Australia to study the Rock and Cave Art of the Aborigines and listen to their stories.

Jennifer currently owns a studio in Nevada City, where she says –

“I hope to encourage the consciousness of a healthy environment not only for ourselves, but for the intriguing creatures and features of the land and sea life communities. I love educating others to use organic materials to produce artworks and have less waste. My passion is to share the value of art through the collecting and mixing of natural minerals into paints and influencing others to make eco-friendly decisions. I continue to study ancient roots of languages and signs. Together, these influence my Art.”