Michelle Rusinek
Michelle Rusinek is a painter and mixed media artist born in Columbus, Ohio. She received her BFA from the University of Michigan’s Penny Stamps School of Art and Design in 2016 and studied at the Art Students League of New York between 2015 and 2023. Rusinek has been included in various exhibitions at Laundromat Art Space, Christie’s New York, The Art Students League of New York, and Coterre Project Space. She had a solo booth at Superfine Miami, an art fair that took place in February 2023 during Art Wynwood in Miami, FL, and has been featured in Shoutout Miami. Michelle is an artist in residence at Laundromat Art Space in Miami, Florida, where she currently resides since relocating from NYC in early 2023.
Collect Bean: How does where you grew up influence your work?
Michelle Rusinek: I grew up in many different places, as my family moved a lot for my parents’ work. The common thread across all the places I lived is that I spent a lot of time outdoors, mostly in the snow or on the water at a lake in Upstate New York. My work is inspired by my exploration of nature, which is still very prominent in my present life living in Miami.
Collect Bean: Tell us about a time when you felt you found your groove as an artist.
Michelle Rusinek: When I left the corporate art world in late 2022 to focus on my career as an artist, I felt a huge shift in my productivity and began creating work on a daily basis for the first time in many years. My mind felt very clear during this transition and I experienced a satisfying evolution of the clarity and quality of my work during this period.
Collect Bean: What role does color play in your practice?
Michelle Rusinek: Color is the key component in my work. There isn’t a color that I would hesitate to use in my pieces. Through layering many colors, I explore the world around me with what I consider to be a “microscopic lens.”
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Michelle Rusinek: I walk on the beach almost every morning, and I love looking at the water. Each day, I notice different colors, textures, and shapes; the ocean never looks the same. I love to think about the depth of the layers that comprise what we are all observing on the surface.
Collect Bean: How do you balance your practice with your daily life?
Michelle Rusinek: Balance has been incredibly challenging for me since becoming a new and first-time mother earlier this year. I write in my journal upon first waking up in the morning; this has certainly been a savior for me. There is something about getting my raw thoughts and feelings out on paper that helps me better focus on the day to come and allows me to approach the studio and my craft with a clear mind.
