March 15: Elise Rugolo

Join us at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 15, for an art talk and a viewing of paintings by Elise Rugolo.

Elise Rugolo's work currently is on display at Orr Street Studios in an exhibit title "Tension + Repose."

 ELISE RUGOLO

Elise Rugolo is an abstract painter who celebrates the physicality of her artwork through an exploration of various media and layering of imagery. Her rhythmic and sometimes calligraphic style is suggestive of dance or motion borne out of a sense of urgency. She favors vivid color, energetic mark making, and intricate compositions that incorporate both geometric and organic elements. Her paintings often combine acrylic, gouache, or encaustic paint with other materials, such as drawing media, collage, fiber, and photo transfers. Her observations of nature and human behavior serve as the conceptual and/or emotional springboard for her intuitive working process, which is directed and shaped by her quest for visual balance.

Rugolo was born and raised in Columbia. She was fortunate to have an art professor father (Lawrence Rugolo), who encouraged and nurtured her creative spirit in her formative years. She left town to go to college and went on to live in a variety of places, most recently Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She moved back to Columbia in September 2015.

Rugolo earned a BFA from the University of Iowa and an MFA from Arizona State University. She has exhibited extensively in galleries and juried shows throughout the country. Her artwork is held in numerous private and public collections. She taught as an adjunct instructor at the University of Wisconsin, and currently teaches workshops and private instruction. She is represented by Concept Art Gallery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

www.eliserugolo.com