John Ruseau loves drawing and painting. You can see it in his work, the sharp shadows, the rich colors, the simple, strong compositions, the complexity of detail. they developed in large part from his early training as an architect brought up in the Beaux Arts tradition where there was a strong emphasis on drawing and painting techniques.
   
As a young architect in the 1950’s in New York and Florida, he was sought after as a specialist in architectural rendering. In time he left the business of architecture and joined the University of Virginia faculty in 1961. There he taught graphic design and watercolor rendering for 32 years. He helped the students to see, to really see, create and communicate visually. During his summers, he sailed and painted along the Atlantic coast and occasionally toured Europe by motorcycle. It was during this time that he began painting small works that would fit in his saddlebags.
  
 Eventually it was his wife, Sandy, who encouraged John to retire from teaching at age 65 and focus on his art full time. He and Sandy traveled north to Block Island and opened a gallery for his paintings. This venture was so successful that they opened a second gallery in their home city of Charlottesville, Virginia.

We're proud to have John Ruseau among our contributing artists. His ability to focus on a subject and transmit a feeling through his portrayal is a special gift. We kid him that he does peeling paint better than anybody!