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The Art Experience

Artist Spotlight

Celebrating Artist Ruthie Winsor Mann

Observed throughout the month of March, Women's History Month celebrates the contributions of women throughout history and into the present.

Visit the Executive Mansion this month to view a limited time exhibition of Ruthie's paintings, "The Blank Canvas" and "Not Quite Hidden."

 

Ruthie Windsor-Mann smiles for a selfie in front of her painting.A Washington, Virginia resident since 2010, Ruthie Windsor-Mann has traveled and painted in many countries. Before she moved to Rappahannock County, Virginia, her favorite subjects to paint were European buildings. More recently, she has become enamored of the nature surrounding her studio in the middle of a hayfield. She is inspired to paint anything if the light is intriguing, primarily working in oils, watercolors, and pen & ink. 

Having received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee, Ruthie has been a professional painter since 1970, with work in many public and private collections in the United States and abroad. Her past and present juried signature memberships include the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society, Tennessee Watercolor Society, and Southern Watercolor Society. One year she was the only artist in the nation to have all three of her submitted paintings chosen for exhibition in the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition. She has received many individual awards in juried exhibitions in the U.S., participated in numerous one-person and group shows and was a guest artist at the 1982 World's Fair.

In October 2021, she released her first book, A Painter's Musings, which breaks down four aspects of life as a painter: the Process, the Psychological, the Practical, and the Philosophical. Two years later, she published 12 Months on 12 Acres—a book of sketches of what can be seen from or on the 12 acres surrounding her studio in Rappahannock County, Virginia.

 

The Blank Canvas

 

"When beginning an endeavor, many of us are fraught with the trepidation of bringing forth the unseen to the seen. I hope the viewer senses the uncertainty that greets all of us who are willing to expose our vulnerabilities in the process of creating."

- Ruthie Windsor-Mann

 

Ruthie Windsor-Mann's painting

RUTHIE WINDSOR-MANN, b. 1948, The Blank Canvas, 2022, Oil on panel, On loan from the artist | Washington, Virginia

 

Not Quite Hidden

 

"My approach to painting a series of nests combines a variety of techniques. The nests need the universal approach of balance and the proper use of lights and darks, while presenting something new and exciting. An ornithologist asked me if I approached my nests as a scientist would by correctly documenting nest patterns. I answered that I began the series that way, but I found doing so was too confining and inhibiting and that I now just go with my painterly gut. She approved. My nests tend to have an abstract quality while using the inexactness of a palette knife and the more exacting brush and fingertips for use in the eggs."

- Ruthie Windsor Mann

 

Ruthie Windsor-Mann's painting

RUTHIE WINDSOR-MANN, b. 1948, Not Quite Hidden, 2022, Oil on panel, On loan from the artist | Washington, Virginia

Welcome to the Art Experience

The second installment of the dynamic Art Experience at the Executive Mansion, titled “Do What You Love in Virginia,” highlights the pastimes, places and people that are enjoyed and adored by Virginians and visitors alike. The Art Experience at the Executive Mansion was designed in collaboration with artists, museums, and curators throughout the Commonwealth to educate, excite and inspire those who visit. The exhibition highlights works from a mix of genres and mediums with particular focus on Virginia artists and themes. It is a living display which will evolve and change over time as additional works of art become available and as different parts of the Virginia story become the focus.

An archive of the inaugural exhibit, “The Spirit of Virginia,” is available here.

Use the dropdown menu to view a full list of artworks by room. Click on the name of a piece to view the art and read more about its origin, or use the menu navigation above the search bar to explore each room. 

Fast Facts

The first installment of the Art Experience at the Executive Mansion nearly doubled the number of works of art from 26 pieces to over 48 pieces of hanging art, sculpture and artifacts. Expanding on the initial exhibit, “Do What You Love in Virginia” boasts over 75 works from 37 institutions and independent artists. The Art Experience will continue to grow, with more pieces slated for installation in the coming months.

The Mansion’s Art Experience has quadrupled the percentage of artwork and artifacts that celebrate minority subjects, Virginians, and culture.

We are proud that every single piece in the Art Experience represents some aspect ofVirginia’s vast geography, peoples, places, history and/or culture. Virtually all the pieceswere created by a Virginian, someone who was born in Virginia, lived in Virginia, studied in Virginia, or donated by a Virginian.

Art Partners

A special thank you to our Commonwealth of Virginia art partners and ‘The Art Experience Committee’ of the Citizen’s Advisory Council. Co-chairs: Ann Goettman and Judy Boland.

Living Artists

Museums, Festivals, and other Virginia Institutions

Chrysler Museum - Norfolk
Chrysler Museum of Arts logo
Fralin Museum of Art - Charlottesville
The Fralin Museum of Art
Library of Virginia - Richmond
Library of Virginia logo
Mount Vernon – Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon logo
Virginia Beach Neptune Festival – Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach Neptune Festival logo
Taubman Museum - Roanoke
Taubman Museum of Art logo
The Valentine - Richmond
The Valentine logo
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts - Richmond
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Logo
Virginia Museum of History & Culture - Richmond
VHMC logo
William King Museum - Abingdon
William King Museum logo
Wilton House Museum – Richmond
Wilton House Museum logo
Hampton University Museum – Hampton
Hampton University Museum Logo
The American Civil War Museum - Richmond
The American Civil War Museum logo
Colonial Williamsburg – Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg logo
Department of Historic Resources – Richmond
Department of Historic Resources logo
Virginia Humanities – Charlottesville
Virginia Humanities logo
The VMI Museum – Lexington
The VMI Museum logo
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum - Bristol
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum logo
Mariner's Museum and Park - Newport News
The Mariners Museum logo