Studio Session: Ellen Rutt Presents “Small Victories”

This past Thursday, Ellen Rutt’s Small Victories marked the successful debut of 1xRUN’s Studio Sessions. “It was an unexpectedly intimate experience to invite people into a space that is normally a bit isolated, but I actually loved being able to connect with people in such a personal setting,” Rutt said of the session. The people, party, and paintings came together like a fine cocktail that one might enjoy on an exclusive hotel’s roof top bar or on a private airplane: Refreshing, bubbling and very buzzy!

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A stones throw from the Detroit River one enters Rutt’s studio through an anonymous door and continues up one flight of stairs. Once inside the raw studio space complete with a peeling ceiling then immediately hits visitors with bursts with color. Large windows allow a really pleasant light to filter in and the silhouette of the Detroit skyline, crowned by the Renaissance Center, reminds visitors they’re still in Detroit. The juxtaposition of the finely crafted art with the crumbling infrastructure keeps the mood light and translates into Rutt’s studio into a mellow jam.

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Small Victories featured 10 new works that offer a glimpse into the artist’s dreamy patchwork world. The new work is described by the artist as a “looping cycle between digital and physical.” The mixed media works spilled off the panels and onto the walls as fluorescent pastel embellishments, or as the artist describes as “bright colors with a hint of anxiety,” and added even more depth to Rutt’s already delicately erratic patterns. The immersive works felt similar to when ordering a fine sake, just the right amount of overflow is mandatory and considered a sign of good luck!

With an engaged crowd, Rutt not only embraced the first incarnation of the 1xRUN Studio Sessions but she also set the bar for future sessions. Rutt described the experience by saying “It’s the first time I’ve had more than just  few people in my studio and I had such a great time!” and we here at 1xRUN couldn’t agree more. Make sure to check out Small Victories as it drops today at Monday at 3pm on 1xRUN and keep an ear to the street for the next 1xRUN Studio Session!

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-1xRUN