“I became an artist out of the joy of creatively being able to express my thoughts and vision onto canvas for others to feel,” says Florida-based artist Renee Rutherford. A painter working in acrylic and oil; mixed media including newspaper, foils and glitter also factor into her multi-layered and collaged canvases. Inspired a great deal by music and emotions, her paintings often pay tribute to an important music or visual artist. Her piece “Ye,” inspired by the Kanye West quote “Slavery was a choice” explores the recent aftermath of racist decisions made by the Trump administration and how Kanye West’s comments offended much of the Black community. Her piece combines imagery from the film Get Out by Jordan Peele with West’s Graduation album, and is a plea to the artist from his fans. Rutherford hopes through her art to “let Kanye know he was once a champion in our eyes and we need that energy back.” Other paintings pay homage to greats such as Michael Jordan, Aretha Franklin, Erykah Badu and Jean Michel-Basquiat, who Renee fondly calls “The Supreme One.” Rutherford’s heartfelt homage to Aretha was already in the works when news of her passing came this past August. The painting incorporates, collage style, breaking news front page articles announcing the death of the Queen mixed with acrylic, varnish, and graffiti style lettering. Another piece, “4 Leaf Clover,” was inspired by the Erykah Badu song of the same name, with each carefully painted leaf holding its own unique meaning, among them: hope, faith, love, and luck. Additional works offer a pure visual exploration of human emotion in color and form. Currently working in Boca Raton, Florida, where Rutherford is fast on her way to becoming a household name in the Art, Fashion and Film Industry, she has plans to exhibit some new work at Miami Basel this year. Other than the occasional creative block, Renee is virtually free of artistic challenges and is a dedicated and prolific maker. Check her at this year’s Miami Basel as part of the “Ode To Hip Hop” Exhibit by MUCE 305. Moving forward, the artist has plans plans to enroll in Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Atlanta.
Follow the artist on Instagram @R__Ford