JoAnne Ruggeri was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where she continues to live and work. She studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York (BFA, 1981), and on the graduate level at Bennington College in Vermont. JoAnne is a mixed media artist who works in materials such as ceramic, fabric, oils, acrylics, collage, and photography. Her work has been seen in various U.S. venues in New York City; Bennington, Vermont; and internationally in Milan, Italy. She has exhibited her ceramic work in New York City; Bennington, Vermont; Radford, Virginia; San Francisco, California; and Chicago, Illinois. Her work is available online via the following links:
The Platform Gallery
Controforma Art and Design Space
Artist’s Statement
Through the practice of Vedic meditation and study of yogic philosophy, I have become a keen observer of both my inner and outer worlds. As such, my work explores the dichotomy between the ‘real and the unreal’. My creative process is entirely intuitive and ‘in the moment’, with no expectation of the outcome. Experiencing the art-making process as a meditation allows enigmatic and surreal compositions to emerge from deep within the psyche. Utilizing layers, texture, language, and color to investigate themes such as memory, dreams, and fantasy, the work draws the viewer into the subtle realm of the subconscious. The result is imagery that stimulates the mind’s eye, allowing the viewer to access internal narratives, either imaginary or recollected, from the level of mind which one usually accesses only in the dream state.
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