Bettina Dickson Rusher

Bettina has an innate need to create. She says she is happiest when creating her art. Bettina is an abstract expressionist painter. She has lived and worked in Central Kentucky, Virginia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. She now resides on Saint Simons Island in Georgia.

Bettina has been inspired throughout my life by artists who practiced a painterly style, such as the great Impressionists and by artists who practice the freedom to explore and express in such a personal and profound way, such as those who were part of the modern Abstract Expressionists movement during the 1930’s - 1960’s. At this point in her artistic career, she is particularly inspired by the women of the Abstract Expressionist movement who did not get the recognition they deserved just because they were women. She refers to the Ninth Street Women (from the book of the same name by Mary Gabriel).
Bettina loves the journey of the artistic process. She begins most canvases with layers of color that are improvised, abstract and even chaotic. Through a process of addition and subtraction Bettina brings each painting closer to balance with sensitivity and attention to detail. In her process, she tries to look for the good in what she thinks are mistakes. Bettina says...

Bettina received a BA in Art from Eastern Kentucky University in 1984. Her education at EKU included a double major in Art and Interior Design and a minor in Business. She continued her art education in San Francisco from 1991- 1994 at the San Francisco Art Institute. Her continuing education classes included drawing, advanced painting and art history.

Upcoming:
-Anderson Annex Studio, July 2025 Art Stroll
-Glynn Visual Arts, Saint Simons Island GA, Wildlife and Human
Connection Exhibit, April and May 2025
-Jekyll Island Arts Association Exhibit, February 2026.