Short Bio
Dr. Carol Rusaw developed the idea for Art for the Spirit/Shop based on her love of humanities and social and behavioral studies, which include a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism, a Masters of Curriculum and Instruction, a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and a Doctor of Education in Adult Education and Human Resource Development. She served as a draftsman-illustrator with the Air Force and then went on to teaching English as a Second Language, training managers in state and federal governments, consulting and coaching in organizational development and leadership, and teaching adult education and qualitative research. Today, she continues to teach part time, consult and coach, and create landscapes and seascapes.
Statement
An important key to promoting healthy mental, emotional, and physical well-being is to view people and situations from a different perspective. Art helps unlock these viewpoints by engaging our senses and emotions and also developing feelings: tapping into a spiritual core that gives us connections. In creating Art for the Spirit, I hope to allow the connections to emerge within the viewers so that they see and feel more than what is on the canvas. The images may show seascapes, mountains, and rivers, but they also may be places the viewer remembers from vacations or trips or finds anew as a source of beauty and enjoyment.
Resume / CV
Dr. Carol Rusaw recently opened a website, https://artforthespirit. net, based on her recognition of the spiritual connections between art, landscapes and seascapes, and the social and behavioral aspects of human living. She began working as a commercial artist with the Air Force, but she moved into teaching adults English as a Second Language, and public sector training in supervision, management, leadership, and organizational development. She was a professor of public management and human resource development at the University of Connecticut and North Dakota State University, respectfully and has authored over 25 refereed journal articles, two books, and presentations at several national and international conferences. She has a Doctor of Education in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, a Masters of Public Administration, a Masters of Education in Secondary Education, a Master of Theological Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts in English. In addition, she has professional certificates in organizational development and in coaching.
Today, Carol combines her experiences teaching adult education with coaching, consulting, and of course, oil paintings. Her oil paintings have been exhibited in galleries such as:
Dreams of Paradise in Hawaii
Art International Gallery
People and Paintings Online Gallery
Contemporary Art Gallery
Open Space Gallery (Woodbridge, VA)
Creative Brush Gallery (Manassas, VA)
Cawdrey Gallery (Montana)
Art League of Alexandria (VA)
Light, Space, and Time Online Gallery
Teravarna Online Gallery
Artsy Online Gallery
People and Paintings Gallery
Gallery Omata
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capella Gallery (Venice, Italy)
Montclair Library (Woodbridge, VA)
They have also been exhibited in local art competitions sponsored by Arts for Rural Texas, the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia, Britepaths Nonprofit, Fairfax, Virginia, the Prince-William Novant Hospital in Manassas, Virginia, OneLove Manassas (VA) Art Competition, and the Art of Life Nonprofit in Madison, Virginia. They have received awards from Jerry’s Artarama Artist of the Month in 2020, OneLove Manassas (VA) Art Competition, the Art International Gallery’s Talent Award for Landscapes in 2022, and the 2022 American Art Award for Landscapes.
Carol is a member of the Oil Painters of America, the Prince William Art Society, and the Manassas (VA) Art Guild.
