By Alexandra Brewer | Arts & Life Writer
At the intersection of family, landscape and imagination, Associate Professor of Art Winter Rusiloski creates art that moves beyond mere representation. Rusiloski channeled both her knowledge and passion to create “Anniversary Storms Over Orion’s Ridge,” which is currently on view at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
In her painting, Rusiloski captures the vastness and emotion of the Texas West, turning experiences into abstract oil paintings that are as personal as they are powerful.
The piece is a part of a major exhibition exploring contemporary interpretations of the American West. The show opened to the public on Jan. 17 and will remain on display through May 24.
The painting draws from Rusiloski’s long-standing connection to the Big Bend region, where she and her family have spent years working on land.
“I have a son, whose name is Orion,” Rusiloski said. “It’s titled after him.”
Rusiloski explained that the title references both her son and a specific moment that became central to the painting’s meaning. During an anniversary trip, her family was caught in a sudden and powerful storm.
“It was a major thunder and lightning storm,” Rusiloski said. “We were stuck in our van. We had to get out of the van because of the danger of flooding and get to higher ground.”
For Rusiloski, the event embodied the emotional complexity she often explores in her work.
“That storm was scary, but it was so beautiful,” Rusiloski said. “It gives us this perspective of how small we are and how enormous the world is.”
Rusiloski’s paintings are abstract, meant to convey sensation rather than literal representation. Her work reflects years of engagement with landscape painting, a genre she has studied and practiced for decades.
“I’ve been painting with oil paint for over 20 years,” Rusiloski said.
That expressive approach is something her colleagues at Baylor recognize immediately. Dr. Meredith Munson, assistant professor of art history at Baylor, described Rusiloski’s work as an emotional response to place.
“She spends a lot of time out in the Texas West,” Munson said. “Her work is a kind of abstract reaction to that landscape … it’s all about how the landscape feels to her.”
Munson also emphasized that Rusiloski’s professional recognition carries weight far beyond campus.
“The Amon Carter is a major world-class museum, and everybody who’s in the field knows that,” Munson said. “So to be invited to be a part of this is a really important thing.”
Dr. Heidi Hornik, professor and chair of the art and art history department at Baylor, also praised Rusiloski’s artistic influence and professional achievements.
She described Rusiloski’s paintings as Texas landscapes “infused with color, shape, form and place to create a mood and an atmosphere and an effect that could be characterized as a Texas landscape.”
She also emphasized the accomplishment of having a piece in the Amon Carter Museum.
“Winter is actually one of the leading emerging Texas landscape painters, and that’s exactly what the Amon Carter Museum of American Art showcases in this exhibit,” Hornik said.
Hornik said that Rusiloski’s recognition also reflects the strength of Baylor’s art programs.
“Our current students can look to her as a role model, as her success is something to strive for themselves if they want to get an MFA in painting,” Hornik said. “As colleagues, we’re all very proud of her.”
Faculty members emphasized the impact Rusiloski’s success has on students. Munson said that students benefit not only from Rusiloski’s artistic skill but from her professional experience.
“She has all of these students that are learning from her and learning from her experience, not just as an artist who makes incredible work, but also an artist who’s professionally successful,” Munson said.
Rusiloski said being both an educator and a working artist allows her to share the realities of an artistic career with students, including persistence, setbacks and long-term commitment.
“I’m right here in it with you,” Rusiloski said. “Maybe I’ve been doing it a little bit longer, but I’m still pushing.”
She hopes viewers approach the work not as a static image, but as an experience.
“Maybe they see water, maybe they think of sky, maybe they think of storms, maybe they think of sunset,” Rusiloski said. “Think of it more like music or a visual poem.”
