From the words of Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s novel, The Little Prince, “Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye…” Celia Culver Rutt has built a life dedicated to seeing what is unseen right in front of us.
“Once you begin looking in depth, zooming in, transforming the subject into something greater than what is familiar, or known or beyond what is comfortable—you have entered the macro world of close-up photography that is Celia’s work,” said Kimberly Tetlow, Director of the S.P.A.C.E. (the Staunton Performing Arts Center Experience).
This is the first exhibition at the new whitebox space at 107 E. Beverley Street, which serves as the performing arts center’s new offices, gift shop, gathering place and lively arts venue serving the community just a few doors down from the two historic venues that are the future home of a state-of-the-art performing arts complex. Tetlow added, “Having come aboard June 1st, I am thrilled to announce our own transformation into an organization that is open for business, actively serving the community, building partnerships, and providing a downtown venue for arts, entertainment, education and cultural groups to meet, exchange and perform for adults and children of all ages.” President Janie Ballurio added, “We are the grateful recipients of Celia’s talents as well as her generosity as she has dedicated the proceeds of her exhibit to benefit our children’s programming for workshops and classes in the performing arts.” The exhibit will run through the Fall of 2013.
Celia Culver Rutt was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Maryland. She earned a BA in Biology from Transylvania University in Lexington, KY, was a researcher at Harvard Medical School, and earned a MS in Biology and Science Education from Boston University. In addition to teaching science, she has taught horticultural classes at the State Arboretum of Virginia and the National Arboretum. She owned and operated a native plant landscape design business in Loudoun County.
Celia is currently the Food Systems Coordinator in Highland County and serves as Program Chair of the Highland Center. She and her husband, Jim Rutt, have owned a farm near McDowell since 1989. Their daughter is a graphic artist and illustrator.
Celia has been fascinated by nature since she was a young child. She began photographing to have illustrations for her horticulture classes in the early 1990’s. In 2002, she completed a photography workshop in Santa Fe, NM, and was intrigued with capturing the elements of light, color, and form with photographs. In 2011, she dedicated herself to her photography everyday, mostly on walks over familiar terrain in Highland County. Her photographs represent her curiosity and sense of wonder about nature and express her observations and perceptions about the natural world.
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