brian rutenberg studio visit 21

• EXHIBITIONS

Brian Rutenberg

• Exhibitions

BRIAN RUTENBERG

Born 1965, South Carolina, Lives and paints in New York,NY

 Artist Statement

“There is no finer way to practice kindness towards oneself than through the contemplative reverie, luxurious beauty and strange incantatory spell that only art can cast.”  —Brian Rutenberg

Inspired by the woods and waters of the Lowcountry and vacation colors of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Brian Rutenberg’s landscape paintings are a place where nature and artifice collide in the bright and combustible—two places he says gave him a love of excess. To ground his abstract vision, vertical marks represent trees, horizontal ovals depict ponds, and slabs of jewel-toned paint sit easily beside pale washes. 

Rutenberg wants the viewer to read his paintings from left to right, as if wandering through the woods versus any fixed vantage point. For him, painting is a rhythmic process, and a successful painting keeps our gaze in perpetual renewal. He offers this example of how it works: when we look through a window on a rainy day, we either see the raindrops on the glass or what lies beyond, but not both views at once. With patience, we begin to take in the whole.  

Whereas the paintings are the most obvious aspect of Rutenberg’s creativity, they lay the foundation for what transpires when we take time to contemplate an object outside of ourselves. Rutenberg believes this process causes the artist’s and viewer’s nervous systems to twist around, creating what he calls “the third thing.” He also believes that art is a form of empathy and the ability to extend oneself to that which is outside of oneself will save the world. That’s a wonderful idea to hold onto in these difficult times.

In a turbulent time when the art world is increasingly focused on status, luxury, and investment, Rutenberg’s paintings are a reminder that art is ultimately about aesthetic pleasure and intrinsic qualities. By following their own instinctive taste, eye, and intelligence, those who value this belief bind themselves to the rich history of art and its ongoing appreciation.

  1989               MFA, School of Visual Arts, New York, NY

  1987               BFA, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

Solo Exhibitions

2023                 TEW Galleries, Atlanta, GA 

                         Banners of the Coast, LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM

                         Banners of the Coast, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

2022                 Salon Style, TEW Galleries, Atlanta, GA

                         Brian Rutenberg, Hampton III Gallery, Taylors, SC

                         Banners of the Coast, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit, MA

                         Deeps of Peace, Forum Gallery, NY, NY

2021                  Hinson Art Museum, Wingate University, Monroe, NC

                         Point of Pine, Jerald Mehlburg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

                         Pine, Palm and River, Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, MI

                         Reeds Rise, LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM

2020                  The Pond, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2019                  Brian Rutenberg: Lake, LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM

2018                  Top of the Hill: New Paintings, Heather Gaudio Fine Art, New Canaan, CT                          Thunderhead, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

                         Looming Pine, Nancy Toomey Fine Art, San Francisco, CA

2017                  Lowcountry: New Paintings, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                         Clear Seeing Place: The Encapsulating Canvases of Brian Rutenberg,                          Saginaw Art Museum, Saginaw, MI 

                         LewAllen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM   

                         Hoyt Art Center, New Castle, PA    

                         Tew Galleries, Atlanta, GA     

2016                  Clear Seeing Place, Bannister Gallery, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI

                         Scallop Pond, New Paintings, Peter Marcelle Project, Southampton, NY

2015                  TEW Galleries, Atlanta, GA

2014                  Saltwater, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                         Paintings by Brian Rutenberg, Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit, MA

2012                  River, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2011                  TEW Galleries, Atlanta, GA

                         Brian Rutenberg: Paintings and Drawings, Franklin G. Burroughs-                          Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC

                         I Will Tell You A Place: Paintings by Brian Rutenberg,                          The Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA

                         Low Dense, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2009                  Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC 

                          Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

                          TEW Galleries, Atlanta, GA

2008                   Palmetto, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                          Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA                           Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC,

                          Galerie Timothy Tew, Atlanta, GA

2006                   Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                          South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC 

                          David Lusk Gallery, Memphis, TN

2005                   Carolina, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2004                   Cress Gallery of Art, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, TN

                          Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                          Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, CA

2003                   John Raimondi Gallery, Vitale, Caturano & Co., Boston, MA             

                          Recent Landscape Paintings, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

2002                   Algonquin, Forum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

                          Tippy-Stern Fine Art, Charleston, SC

                          Artists to Artists, The Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation, Colorado Springs, CO

2001                   A Ten-Year Survey, Butler Institute of American Art, Warren, OH 

                          Hidell-Brooks Gallery, Charlotte, NC

2000                   Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin, Ireland

                           Schmidt-Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1999                   Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Gallery, Toronto, Canada                                        

                           Hidell-Brooks Gallery, Charlotte, NC

1998                    Burroughs-Chapin Museum of Art, Myrtle Beach, SC

                           University of South Carolina-Beaufort, SC

                           Fine Arts Center of Camden County, Camden, SC

                           Wells Gallery, Charleston, SC

1997                    Schmidt/Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

1996                    Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                           Halsey Gallery, College of Charleston, SC                                 

                           National Library of Canada, Glenn Gould Exhibition Website, Ottawa

1995                    Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                           Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC 

1994                    David Klein Gallery, Birmingham, MI

                           Fridholm Gallery, Asheville, NC

1993                    Stephen Wirtz Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                           Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                           Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC

1992                    Fridholm Gallery, Asheville, NC

1989                    Francis Marion College Art Gallery, Florence, SC

  Group Exhibitions

2022-23               Quarter Past: Highlights from our Collection, Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B.

                           Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC

2022                    The Modern Landscape, Danville Village Theatre Art Gallery, Danville, CA

                           Alice Ballard and Brian Rutenberg, Myrtle Beach Art Museum, Myrtle Beach Art

                           Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC

2021                    Drawing Inspiration, Forum Gallery, NY, NY

                            In Vivid Color: Pushing the Boundaries of Perception in Contemporary Art,                             Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC

2020                     First Impressions: New Works and New Acquisitions, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2019                     Person to Person, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            Bordering on Abstraction, Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin                             Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC

                            Linden Frederick & Seven Contemporary Guest Artists, Haynes Galleries, Franklin, TN                             Natural History, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2018                     Long Island Painters, MM Fine Art Advisory & Appraisals, Southampton, NY

2018                     Augusta Collects Southern Art, Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA

2017-18                Artists by Artists: The Artist as Subject, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2017-18                Eclipsing 50, Artists from the South Carolina Arts Commission Collection, 1967-2017,                             South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC

                            Favorite Things: A Holiday Exhibition, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2017                     Forum Gallery Celebrates 55 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art,Forum Gallery, NY, NY

                            Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC                             92nd St. Y Art Center, New York, NY

                            American Views, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            20/21 VISIONARY ARTISTS OF THE 21ST CENTURY, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2015                     Nature Unbound, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            Timothy Tew Gallery, Atlanta, GA 

2014                     46th Collector’s Show and Sale, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR

2013                     Singular Vision, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            W.O.P, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            45th Annual Collector’s Show & Sale, Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AR

                            Rebekah Jacob Gallery, Charleston, SC

                            Room with a View, Selections from the Permanent Collection, Burroughs-                             Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach,South Carolina

                            Dark Eye Glances: Romantic Impulse in Landscape, Stedman Gallery at Rutgers                             Camden Center for the Arts, Camden,NJ

2012                     Five Decades: Art and Artists of Forum Gallery: 1962-2012, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL

                            State Museum of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

                            43rd Collectors Show & Sale, Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR Vantage Point                             Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            Private Beauty, Martin County Courthouse Cultural Center, Stuart, FL

2010                     Contemporary Paintings, Drawings & Sculpture: A Summer Selection,                             Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

                            Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                            TEW Galleries, Atlanta, GA

    2009                 Summer Selections, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                            South Carolina Selections: Ideas Distanced from Objects,                             Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC

                            Abstraction in the South, Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA

                            25/25, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

2008                     New Acquisitions, Forum Gallery, New York, NY  

2007                     The Contemporary Landscapes Show, Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2006                      Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, National Academy Museum, New York, NY                              Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

                             Eva Carter Gallery, Charleston, SC

                            75th Anniversary Exhibition, Weill Art Gallery, 92nd Street Y, New York, NY

2005                     John Raimondi Gallery, Boston, MA

                            Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

                            Burroughs-Chapin Museum of Art, Myrtle Beach, SC

                            Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

2004                    Transamerica Corporation Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                           Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                           Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC

                           Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY

                           Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                           Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH

                           Burroughs-Chapin Museum of Art, Myrtle Beach, SC

                           Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

                           Museum of Art and History, Santa Cruz, CA

                           Terra Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2003                    Ace Gallery, New York, NY

                           Callen McJunkin Gallery, Charleston, WV

                           Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC  2002                   Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                           Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo, NY                            Forum Gallery, New York, NY

                           Tippy-Stern Gallery, Charleston, SC

                           Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO

2002                    Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC        

2001                    Forum Gallery, New York, NY

2000                    Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

                           Tippy-Stern Fine Art, Charleston, SC                            Schmidt-Dean Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

                           Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, Ca

1999                    The Painting Center, New York, NY

                           Toomey-Tourell Gallery, San Francisco, CA  1998                   Vancouver Museum, Vancouver, B.C.

                           McAllen Art Museum. McAllen, TX

                           Hidell/ Brooks Gallery, Charlotte, NC

1997                    Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

                           Oakland Museum of Art, Oakland, CA

                           American Academy of Arts & Letters Invitational, New York, NY

                           Radix Gallery, New York, NY

1996                   Janet Fleisher Gallery, Philadelphia, PA    

                          Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY      

                          Art Initiatives, New York, NY

                          Contemporary Art from the Permanent Collection, Gibbes Museum of Art,Charleston, SC 

1995                   Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY

                          Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                          Artists from the Permanent Collection, Greenville County Museum of Art,Greenville, SC          

1994                   Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                          Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

                          808 Penn Modern Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA

1993                   Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                          Lee Arthur Studio, New York, NY

                          Abstraction Per Se, Pratt Institute Manhattan, NY 

                          Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY

                          University of Pittsburgh Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA                           Fridholm Fine Arts, Asheville, NC

1992                   Dean Velentgas Gallery, Portland. ME

                          Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC

1991                   Stephen Wirtz Gallery, San Francisco, CA

                          Janet Fleisher Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

                           Piccolo Spoleto Festival, City Gallery, Charleston, SC 

1990                   Biennial Exhibition, Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, NC 

                           Foreman Gallery, Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY

                           Washington Square Art Gallery, New York, NY

                           Halsey Gallery, College of Charleston, SC

                           Bill Bace Gallery, New York, NY

1989 – 88            Visual Arts Gallery, New York, NY (multiple exhibitions)

                           City Gallery, Charleston, SC Piccolo Spoleto

1987                    Halsey Gallery, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

                           Visual Arts Gallery, New York, NY (curator: Will Insley)

1986                    Beyond Rainbow Row, Charleston County Library, SC 

                           Lenexa Art Center, Lenexa, KS

                           Piccolo Spoleto, City Gallery, Charleston, SC 

1985                    Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

Publications

A Little Long Time, Forum Gallery, New York, NY, 2020

Selections from The Morris Museum of Art: Spring Tide, Morris Museum of Art, Augusta GA, 2019

Clear Seeing Place: Studio Visits, New York: Permanent Green, 2016

Clear Seeing Place, LewAllen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, 2017 

Camellia, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC, 2016 

Saltwater, Forum Gallery, New York, NY, 2014

Brimming Tide, Burroughs-Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC, 2011

Palmetto, Forum Gallery, New York, NY, 2008

Riverbend, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC, 2006

Brimming Tides, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia, SC, 2006

Carolina, Forum Gallery, New York, NY, 2005

Where Waters Rest, Jerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, NC, 2004

Algonquin, Forum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2002

A Ten Year Survey, Butler Institute of American Art, Warren, Ohio, 2001

The Cavan Paintings, Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin, Ireland, 2000

River Paintings, Cavin-Morris Gallery, New York, NY and Stephen Wirtz Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1993

2018                 Commencement Speaker & Honorary Doctorate, College of Charleston, SC

2004                 Fellowship in Painting, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)

2002                 Spring Island Trust Award

2000                 Peter S. Reed Foundation Award

                        Sea Island Trust Visiting Artist

1997                 Fulbright Scholarship

                        Artists Work Programme Studio Grant, Irish Museum of Modern Art

1993                 Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation

1991                 Basil Alkazzi Award USA

                        Ragdale Foundation Fellowship

1988                 MFA Scholarship Award, School of Visual Arts

1987                 Laura Bragg Memorial Award

Lectures and Mini Classes

2018               “Clear Seeing Place – With Brian Rutenberg & Friends of the Mint,” Mint Museum Randolph, Charlotte, NC  

2017                Mastering Your Mark 2017 Conference: Lunchtime Keynote - Brian Rutenberg “I Am Where I Go”, Cape Cod Art Association,

                        Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis, Hyannis, MA

                       “Meet the Maker: Brian Rutenberg”, Halsey Institute for Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC

                         Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum, Myrtle Beach, SC  

                        Clear Seeing Place Book Reading, 92nd Street Y Art Center, New York, NY

Museum and Public Collections

Asheville Museum of Art, Asheville, NC

Bank of America, San Francisco, CA

Boca Raton Museum of Art, Boca Raton, FL

Bronx Museum of Art

Burroughs-Chapin Museum of Art, Myrtle Beach, SC 

Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, OH

Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC

Carolina First Bank, Greenville, SC

College of Charleston Foundation, SC 

The Colony Group, Boston, MA

Comcast Corporation, Philadelphia, PA

Dayton Art Institute, Dayton, OH

Dow Jones & Co., New York, NY

Drive Time, Tempe, AZ

Federal Reserve Bank, Richmond, VA 

First National Bank of Chicago, Detroit, MI 

Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston, SC

Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC

Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, NC

Hoyt Art Center, New Castle, PA

Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga, TN

The Johnson Collection, Spartanburg, SC

McGladrey, Charlestown, MA

MGM Resorts International

Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA

Naples Art Museum, Naples, FL

Nassau County Museum of Art, Roslyn Harbor, NY

Ogden Museum of Art, New Orleans, LA

The Ozer Group, Needham, MA

Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA

Provincetown Art Association and Museum, Provincetown, MA 

Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, CA

Saginaw Art Museum, Saginaw, MI

Saks Fifth Avenue, San Francisco, CA

Showboat Casino, Inc., Atlantic City, NJ 

Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, OH 

Spring Island Trust, Spring Island, SC

South Carolina Arts Commission State Art Collection 

Stoneridge Corporation, Warren, OH

Strategic Search Inc., Charlotte, NC

Swiss Re Corporation, New York, NY

University of Arkansas Hospital for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR

Wilmington Trust Co., New York, NY

Yale University Gallery of Art, New Haven, CT

Muse: Brian Rutenberg’s Entrancing Abstract Landscapes Cast A Powerful Spell

Brian Rutenberg in the studio. Photo by Loren Bridges, courtesy of the artist.

“I’m a failed magician who paints for a living,” explains South Carolina-born, New York-based artist Brian Rutenberg. While he may have failed at his first career choice, Rutenberg certainly became a conjurer of another kind. His Banner of the World paintings , most recently on view at Forum Gallery in New York, sizzle with hocus-pocus.

“They are,” he muses, “a transference of deception. We need deception, lying, to achieve a temporary sense of reverie and lucidity – one flash of clarity, even for a moment.”

“Banner of the Coast (Winter Almonds)”, 2021-22, oil on linen, 36 x 55 inches.

Rutenberg grew up in touristy Myrtle Beach, where stunning natural beauty coexists with a carnival, honky-tonk atmosphere of arcades, souvenir shops and casinos. He learned to see literally from the ground by lying on the earth to take in the view. This perspective restricts what we see to foreground and distance; what is in between must be envisioned by the viewer.

The Banner paintings – which arose out of his desire for “a closer marriage between blinking, candy-colored neon lights and something more natural” – are, he explains, “a collision between the two worlds that makes a third thing.”

These new environments are lush and rendered in hallucinatory colors, with obvious references to woods, marshes, swamps and rivers that feel primordial. Rutenberg tricks us into the compressed, ground-level view by depicting what is close in thicker applications of paint, while distances consist of diluted, thinly laid pigments that seem to glow with an inner light. The latter conveys an ethereality that feels otherworldly, even supernatural.

In this way, the artist’s works recall Renaissance memento mori and vanitas paintings, which carefully arranged objects that referenced human mortality (a skull, a snuffed-out candle, a spilled goblet of wine) as a way of reminding us of the ephemeral nature of our existence in the face of the Divine and the natural world. At the same time, Rutenberg observes, they were very much about those human pleasures (food, wine, music, literature and so on) that artists depicted with a luscious sensuality.

“Banner of the Coast (Pecan Trees)”, 2021-22, oil on linen.

Rutenberg invokes all this in an abstract modern way. “I place a lot of emphasis on the application of paint,” he describes, “on the deliciousness of paint. South Carolina is just the delivery system,” he adds of the specific locale that inspired them. “It’s really about sustaining that sense of pleasure and reverie, to bring us from the mind to the liquidity.” To that end, his carefully composed works lead the eye to that central light that emanates a trance-inducing state of wonder and magic.

Indeed, they feel ripe, fecund, mysterious and hot. “It’s that seductive wet blanket of humidity that makes you feel like you have to just give up and fall to your knees.” In the presence of these stunning, hypnotic works, that seems to be exactly the right response.

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Muse: Nina Fuga Shares Her Inspiration For Harmonious And Balanced Installations

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Brian Rutenberg American, b. 1965

• Exhibitions

Brian Rutenberg is known for atmospheric, abstract landscape paintings executed with a lush and vibrant impasto surface. Rutenberg traces his inspiration back to his fascination with the unique quality of light found in the South Carolina Low country , the place where he grew up. Rutenberg says, especially inspiring is that point when the land meets the water and for a moment the two become blurred . Rutenberg received a Fulbright Fellowship to study in Ireland in 1997 .  While there, he was honored with studio space at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin.   

Rutenberg has been the recipient of numerous awards including a Fellowship in Painting at the New York Foundation for the Arts in 2004, a Spring Island Trust Award in 2002 , a Peter S. Reed Foundation award in 2000 and an Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, the College of Charleston, in 2018 .  His work has been represented in over nine ty museum and gallery exhibitions across the United States and abroad and can be found in the collections of Yale University Art Gallery, the Gibbes Museum, the Morris Museum of Art and the Butler Institute of American Art among others .   The first monograph on the artist, Brian Rutenberg, was published in 2008 .  

Editioned Works

Works on Paper

Spring Fever

Spring Selections

Brian Rutenberg

America Seen - American Scenes

Brian Rutenberg: Synchronicity

American Abstraction

Southern Artists

Brian Rutenberg: Nature, Abstracted

The Third Thing: Art & Antiques Visits Painter Brian Rutenberg in His Manhattan Studio

Art Miami 2023

Art Miami 2022

Art Miami 2021

Market Art & Design

Art on Paper

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2021 Exhibitions

January 29-march 4 2021   current student works competition / claudia shepard, juror.

“CONGRATULATIONS to all those who entered this show of great variety, meaning and beauty. With so many entries, I tried to be very thoughtful about criteria I use in looking at each of your works. IMPACT (presentation ) —what draws me in to look more carefully at the formal elements that carry the intention or concept— that is whether acrylic, oil or mixed media—realistic or abstract; composition, balance, range of value relationships as well as spatial relationships and, of course, craftsmanship, in the expressive processes are all part of my considerations when looking at each work. When looking at the variety of ceramics, jewelry, and textiles I look for inventiveness and craftsmanship as well.”  ~  Claudia Shepard , Juror

This annual, favorite exhibit features artwork in a variety of media by BBAC adult students – more than 160 pieces. Here is a sampling (click each image for larger view). CLICK HERE for more images & awards.

Storm by Susan Fiorello

Vogue by Joy Levran

Peacemaker by Christina Haylett

Wallflower by Kate Neville

CLICK HERE for more images & complete list of artists in the exhibit.

CLICK HERE for exhibition prospectus.

Images by Annie VanGelderen

March 12-April 22 2021

“As Michiganders crawl out of the winter and the Covid-19 pandemic (be it as slow as it is), we are greeted by the BBAC exhibitions that make it worth our time for a visit.” Read the April 3 Detroit Art Review commentary of the Rutenberg & Fisher exhibits –  click here .

Brian Rutenberg :  Pine, Palm & River

Sponsored by andrea & ely tama + annie & glenn vangelderen, click here to view the show virtually., click here to watch a video prepared by rutenberg for this exhibit..

Corsair , oil on linen, 2017, 60″ x 82″

© Brian Rutenberg, courtesy of Forum Gallery, New York NY 

Widely considered to be one of the finest American painters of his generation, Brian Rutenberg has spent forty years honing a distinctive method of compressing the rich color and form of his native coastal South Carolina into complex landscape paintings that imbue material reality with a deep sense of place.

Brian received his BFA in 1987 from the College of Charleston and his MFA in 1989 from the School of Visual Arts, New York. He is a Fulbright Scholar, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellow, a Basil Alkazzi USA Award recipient, an Irish Museum of Modern Art visiting artist program participant, and has had over two hundred and fifty exhibitions throughout North America. Rutenberg’s paintings are included in such museum collections as Yale University Art Gallery, The Butler Institute of American Art, Bronx Museum of Art, Peabody Essex Museum of Art, Greenville County Museum of Art, Provincetown Art Association and Museum, South Carolina State Museum, and many others. His popular YouTube videos “Brian Rutenberg Studio Visits” are viewed daily by people all over the world. Radius Books published a full color monograph in 2008. Brian’s book,  Clear Seeing Place , was released in October 2016 and was an Amazon #1 bestseller. His new monograph, A Little Long Time , published by Forum Gallery in 2019 is also an Amazon bestseller. Brian received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the College of Charleston where he delivered the 2018 commencement address.

Brian lives and works in New York City with his wife Kathryn and their two children.

Frank James Fisher / Pop Artifacts

CLICK HERE for more about this exhibit.

Note: Price ranges for Fisher’s work – Bottles start @ $90; small slab forms, $110-$130; plates, $125; framed potsherds, $125.

Please phone for more details: 248.644.0866

Her (detail) – slab-built & thrown stoneware, press mold porcelain, Raku fired, reduction

Past Due – slab-built porcelain, Raku fired, reduction 

Advertising has recalibrated my brain. Forty years of working in the marketing community has saturated and skewed my aesthetic away from traditional art expression. My mind prefers graphics, headlines, logos, body copy, photos, illustrations, taglines and any other marketing tool to express my creative thoughts. These are the tools I use to build narratives and fabricate impossible consumer products out of clay. I call them Pop Artifacts. Sculpted, cast, pressed, or thrown, these ceramic objects represent the desires we chase in the hope of capturing satisfaction.

I want to declare a heart-felt ‘Thank You’ to the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center. My first experience with The BBAC occurred a decade ago on March 5, 2011, to present a workshop. Since then, we have interacted with exhibitions, exhibition catalogs, classes, and workshops. The BBAC provides the essential ingredients a healthy community needs: the supportive warmth of friendship, a secure place to grow as an artist, a forum to present creativity, and the integrity and strength to make a difference within the community. Thank you.

– Frank James Fisher

J.A. Richard :  Hope in Miniature

“Between Romanticism & Realism, within the mediums of intaglio & painting, hope resides in my work’s ideas & themes. It is in these mediums, I find an innate intimacy in creating miniature work.

“I believe there is an inherent beauty in the experience of creating small works that require intimate interactions. In such a small scale, a single mark often has to represent or suggest form, mass, light, & emotion, & these small suggestive marks can render out ideas & details much more expansive than themselves. But in those marks, I can lose myself in the hope of what I saw or thought during their creation.

“However, once completed, creation allows the work to move beyond my intent into the world. It will enable it to mature & take on others’ stories as they see fit. In my works’ miniature & small scale, details & exactitude in an image’s conceptual underpinning can be distilled down to the most hopeful of elements, allowing others the opportunity to make the work their own.

“For some, this draws them nearer. This interaction takes a commitment on the viewer’s part, a curiosity to obtain the knowledge of what is. For they must give a moment of themselves to gain the return of seeing. At this moment, something nearly magical happens; in the near abstractness of seemingly random small marks, an image is born in their mind. It becomes an opportunity to build out the imagery with their own ideas of what they see, the stories they want to hear. As a viewer walks away, they take with them that which they saw.

“One must get near enough to see an image, often so much so that they might lose a sense of our world’s surrounding largeness, rendering themselves momentarily vulnerable. These moments lend themselves to a more open reading of the stories that they see. To see hope in whatever form they so choose.

“Each work is presented framed in such a way as to allow it its own space to be what it needs. The large matting suggests a world through the window in which you look, allowing landscapes to roll out before you & to believe in hopes of little details that might not be seen.

“It would be remiss of me not to consider the time & events in which these works are currently being viewed. The pandemic has shaken so many in profound ways beyond what they could have ever imagined. As such, I want nothing more than for this opportunity to be a catalyst & opportunity to take a deep breath, pause, & allow yourself a moment of hope.”

~ J.A. Richard

Students of Edward Duff

Here is just a sampling of paintings in this exhibit; for a larger view, click on the image. (If interested in purchasing, phone 248.644.0866.)

Sue Brodbeck –  Grand Hotel Taxi , oil on board, $600

Rosemary Bunea –  Garden Path , oil on canvas, $1600

Kim Coleman –  Lower Meadow in July , oil on panel, $270

Lin Deahl Coy –  Salmon Run , oil on canvas, $1200

Edward Duff (instructor) –  Ebb & Flow , oil on panel, $1300

Harah Frost –  Johnson Nature Center,  oil on canvas, $150

Heidi Geissbuhler –  I-75 Sunset , oil on canvas, $800

Barb Glover –  Bates Hamburgers , oil on board, $900

Sid Goldstein –  Vermont Barn , acrylic on canvas, NFS

Maggie Greene –  Water + Wind + Rock,  watercolor on paper, $1000

Susan Hahn –  The Agate , oil on canvas, NFS

Luba Kytasta –  Carpathian Nocturne , oil on canvas, NFS

Ron Moffitt –  PB & J , oil on canvas, NFS

Steve Rubin – Up, Up and Away , acrylic on canvas, $1000

Joe Snover –  Ducks in the Water , oil on canvas, NFS

Mary Lou Stropoli –  Jellies Over Eastham #1 , acrylic on canvas, $500

The Students of Edward Duff exhibit features paintings created under the training of London-born and Michigan-raised Duff, who studied at Detroit’s College for Creative Studies and Wayne State University.  A member of the Oil Painters of America and the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society, Duff, who has gallery representation in Michigan and Tennessee, has served on the BBAC faculty since 2014.

April 30-June 3 2021

Shown here are samplings from the exhibits. Stay tuned for virtual tours.

BBAC Faculty Exhibition

Click here to view entire show..

Autumn Storm  by Donald Cronkhite

Still Here by Meighen Jackson – 50″ x 42″; ink & various kozo & vellum papers on canvas; $4100

Hydrangea by Andrea Tama – acrylic paper collage on wood panel; 24″ x 24″; $1250

Dracunclus Vulgaris by Laurie Tennent – 30″ x 40″; polychrome on aluminum; $5000

A Face in the Window by Timothy H. Widener – 23″ x 19″; oil on linen; $4000

Genevieve Van Zandt :  Rainbows and Demons

Butterfly Bones and Forest Spirits; porcelain, black clay & found objects; $800

CLICK HERE to see more of Van Zandt’s exhibit.

Genevieve Van Zandt grew up in Southeast Michigan. Working at her family’s cake bakery in her youth gave her a desire to work with her hands. Learning to sew and design her own clothes at a young age gave her a sense of artistic identity. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Western Michigan University. She has been a resident artist and studio manager at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Maine, as well as a long-term resident artist and instructor at Odyssey Center for Ceramics in North Carolina. She has assisted workshops at Penland School of Craft and Haystack Mountain School of Craft. She currently works in her Detroit studio. “The forest, the garden, and the sea are places that I draw inspiration from. The mysterious qualities and parallels of these ecosystems within the human experience are the source of my subject matter. Ingrained in stories from the beginning of time; Mythical fantasies are often set on a dark path to the forest, in a marvelous garden, or based in our fascination with the other worldliness of the sea. We can look at these myths as poetic ways to find significance in our lives. We are rooted in these natural places that somehow have escaped our daily lives. Humans are able to find a sense of tranquility when they retreat to the woods, tend to a garden, or stare across the ocean. These environments give us the ability to look inward and find subtle answers to life’s questions.”

Students of Leslie Masters

Untitled by Patty Eisenbraun… a multi-media piece featuring Leslie Masters! – NFS

Lake Country by Barbara Bayson – acrylic; $800

Long Shadow by Kristen Carey – oil; NFS

Woman Reading 1 by Ellie Gause – oil; $400   SOLD

Dune by Tammy May – acrylic; $300

Artichoke on a Stick by Kate Pistor – acrylic; price on request

TO SEE MORE FROM THIS EXHIBIT, CLICK HERE .

June 18-August 19 2021

40th annual michigan fine arts competition.

First Documented Case of PTSD by Terry Matlen; oil on canvas, 8″ x 8″; $550

This year’s juror, David Lusk , had this to say: “I look at a lot of art every day.  I figured this project would be a breeze when I was asked to jury the Michigan Fine Arts Competition.  I had no idea how difficult the undertaking would be when faced with the 714 works of art entered for this show!  The wide variety of media and techniques, the proficiency with material and composition, and the overall exuberance of each piece made my task even more difficult.  The caliber of the work submitted was outstanding and invigorating to this long-time art dealer.  Congratulations to all who made the cut — I sure struggled to narrow it down.”

View the entire exhibit online – click here ., august 27-september 23 2021     , armando pedroso : wide open.

Art is an expression of one’s self, a way to convey the deepest emotions within the heart. Artist Armando Pedroso does just that with his beautiful mixed media paintings. Using materials as diverse as acrylic paint & roofing tar, as well as special techniques, such as blow torching, Armando creates art that is unlike anything else. Armando deconstructs & reconstructs a variety of materials to create his unique paintings.

Beautiful Decay ; Mixed Media; $2,000

Big Red Sunset ; Mixed Media; $3,800

Comfort ; Mixed Media; $6,600

Coral Barn ; Mixed Media; $1,900

Drifting ; Mixed Media; $3,100

Dusty Rose ; Mixed Media; $3,800

Mail Pouch ; Mixed Media; $6,600

Open Spaces ; Mixed Media; $2,800

Orange Morning ; Mixed Media; $1,300

Royal ; Mixed Media; $1,300

Standing Out ; Mixed Media; $1,300

*Paintings sold individually* 

The White Barn ; Mixed Media; $900     

The Blue Barn ; Mixed Media; $900

The Red Barn ; Mixed Media; $900

The Windmill ; Mixed Media; $6,600

Wheat Fields ; Mixed Media; $3,800

Wide Open Home; Mixed Media; $400

Yellow Fields ; Mixed Media; $2,000

Birmingham Society of Women Painters : Resilience

For more than fifty years, the Birmingham Society of Women Painters has brought together artists of merit to further their shared interests. The BSWP is today a dynamic organization of 50 artists working in diverse media. A commitment to the highest standards in creative expression and art education links the generations of BSWP members. 

Barbara Baker; Ida, Mich, Skyline ; Watercolor; $375

Robbie Best; Affirmation ; Oil on Linen; $1,000

Beverly Booth; Fiesta Time ; Watercolor; $800

Jan Brown; A Departing Soul ; String; NFS

Jan Brown; Wonder as You Wander ; Acrylic; $4,000

Kristen Carey; All Quiet ; Oil and Cold Wax; $500

Chizuko Donovan; Here There Everywhere ; Acrylic; $350

Jan Filarski; Expoplanet 16740 ; Acrylic; $1,800

Jan Filarski; Floral Delights on Steroids ; Acrylic, Collage on tubes; $2,000

Susan Fiorello; Untitled ; Acrylic; $350

Eleanor Gause; Portrait in Yellow ; Oil; $1,350

Nancy Gordon; Magic Flute ; Oil; NFS

Nancy Gordon; The Favorite Pillow ; Oil; NFS

Barbara Grundeman; Industrial Polluter ; Acrylic; $450

Cheryl L. Haithco; Serene Solitude ; Acrylic; $1,900

Carolyn Vosburg Hall; Get Back in Order ; Gouache and Watercolor; $800

Rebecca Hauschild; Widow of War ; Oil; $6,000

Laura Whitesides Host; Urban Guardian ; Monotype; $500

Barbra Keidan; I’m Trying ; Acrylic; $1,200

Barbra Keidan; Old Women ; Acrylic; $1,000

Ann Kelly; Turkey Tail ; Pastel; $900

Donna Kennedy; The World as I see it ; Mixed Media; $1,600

Lesley Kutinsky; Shadows ; Oil; $150

Lesley Kutinsky; Tickle, Tickle ; Oil; NFS

Susan Kwolek; Invasives ; Acrylic Mixed Media; $800

Fran Levin; Blossoms ; Acrylic; $750

Kathy Mansell; In the Beginning ; Acrylic; $375

Loretta Markell; Drawing Down the Moon ; Acrylic; $1,200

Leslie Masters; Antelope Canyon ; Acrylic; $1,500

Leslie Masters; Canyon Light ; Acrylic; $1,500

Barbara Maxson; Becoming Undone ; Acrylic and Collage; $400

Kathleen Montgomery; Confidence ; Pastel; $400

Cindy Parsons; Persistent Efforts ; Mixed Media; $450

Sally Parsons; Late Summer on Quarton Lake ; Pastel; $650

Nancy Raitt; Impending Storm ; Acrylic; $1,500

Ev Schwartz; Experienced ; Oil; $245

Elizabeth Sylvester; Aspidestra ; Acrylic Ink; $350

Donna Thibodeau; Green House Tranquility ; Watercolor; $800

Donna Thibodeau; Perseverance ; Watercolor; $550

Marsha Tournay; Leaf Profusion ; Watercolor and Acrylic; $1,000

Marsha Tournay; My Back Yard ; Acrylic; $2,210

Chris Trombley; Creating a Life ; Mixed Media; $600

Kathie Troshynski; Connected ; Pastel; $275

Helen Vlasic; February Buds ; Oil on linen; $1,000

Fran Wolok; A Moment of Sunshine ; Acrylic; $650

Martha Zausmer; Esoteric ; Collage; $900

Laura Cavanagh & Christine Gordon : Occupied Space

“Occupied Space” is a body of work that examines the physical spaces we occupy day-to-day, as well as the spaces that imprint themselves onto our minds and memories: grandma’s 1970s-inspired kitchen; dad’s cozy, dark den or even the iconic scene of the twins in the retro hallway from The Shining . The work of Laura Cavanagh and Christine Gordon attempts to explore the “unseen” – shadows cast on the wall, dust particles that flicker in the sunlight – and freeze in time those spaces risk being forgotten memory. With “Occupied Space”, the women will capture, in a singular gallery space, these physical experiences and moments in time.

Christine Gordon

Chrissy Gordon; Autumn View ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $499

Chrissy Gordon; Blue Stairwell ; Oil pastel on paper; 14×17; NFS

Chrissy Gordon; Downstairs ; Oil pastel on monotype; 40×76; $2,300

Chrissy Gordon; Dusk ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $499

Chrissy Gordon; Grandpa’s Kitchen ; Oil pastel on paper; 14×17; $895

Chrissy Gordon; Green Light ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $499

Chrissy Gordon; Night Light ; Oil pastel on paper; 11×14; $725

Chrissy Gordon; Pink Light ; Oil pastel on paper; 14×17; $895

Chrissy Gordon; Soft Light ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $499

Chrissy Gordon; Through ; Oil pastel on paper; 6×9; $189

Chrissy Gordon; Thunderstorm ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $499

Laura Cavanagh

Laura Cavanagh; Adaption, Again ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $650

Laura Cavanagh; Aprons of Silence ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $650

Laura Cavanagh; Before ; Soft pastel on board; 12×16; NFS

Laura Cavanagh; Charisma Begins with Sequins ; Soft pastel on paper; 15×22; $1,445

Laura Cavanagh; Distilled ; Soft pastel on paper; 14×17; $775

Laura Cavanagh; Dreams and Memories ; Soft pastel on paper; 15×22; $1,445

Laura Cavanagh; Heat and Dust ; Soft pastel on paper; 18×24; $1,050

Laura Cavanagh; Hops Brook ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $425

Laura Cavanagh; Poof! ; Soft pastel on board; 16×20; NFS

Laura Cavanagh; Reverence ; Oil pastel on paper; 9×12; $425

Students of Clinton Snider

Crossing Over by Clinton Snider; oil on canvas

Clinton Snider makes paintings and sculptures that examine issues of social and environmental transformation, while staging subtle comedies set within our complex society. Recent shows featuring his work include the Making Home exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts, curated by Lucy Mensah and Taylor Renee Aldridge and Who Where They Then, curated by Dick Goody at Oakland University Art Gallery. Snider’s artworks have also been exhibited at Cranbrook Art Museum, Mott College, The Kunst Werker Institute of Berlin, and throughout Metropolitan Detroit. His works are part of many public and private collections, including The Detroit Institute of Arts, Henry Ford Hospital and the Kresge Foundation. He received a BFA from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan.

October 1-November 4 2021      

Glenna adkins: modern impressions.

Glenna Adkins has been a working, professional artist since 2001 and is widely known for her abstract paintings. Glenna thinks abstract artwork makes you think and feel something and activates the brain in a way that representational work cannot always accomplish. She has developed her own unique technique for creating her pieces. Flexibility is the key to the success of her paintings. “I try new techniques all the time” is her mantra. Trying not to allow the success of one painting dictate the next one, but allowing it to be a jumping off point for more creative flow. 

Aurora ; Mixed Media; $3,600

Autumn ; Mixed Media; $1,400

Briarcliff ; Mixed Media; $3,100

Clifton ; Mixed Media; $1,400

Cloisters ; Mixed Media; $7,200

Goethe ; Mixed Media; $7,900

Incline ; Mixed Media; $3,900

Lucere ; Mixed Media; $7,900

Rosa ; Mixed Media; $7,200

Spring ; Mixed Media; $1,400

Study 1 ; Mixed Media; $350

Study 2 ; Mixed Media; $350

Study 3 ; Mixed Media; $350

Study 4 ; Mixed Media; $350

Study 5 ; Mixed Media; $350

Summer ; Mixed Media; $1,400

The Row 1 ; Mixed Media; $2,500

The Row 2 ; Mixed Media; $2,500

Winter ; Mixed Media; $1,400

Leah Waldo: Memory Gate

Leah creates as a way to process and express her life experiences, drawing inspiration from her poignant experiences in nature. An abstract travelogue of a lifetime of deep feeling and mindful healing, Leah’s sculptures stand as monuments to the human capacity to heal and honor all those who are on their own path of healing. Her work provides a deeply personal window into her intimate experiences with loss, grief, healing and transformation, and offers viewers a gateway and passage into those healing spaces. 

Shown below is a sampling of Memory Gate. Images by Leah Waldo. 

Beannacht ; cast glass, low-fire soft brick; $475

Breaking the Silence ; with detail; cast glass, etched glass, cast bronze, fabricated steel, low-fire soft brick; NFS

Breathe ; with details; cast glass, fabricated steel, low-fire terra cotta; $2,700

Chamber of Remembering ; with detail; cast glass, etched glass, fabricated steel, low-fire stoneware, sound; $3,500

Circle: Yes ; cast glass, etched glass, fabricated steel, low-fire terra cotta; NFS

Colors of Release ; with detail; cast glass, etched glass, low-fire porcelain, fabricated steel, brass, sound; $3,500

Heartopener ; cast glass, etched glass, fabricated steel, low-fire terra cotta; $2,800

Place of Grief ; with detail; cast glass, etched glass, fabricated steel, stone, ink, paper, wax, sound; $3,500

Secret of the Golden Flower ; etched glass, cast bronze, fabricated steel, low-fire soft brick; $825

Shrine of Growth ; cast glass, etched glass, cast bronze, fabricated steel, low-fire terra cotta; $1,100

Soft Fascination ; low-fire stoneware, stone, resin, sound; $475

Something About a Face ; cast glass, low-fire soft brick; $425

The Hollow Place ; cast glass, etched glass, fabricate steel, low-fire stoneware; $3,200

Thinking Stone ; low-fire ceramic, stone, resin, sound; $475

Tree Piece ; stone, low-fire terra cotta, resin, sound; $475

Two Moons ; cast glass, low-fire stoneware, sound; $2,100

Mary Wilson : Edible Intentions 

Culinarian turned Painter, Mary Wilson has spent years painting with flavors in her own premier catering company. With an eye for color and contrast, Mary has found her way from the flavor palate to artistic palette. 2020 allowed a creative by nature to explore new forms of expression. 

A Gift Of Garlic; Watercolor; $75

Artichokes; Watercolor; $70

Beans Are The Means; Watercolor; $70

Bloody Mary; Watercolor; $136

Blue Hue; Watercolor; $140

Burst Of Berry; Watercolor; $140

Cherry Basket; Watercolor; $288

Cherry Bomb; Watercolor; $140

Citrus In Circles; Watercolor; $216

Cream Puff; Watercolor; $140

Crispy Pear; Watercolor; $70

Dippity Do; Watercolor; $140

Herbal Essence; Watercolor; $128

Lickity Split; Watercolor; $140

Sunkist; Watercolor; $136

Sweet Pea; Watercolor; $140

Sweetness Of Summer; Watercolor; $140

The Root Of It All; Watercolor; $216

Toadstool; Watercolor; $70

Students of Fran Seikaly

The Eye of God by Fran Seikaly; oil on canvas

Fran Seikaly is a Detroit area artist working with oil, pastel, watercolor and drawing. She teaches and exhibits at numerous places in southeastern Michigan and has work in public and private collections including Salon Detroit, Farmington Hills City Hall, Hiller’s Markets Corporate Offices and Michael Langnas & Associates Law Offices in Southfield, MI.

HAVEN : Resilience Art Show

HAVEN of Oakland County celebrates Domestic Violence Awareness Month through interpretive visual art created by survivors, friends, families and supporters of HAVEN. As Oakland County’s only comprehensive program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, HAVEN provides shelter, counseling, advocacy and educational programming to nearly 30,000 people each year.

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The official news site of the College of Charleston.

Abstract artist brian rutenberg ’87 featured on college of charleston podcast.

In this episode of Speaking of … College of Charleston , the podcast talks to abstract artist Brian Rutenberg ’87 .

A native of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a current New York City resident, Rutenberg considers the College of Charleston a home away from home. One of five family members who attended the College (including his son and daughter, who are currently enrolled in the Honors College), Rutenberg has stayed actively engaged with his alma mater over the years and generously donated his painting, “Sandspur” (2017, 62 x 80 in., oil on linen), which will be hung in the recently renovated Simons Center for the Arts .

“My entire experience here at the College of Charleston can be summarized in a single word. The word is yes ,” says Rutenberg. “For the entire four years I was here, 1983 to 1987, I never heard the word no , not even once. The answer to my every question was yes . And that made all the difference.”

That is why he wanted to make a difference, too. In 2017, he established the Brian and Kathryn Rutenberg Studio Art Award, with 26 students receiving the scholarship since then.

“This award has helped to jump-start the artistic careers of over 20 studio art graduates,” says Elizabeth Meyer-Bernstein , dean of the College of Charleston Honors College and interim dean of the School of the Arts, adding:” One of the initial financial hurdles facing studio art students is the purchasing materials necessary to start their careers. Given Mr. Rutenberg’s success, this award provides more than financial support, but also a vote of confidence from a well-respected alumnus and demonstrates an institutional investment in the recipients as alumni and artists.”

Rutenberg is nothing if not generous with his time and sharing lessons he’s learned with the next generation of art students.

“I feel like, if I can do anything, to be of service to younger artists or less experienced artists, then I feel like it makes me a better painter,” he says, explaining that “working as an artist can be isolating, so the reason I make the videos is to remind artists around the world that they are not alone. … By doing this, I hope to bring people into my studio and not just show them technical stuff, which can be as boring as Novocain in a dental chair; I try to show them what an artist’s life is like. I talk a little philosophy, a little personal anecdote, and then I mix some technical and art historical references in, as well.”

Resources From This Episode:

• Rutenberg says his artistic vision began as a child growing up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: “Myrtle Beach, as you all know, is a resort town full of spastic neon blinking lights and arcades and amusement parks, surrounded by some of the most ravishing landscapes on the East Coast. And I paid attention. So, what I saw was miraculous, I saw two landscapes, one artificial and one natural, colliding head on at 200 miles an hour right in front of my eyes, and colliding so violently that they seem to fuse into a third thing. And that elusive third thing has been the subject matter of my work for four decades. It’s a pulsating energy. It’s a visual propulsion that I couldn’t articulate, but even as a kid back then knew that I had to do something with it, so that’s what sort of set the tone for me to become a visual artist.”
• Rutenberg’s first painting class at the College was with studio art professor William Halsey – it was Halsey’s last class before retirement. Rutenberg credits Halsey as one of his major influences: https://vimeo.com/280620313 .
• Another influence, and a father figure, was the late professor and artist, Michael Tyzack .
• Learn more about Rutenberg’s time at the College and his artistic process in this 2016 story: https://today.cofc.edu/2016/01/20/southern-landscape-painter-rutenberg/ .
• Rutenberg received his master of fine arts at the School of Visual Arts .
• A few of Rutenberg’s favorite quotes:

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein “Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.”— Ray Bradbury “The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude. ”― Friedrich Nietzsche

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Things to do in Moscow: how to visit Moscow | Unmissable, cool & unusual

• September 2, 2023

What are the best things to do in Moscow? What to do in Moscow? First, I will list the main places to visit by theme, passing by the must-sees, but also more unusual places in Moscow. Then, I will describe what to see in Moscow in one day and how to visit Moscow in 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 days. Let’s go!

Good to know. For more information, click on the places to open the dedicated blog posts.

Main places to visit in Moscow & best things to do in Moscow

I worked in Moscow and I loved this city for its dynamism and energy. We find there from time to time to see friends, remember good memories and enjoy this giant city! Then the time has come for us to share with you our practical guide.

TOP 5 must-see places in Moscow

• Moscow Red Square
• St. Basil’s Cathedral
• Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• Bolshoi Theatre

Places of cultural, historical and religious interest in Moscow

• Novodevichy Convent and cemetery
• Tretyakov Gallery
• Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
• Kremlin Izmaïlovo (pseudo-historic place, recently built in the image of the old, one of the best things to do in Moscow for your Instagram account 😉 )
• Park and ancient village of Kolomenskoye

Visit Moscow of the Soviet era

• Moscow State University and Sparrows Hill
• VDNKh and the Museum of Astronautics, one of the key landmarks of the Soviet era in Moscow
• GULAG Museum
• Metro stations
• The Stalinist skyscrapers, scattered all over the city

Less touristy places in Moscow

• Gorky Park and the GARAGE museum
• The old Krasny Oktyabr factory
• Zaryadye Park
• Center for Contemporary Art, WINZAVOD
• Business center, Moscow City

Main districts of Moscow to visit

• Patriarch Ponds
• Tchistye Prudy
• Kuznetsky most
• Arbat Street

However, regardless of the length of your stay, whether you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days or in 2, you need a visa. The article Obtaining a tourist visa for Russia could then be useful in any case.

What to do and see in Moscow in one day?

List of things to see and do in Moscow in one day:

• Go to Red Square
• Visit St. Basil’s Cathedral
• See Kremlin walls (but not to visit)
• Visit Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• Discover Kuznetsky most districts and see Bolshoi Theatre building
• And if you have time at the end of the day: go to the Sparrows Hill or to the Moscow City for a beautiful view

Things to do in Moscow in 2 days

If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, there are 2 purposes: do not miss the essential places of Moscow and optimize travel.

• First day: Red Square , Saint Basil’s Cathedral , Zariadye Park, Bolshoi Theatre , Kremlin
• Day 2: Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the former Krasny Oktyabr factory on Balchug Island, Gorky Park, Moscow State University (one of the Seven Sisters buildings ) and Sparrow Hill

As 2 days os really short, be sure to choose an accommodation in the best districts where to stay in Moscow .

Walking on Red Square in Moscow: one of the unmissable things to do in Moscow

Iconic place and one of the must-see places in Moscow and even in Russia! Besides, if there was only one place to visit in Moscow in 2 days, this place would then be Red Square, without hesitation. Therefore, starting the city tour with Red Square is ideal . Several buildings are on the square, but not all of them have to be visited. Check out my blog post about Moscow’s Red Square in detail to learn more and not miss anything.

Visiting Saint-Basil’s Cathedral inside

Even more emblematic than Moscow’s Red Square! Built in the middle of the 16th century under the orders of Tsar Ivan Le Terrible, this cathedral is one of the most beautiful monuments of Orthodox art, and definitely one of the unmissable places in Moscow. Visiting Saint-Basil’s Cathedral inside is one of the most beautiful things to do in Moscow!

• Visit estimate time : 1h30
• Entry ticket : 700 RUB. Tickets can be purchased on the cathedral’s official website 45 days before the tour.
• Audio guide (recommended): 500 RUB
• Opening hours : June to August 10 am-6pm; from November to April: 11 am-5pm; May, September, October 11 am-5pm. Cathedral closed on Wednesdays. Entrance is closed 45 minutes before closing.
• Find out more in the dedicated article: Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

Take a walk in Zariadye park: one of the coolest things to do in Moscow after visiting Red Square

Zaryadie Park is just a 10-minute walk from St. Basil’s Cathedral, so it’s easy to include in your itinerary if you’re going to visit Moscow in 2 days. From its heights, you can see the red walls of the Kremlin. But, the most impressive point of view is the platform which overlooks the Moskva river. A must see! And clearly one of the coolest things to do in Moscow!

• Open 24 hours a day
• Good to know! Park Zaryadye is also a place to visit in Moscow in winter. Find out more here: What to do in Moscow in winter?

See the Bolshoi Theatre and discover the Kuznetsky Most district

The Bolshoi Theatre is the most famous Russian theater in the world. The most economical way to see a presentation at the Bolshoi Theater is to take the tickets on the theater’s official website in advance, so here is our tutorial to help you: How to buy entrance tickets to the Bolshoi? In addition, several pedestrian or one-way streets

The Bolshoi Theater is the most famous Russian theater in the world. The most economical way to see a presentation at the Bolshoi Theater is to take the tickets on the theater’s official website in advance, so here is our tutorial to help you: How to buy tickets to the Bolshoi? In addition, several pedestrian or one-way streets are located north of the theater. It is therefore very pleasant to find them to leave the main axes of the megalopolis.

Visit the Moscow Kremlin

Visit Kremlin is on top of things to do in Moscow. A place of power for centuries, the Kremlin then shows us a whole different image when viewed from the inside. If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, the Kremlin is certainly one of the must-see places in Moscow.

• Opening hours : Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thursday.
• See our blog post about visiting the Moscow Kremlin

Visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

This impressive Moscow Cathedral is the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is a must see if you visit Moscow in 2 days and clearly one of the things to do in Moscow. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was first built in 1883 in memory of Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s Grand Army. Then in 1931 Stalin ordered its destruction. It was then rebuilt again (identically) only in 2000.

• Where? Ulitsa Volkhonka 15. At the foot of the Kropotkinskaya metro station.
• Opening hours . Daily: 10: 00-17: 00, except Monday: 13: 00-17: 00
• Free entry (some closing restrictions, for example a short)

Good to know! In orthodox religious places, one must avoid excessively uncovered clothing. Women should cover their heads. After visiting the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, you can explore Bolotny Island and Gorky Park. This is one of the routes our guide to Moscow.

The old Krasny Oktyabr factory: one of the coolest things to do in Moscow

If you cross the Moskva River by a pedestrian bridge which is located just in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the city and at the same time you can discover Balchug Island. Furthermore, if you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, you can include this island in your itinerary between the cathedral and Gorky park. Here is the old confectionery factory Krasny Oktyabr, which has gradually turned into a fashionable micro-district. There are then some elements of street art, cafes and restaurants and some Moscow bohemian side. At the end of the island you can see a gigantic 98-meter-high monument dedicated to the Russian reforming tsar Pierre The Great.

Good to know! You can find on this island are the trendiest nightclubs in Moscow. On weekends, there are taxi caps after midnight so there are so many people. On the other hand, if you go there in winter and during the day, the island is quite empty and less interesting to see.

Gorky Park is one of the TOP places to visit in Moscow, because it allows you to better understand the life of the locals and their rhythm. In fact, it’s a huge entertainment park. For example, in winter there is a giant ice rink and in summer – free dance or yoga lessons, sandy beaches for playing volleyball, an outdoor cinema. So, like the locals, have a Stakantchik (ice cream or cooked corn), and enjoy the atmosphere of the place: that’s one of the interesting things to do in Moscow to discover the city.

• Where? Krymsky Val 9. 20 minutes’ walk from Krasny Oktyabr, along the quays.

Sparrow Hill and Moscow State University

The Sparrow Hill, Vorobiovy Gori in Russian, is the highest point in Moscow. It is rather known to Russians, but less to travelers. A nice view on Moscow opens from the hill, and in particular on the Luzhniki Stadium. In addition, on the hill itself is the Moscow State University: an impressive skyscraper from the Soviet era.

• How to get there? By bus T7 (35 min) from Oktyaborskaya station, near Gorki Park. By metro (Vorobiovy Gorki station) + climb the hill on foot. On foot along the Moskva along the Gorky Park (1h30) + climb in funiculars.

Good to know! It is possible to cross the Moskva river by funicular. We actually tested it and it was pretty cool! That is one of our favorite things to do in Moscow!

What to do in Moscow in 3 days?

If you are going to visit Moscow in 3 days, it would be interesting to dive into the Soviet era which strongly marked the country and the city. After the Bolshevik Revolution, the capital was transferred from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, in order to mark the change of power. Moscow then became the world showcase for communist ideology. Here are the best things to do in Moscow for 3-day-trip!

VDNKh, visit Moscow of the Soviet era

VDNKh is a large exhibition center in the north of Moscow, where there are still several striking witnesses of the USSR. The most interesting are the Museum of Cosmonauts and the Statue of the Worker and the Kolkhozian , which will certainly impress you with its size!

GULAG History Museum

The explanations of the museum are very well done. We really have the feeling of going back in time. If you are going to visit Moscow in 3 days and you are interested in history and this subject in particular, I recommend this museum. Visit the GULAG History Museum is one of the most interesting things to do in Moscow.

Discover the Patriarche Pounds district

It’s a nice neighborhood in Moscow where you can come across rather affluent locals, but not necessarily very bling-bling. Take a walk in this area is really a cool thing to do in Moscow! In addition, the Ponds of Patriarch is one of the places of Bulgakov’s novel “Master and Margarita”. As this is an interesting area to see, we have included it in a walking tour of Moscow. The route ends at the Moscow Kremlin, which is very convenient, because you will be able to visit Moscow in 3 days by optimizing your trips.

What to visit in Moscow in 4 days: TOP things to do in Moscow in 4 days

If you want to visit Moscow in 3 days, you will already see a lot of things. On the other hand, if you stay one more day, you have plenty to do! The Novodevichy Convent, the Tchistie Proudy district and the Izmaylovo Kremlin are very good candidates for you, if you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days.

Visiting Novodevichy Convent in Moscow

The Novodevichy Convent is one of the most brilliant examples of Russian architecture, according to UNESCO. This beautiful complex was built in 1524 and today consists of the convent, but also of a cemetery whose status could be compared to that of Père-Lachaise in Paris. Visiting Novodevichy Convent is one of the great things to do in Moscow, if you want to go a little bit outside of the center!

Discovering Tchistye Proudy district

It’s one of the most popular areas of Moscow, with many cafes, restaurants and bars nearby. It is therefore a place to discover if you want to visit Moscow in 4 days. It is just as pleasant for a stroll as for the discovery of local life. For example, in winter the pond turns into an ice rink.

Visiting the Izmaylovo Kremlin, one of the coolest things to do in Moscow!

The Izmaylovo Kremlin is more of a tourist than a historic place. On the other hand, it is a pretty impressive place to discover, especially on weekends. Inside the Kremlin, there is a flea market where you can find a little bit of everything, but mostly good souvenirs to bring from Moscow. For example, chapka, traditional Russian scarves or matryoshka (Russian dolls). Add the Kremlin and the Izmaïlovo market to your itinerary if you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days, because it is a nice and very colorful place! Visiting the Izmailovo Kremlin is one of the things to do in Moscow, if you want to put colors in your Instagram account! 😉

In 4 days, we will have the opportunity to see several Moscow: Classic Moscow, Moscow of old Russia, Soviet Moscow and a little bit of the new Moscow. So what to visit in Moscow on the 5th day of travel?

What to visit in Moscow in 5 days?

Art lovers will be delighted to discover the Tretyakov Gallery and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, while others will prefer to stroll along Arbat Street, see the buildings of Moskva-City or visit Bunker 42.

Admiring Russian art at Tretyakov Gallery

Founded in 1856 by an industrialist and great lover of art, the gallery has grown over the decades, and then bequeathed to the state. Today the collection includes more than 140,000 pieces, 15,000 of which are paintings. Visiting the Tretyakov Gallery is one of the things to do in Moscow if you want to discover Russian art!

• Where? Pereoulok Lavrouchinski 10. A 5-minute walk from Tretiakovskaya station
• Opening hours. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Closed on Mondays.
• Entry tickets. 500 RUB.

Visiting the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts presents the treasures of ancient Egypt, the paintings of Rembrandt and Cézanne, a fine collection of Impressionism.

• Where? Ulitsa Volkhonka 12
• Opening hours. Daily: 10: 00-20: 00, except Thursday: 11: 00-21: 00. Closed on Mondays. The boxes close an hour before closing.
• Entry tickets. The prices vary according to the collections from 300 to 750 RUB.

Walking on Arbat Street

All Russians know Rue Arbat. So, walking on Arbat street is one of the things to do in Moscow. However, after the years, little by little it became very touristy. This is a pedestrian street only. There are souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes there, but it is no longer the most authentic neighborhood in the city.

Seeing the buildings of Moskva-City (Moscow City)

Moskva-City is Moscow’s business center, much like Paris’s Defense district. The skyscrapers of Moskva-City are among the tallest in Europe: 373 meters high! Very nice place to see at dusk.

Good to know! You can admire a nice view of Moscow City from the docks of Tarasa Shevchenko. It’s especially beautiful in the evening with all the lights on.

Bunker 42, one of the most unusual things to do in Moscow

Bunker 42 is a secret military complex which was to be used by the Soviets in the event of a nuclear attack: a space of 7000 m² 65 meters underground!

• Where? 5 Kotelnitcheski Lane, 11.
• Prices. 2200 RUB per person
• Opening hours. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Restaurant inside. Original, but rather a tourist trap.

What to visit in Moscow in 6 days or more?

There are still so many places to see, because Moscow is a big megalopolis and there is always something exciting to do there. For example: the ancient Kolomenskoye village or the WINZAVOD contemporary art center .

If you are interested in history and want to see Russian cities on a rather “human scale”, it would certainly be interesting for you to discover the cities of the Golden Ring . For example, it is very easy to get to Sergey Posad from Moscow (less than 2 hours in train). Visiting the Golden Ring is one of the best things to do in Moscow if you are staying more than a 5-6 days.

There are still plenty of places to see in Moscow, however I did my best to list here the best things to do in Moscow, what to see in Moscow in one day, but also in 2, 3, 4 or 5 days in Moscow!

Moscow travel tips:

• Airport transfer: how to go to Moscow?
• Where to stay in Moscow (hotels, districts)?
• Tourist voucher for Russian visa
• Christmas and New Year in Moscow
• What is the best time to visit Moscow?

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TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

19 Unique And Fabulous Experiences In Moscow

• Destinations

Thinking of visiting Russia? When visiting such a famous city, one must, of course, visit the iconic landmarks first. Moscow has plenty of those, most of them in the center of the city, which is very well-planned for tourists. Once you’ve seen the sights that are on most travelers’ lists, it’s time to branch out and visit some of the lesser-known sites, and there are some fascinating places to see and things to do.

I know this list is long, but I just couldn’t help myself. You probably won’t have the time to see them all. But that’s okay. Just scroll through the list and choose what sounds the most interesting to you. Where possible, make sure to book in advance, as things can get crowded, especially during high season.

1. The Red Square, Kremlin, And Surroundings

Red Square (Krasnya Ploshad) is the heart and soul of Russia, and where much of the country’s history has unfolded. This is the most famous landmark in Moscow and indeed the whole country, it’s an absolute must-do! The square is always full of people and has a rather festive atmosphere!

Saint Basil’s Cathedral

This is the famous church with the rainbow-colored, onion-domed roof. The cathedral was commissioned in the 1500s by Ivan the Terrible and according to legend, the Tsar thought it was so beautiful, that he ordered that the architect’s eyes be cut out afterward, so he could never build anything more beautiful! He wasn’t called Ivan the Terrible for no reason!

Lenin’s Mausoleum

The “love-it-or-hate-it” of tourist attractions in Russia. A glass sarcophagus containing the embalmed body of Russian revolutionary, Vladimir Lenin. It may seem a bit bizarre to display the mummy of a person, but it has been there for almost half a century and the 2.5 million visitors who come each year, clearly feel the queuing and thorough body search are worth it, to be in Lenin’s presence.

Pro Tip: no photos and no loud talking are allowed inside the Mausoleum.

Eternal Flame

There is an Eternal Flame in honor of an unknown soldier on the left side of Red Square. The hourly changing of the guards is worth seeing.

The Kremlin is the official residence of the Russian president. You can see it from the outside, or you can take an excursion to one of the museums located inside. This is the biggest active fortress in Europe, and holds a week’s worth of attractions! Once behind the 7,332-feet of walls, there are five squares, four cathedrals, 20 towers, various museums, and the world’s largest bell and cannon to see. Worth a special mention is the Armory Chamber that houses a collection of the famous Faberge Eggs.

Pro Tip: You can only go inside the Kremlin if you are part of a tourist group.

2. Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi Theatre translates to “The Big Theatre” in Russian, and the building is home to both the Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera — among the oldest and most famous ballet and opera companies in the world.

Pro Tip: It’s hard to get an inexpensive ticket, so if you’re reading well in advance of going to Moscow then try buying tickets on the official website . Last-minute tickets cost around $250 per person. If this is out of your budget, about an hour before a performance, you can try buying a ticket at the entrance from a reseller. Most can speak enough English to negotiate the price.

Tour the Bolshoi Theatre: You can take a group guided tour of the Bolshoi Theatre which focuses on the history and architecture of the theatre and behind the scenes. There’s an English language tour that lasts 2 hours and costs around $300 for a group of up to six.

3. Luxury Shopping At GUM And TSUM

Russia’s main department store, GUM, has a stunning interior that is home to over 100 high-end boutiques, selling a variety of brands: from luxurious Dior to the more affordable Zara. Even if shopping is not on your Moscow to-do list GUM is still worth a visit; the glass-roofed arcade faces Red Square and offers a variety of classy eateries. TSUM, one of the biggest luxury malls in town, is right behind the Bolshoi and GUM. It’s an imposing building with lots of history, and worth a visit just for its design and its glass roof.

4. Christ The Savior Cathedral

This is one of Russia’s most visited cathedrals and is a newer addition to the gorgeous array of Muscovite cathedrals, but don’t let its young age fool you. After perestroika, in the early 90s, the revived Russian Orthodox Church was given permission to build a cathedral on this site. It did the location honors and built the largest temple of the Christian Orthodox Church. The façade is as grand as you’d expect, but it’s the inside that will mesmerize you, with its domes, gold, gorgeous paintings, and decor!

The cathedral is located just a few hundred feet away from the Kremlin and was the site of the infamous Pussy Riot protest against Putin back in 2012.

Pro Tip: Bring a shawl to cover your hair as is the local custom.

5. Gorky Park

Moscow’s premier green space, Gorky Park (Park Gor’kogo) is the city’s biggest and most famous park. There is entertainment on offer here for every taste, from outdoor dancing sessions to yoga classes, volleyball, ping-pong, rollerblading, and bike and boat rental in summer. In winter, half the park turns into a huge ice skating rink. Gorky Park is also home to an open-air movie theater and the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. There is also Muzeon Art Park, a dynamic contemporary space with a unique collection of 700 sculptures. It is located right in front of Gorky Park.

6. Sparrow Hills Park

If you take a walk from Gorky Park, along the Moscow River embankment, you’ll end up in the city’s other legendary park, Sparrow Hills. Although the park doesn’t offer as many activities as its hip neighbor, it has a great panoramic view of the city

Pro Tip: You can take a free walking tour to all of the above attractions with an English-speaking guide.

7. River Cruising

One of the best ways to experience Moscow, and see all the famous landmarks, but from a different angle, is from the Moscow River. Take a river cruise. Avoid the tourist crowds. There are little nameless old boats that do the cruise, but if you are looking for a more luxurious experience take the Radisson Blu cruise and enjoy the sights with some good food and a glass of wine.

8. Metro Hopping

Inaugurated in the 1930s, the Moscow Metro system is one of the oldest and most beautiful in the world. Started in Stalinist times, each station is a work of art in its own right. I’d recommend touring the stations between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. This way, you’ll be able to properly see it without the crowds. Ideally, I’d recommend taking a tour with a knowledgeable guide with GuruWalk, who will tell you stories of forgotten stations and how the history of the country is interconnected with the metro development. If going by yourself, then I definitely recommend checking out: Mayakovskaya, Ploschad Revolutsii, Kievskaya, Kropotkinskaya, Kurskaya, and Novoslobodskaya stations.

Visit the free Moscow Metro Museum: For real train enthusiasts, located in the southern vestibule of Sportivnaya station is a small free museum. Here you can take a peek into the driver’s cabin, see a collection of metro tokens from different cities, and see different models of a turnstile, traffic lights, escalator, and more.

9. Moscow State University View

In his effort to create a grander Moscow, Stalin had seven skyscrapers built in different parts of town; they’re called the Seven Sisters. The largest of these buildings and the one with the best view is the main building of the Moscow State University. Although this is a little outside the city center, the view is more than worth it.

10. Izmailovsky Market

Mostly known for the city’s largest flea market, the district of Izmaylovo is home to a maze of shops where you can get just about anything, from artisan crafts to traditional fur hats, handcrafted jewelry, fascinating Soviet memorabilia, and antiquities. It’s also one of Moscow’s largest green spaces. There are often no price tags, so be prepared to haggle a bit. Head to one of the market cafes for a warming mulled wine before continuing your shopping spree.

The History of Vodka Museum is found here, and the museum’s restaurant is the perfect place to sample various brands of the national drink.

Once you’ve covered the more touristy spots, Moscow still has plenty to offer, and the places below will also be full of locals! So for some local vibes, I would strongly recommend the spots below!

11. Moscow City

With a completely different vibe, Moscow City (also referred to as Moscow International Business Center) is like a mini Dubai, with lots of impressive tall glass buildings. Here is where you’ll find the best rooftops in towns, like Ruski Restaurant, the highest restaurant both in Moscow City and in Europe. Moscow City is great for crowd-free shopping and the best panoramic views of the city.

12. Tretyakov Gallery

Tretyakov Gallery started as the private collection of the Tretyakov brothers, who were 19th-century philanthropists. They gave their private collection to the government after their deaths. If there is just one museum you visit in Moscow, I recommend this one!

13. Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

Tsaritsyno was a residence of Catherine the Great more than two centuries ago. It became derelict during the Soviet era but has now been fully renovated. With its opulently decorated buildings, gardens, meadows, and forests, Tsaritsyno Park is the perfect place for a green respite in Moscow.

14. Kolomenskoye

A 10-minute metro ride from the city center is Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve, where you can get an idea of what Russia looked like 200 years ago. You’ll find ancient churches (one dating back to the 16th century), the oldest garden in Moscow, and the wonderful fairytale wooden palace of Tsar Alexey Mikhailovich, father of Peter the Great.

15. Ostankino TV Tower

Built in 1967, Ostankino TV Tower was the tallest free-standing construction in the world at the time, it’s still the 8th tallest building in the world and the highest in Europe. It’s also the best observation deck, with a glass floor and 360-degree views. The speedy elevators take you 1,105 feet in next to no time.

Pro Tip: You need to book in advance; entrance is based on specific ticket times and the capacity is limited and only a certain number of tourists are allowed per day. Don’t forget your passport, you’ll need it to get through security.

16. Zaryadye Park

Zaryadye is a newly opened, landscaped urban park so new you won’t find it in a lot of tour guides. The park is near Red Square and is divided into four climatic zones: forest, steppe, tundra, and floodplains, depicting the variety of climatic zones in Russia.

These last three suggestions are a little quirky, but all are really worth checking out.

17. Museum Of Soviet Arcade Games

Release your inner child playing on 66 arcade machines from the Soviet era! What a great way to spend a couple of hours when tired of visiting museums and palaces. The staff speaks excellent English and are happy to explain how the games work.

18. Moscow Rooftop Tour

Take a 1-hour private Moscow rooftop tour with an experienced roofer. I can just about guarantee none of your friends will be able to say they’ve done it! For your comfort, I recommend wearing comfortable shoes. Take your camera, there are some amazing photo opportunities out there!

19. Sanduny Banya

This classical Russian bathhouse opened its doors in 1808 and is famous for combining traditional Russian banya services with luxurious interiors and service. If you enjoy spas and saunas, then you should experience a Russian bathhouse at least once in your life! Go with an open mind and hire a specialist to steam you as it’s meant to be done — by being beaten repeatedly with a besom (a leafy branch)! This is said to improve circulation, but is best done by a professional!

So there you have my list of things to do in Moscow. I could have gone on and on and on, but I didn’t want to try your patience! There are so many things to do in this vibrant city that you’ll definitely need to allocate several days for exploring.

Here are some other reasons to visit Moscow and Russia:

• 7 Reasons To Put Moscow On Your Travel Bucket List
• Russia 30 Years (And 30 Pounds) Ago
• Massive Mysterious Craters Appearing Again In Siberia

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Africa at the age of 21, Sarah Kingdom is a mountain climber and guide, traveler, yoga teacher, trail runner, and mother of two. When she is not climbing or traveling she lives on a cattle ranch in central Zambia. She guides and runs trips regularly in India, Nepal, Tibet, Russia, and Ethiopia, taking climbers up Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro numerous times a year.

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

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