Sam Rueter is a mixed media artist and painter who utilizes the female form to represent the larger unconscious narrative of both the individual and the collective.

Rueter forces the viewer to acknowledge the presence of form alongside the fragments that come with being confined to only the bodily facade. By looking beyond the physical form we often hold ourselves to, we formulate a comprehensive, honest look at what lies within the confines of the mind. Her work asks viewers to tap back into the visceral connection, the innate sense of bodily knowing- to actually inhabit and confront our roles. The body can speak volumes when we are willing to become observant and forthright. Through this we can see the unconscious being processed through bodily motion. The way one holds their body in space is an insight to a deeper narrative; an unarticulated language. This communication can be a glimpse into our emotional state; how does our body store trauma? Love? or Grief? The work is a confrontation of the unconscious portrayal found beneath the surface of relation, autonomy, materialism, sensory exploration, and emotional regulation. Rueter’s work exposes the power of observing; the idea that we all have experiences—buried beneath the death of our embodiment– waiting to be unearthed.  

Sam received a dual major in both Fine Arts and Arts Education at Marywood University in 2013. Her work has been shown both nationally and internationally, represented by Saatchi Art and The Other Art Fair for numerous events and exhibitions in New York City and London. She was nominated in Charleston for Best Visual Artist in 2019, and her work can be found in dozens of private collections around the globe. Rueter has independantly curated and shown in the highly regarded art installation, CONSUMPTION, a contemporary immersive experience. In 2021, she completed a 300-foot installation for the Charleston Belmond Place Hotel in Charleston, SC. She has collaborated with large creative projects such as ‘I am an Artist’ with The Other Art Fair, and exhibited a live installation for The Entrepreneur’s Organization East Coast Conference. Rueter has been the featured artist on the cover of Skirt Magazine, and her work has been featured in world-renowned publications, such as Art and Antiques Magazine and World Interiors Magazine. Her figurative work has been featured in online publications such as Marie Claire, Saatchi CANVAS, Creative Boom, The Visionary Projects, A Women’s Thing, Art Reveal Magazine and more.

www.srueterart.com

www.instagram.com/sruetercreates

When did you first begin creating art?

I can't remember a time in my life that wasn't accompanied by expression. Some of my only childhood memories revolve around playing in paints and colored pencils. I always had this inner knowing that art was where I felt safe enough to expand... and so I followed this the best way I knew how. My art education and fine arts degree allowed me to bring the creative practice to the most imperative part of children's developmental years. This eventually encouraged me to leave my education career behind, in order to fulfill my own dreams as a multidisciplinary artist. It's been nearly five years since I started on this path to uncovering my own voice again. And I have the years in the classroom to thank for that. A child's bravery in creativity is something incredibly humbling, profound, and inspiring.
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When did you first consider yourself to be an artist?

Allowing myself to take up space and conquer the fears of being defined as 'an artist' didn't fully come into play until about two years ago. The title felt like something I didn't deserve until it was earned, or given to me by someone else. I know now that this innate creativity found in all of us can change the flow of our lives if we allow ourselves to be open to it. I fully believe that speaking our truth aloud defeats imposter syndrome and gives others the courage to do the same.
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Who or what influences your practice?

My journey inward over the last several years has expanded my work alongside of it. So much of my own progression has influenced the undercurrents of the themes and subjects within new projects. It's interesting to me that we can explore the unconscious experiences our bodies hold by the way they are positioned or are held in space. At the same time, I want my work to be a visual excavation for something much deeper. To start conversation that isn't lingering on the surface, but actually stimulating a real honest look at our sense of self, and how we perceive others. By searching beyond the physical form we often hold ourselves to, we can formulate a comprehensive, honest look at what lies behind the confines of the mind. How does our body store trauma? Love? Grief? What roles do we take on unknowingly? How can I present this in a visual way that isn't too heavy handed or too subtle? The true passion behind my work is the confrontation of the unconscious portrayal found beneath the surface of relation, autonomy, materialism, sensory exploration, and emotional regulation. The first thing we learn in this world is our sense of bodily knowing. I want this work to be a reminder back to that.
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Tell us about a specific moment in your career that you would consider a turning point.

When I chose to return back to what I actually wanted to explore and paint, I found a challenge and authenticity in it that was missing from my life. As a contemporary figurative painter in the south, I was worried, early on in my career, on how the work and my practice would be perceived. When I let go of the need to create what others wanted from it, I found a sense of groundedness and confidence in who I was as an artist. I found myself exploring new narratives and methods that were terrifying for me to share. And the world was receptive to it. We best meet others in a place of honesty.
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Where would you like to see your artwork go in the future?

It's difficult to look ahead and have an exact vision for this work and where it will lead. I think the most rewarding place would be achieving more connection from a raw and growth-inspiring place--where I can continue to collaborate, learn, and witness from those that come before me, as well as alongside of me. To be in a museum-curated exhibition or residencies around the world would be the sugar-coating on top...but increasing the awareness in both myself and others to formulate collective healing, even in some small format; that's the work I aspire to achieve.