In the Studio With Experiential Artist Amanda Russo Rubman

INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY is thrilled to present our next featured Hudson Valley artist in our new series, “In the Studio With…,” where we showcase the captivating journey of the creative souls living and working in the Hudson Valley. Produced in collaboration with Richard Hall and Mimi Young, founders of littlebitcreates, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on experiential artist, designer and lifelong learner, Amanda Russo Rubman of AR Studio as she shares her work, processes, and deep love of living, working and creating in the Hudson Valley.  We hope you enjoy this series and our exclusive interview with the multi-talented creatrix, Amanda Russo Rubman – let’s get started!

INSIDE+OUT: It’s been a year since we last connected about your work. What new projects are you working on for 2025?

Amanda Russo Rubman: Since Fall, I have been working on “Untitled Narrative of Nature.” An installation of film, fashion, and sculpture— set in the landscape of the Hudson Valley. An invitation to invoke imagination through light and texture. Like all my work, it is an evolution from prior expressions.

Tell us about your upcoming show and event at the new hotspot in Stone Ridge: Friends and Neighbors by The Team at Audrey’s Farmhouse.

Amanda Russo Rubman: It began with a welcome note to my new neighbor that led to a distinctive collaboration conceived out of a mutual desire to invite the community together and give back. Save the date, May 16th, for an evening celebrating the arts, culinary treats and cocktails with a special intimate album release performance and one-of-a-kind installation set on the backdrop of Friends and Neighbors by The Team at Audrey’s Farmhouse. Stay tuned for details.

Tell us about the art scene in the Hudson Valley. What makes it special?

Amanda Russo Rubman: Attending art and music events could be a full-time lifestyle in the Hudson Valley. The offerings are endless, and the support of artists amongst artists in this community is profound. There is inspiration available for all, down to the tiniest niche. A few of the art organizations I am involved with that I believe champion individuality through the support of community- Weird Specialty, Hinterland, WSA, WAAM, and Artport Kingston.

Do you have anything special planned for Upstate Art Weekend?

Amanda Russo Rubman: Yes, with the help of the community near and far. Submissions are live for anyone who would like to participate in my short, “Untitled Narrative of Nature.” For a limited time submit video, audio or still image on my website. If you’d like a more tactile engagement, there will be an additional opportunity to participate as part of the event at Friends & Neighbors on May 16th. Join the mailing list to stay informed.

Tell us about some of the local artists you’ve met and how their work inspires you.

Amanda Russo Rubman: I love this question. Kate McGloughlin. I discovered her book, Requiem for Ashokan, many years ago to later be standing in my first Woodstock School of Art workshop, Direct to Wood Carving, with Carol Griffin (a force herself) and Kate in attendance. Kate’s work has a direct relationship with light. It was that which first drew me to her. While we’ve yet to meet IRL, Ariel Ecklyund is an artist whose work constantly draws my attention. She is fearless with materials and has refined effortlessness with design, and her work is as much about negative space as positive. I met Joan Ffolliott, care of another local artist I admire, Charles Purvis. I had the pleasure of sharing her work when AR Studio NY was popping up in Woodstock a few years back. Joan approaches sculpture as a force. I will gladly go on about the infinite talent of the Hudson Valley. I am grateful for the artists, designers, and makers I am surrounded by through Weird Specialty, WSA, Hinterland, Female Design Council, and more.

What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of being a multi-media artist?

Amanda Russo Rubman: Endless possibility for education and creation. 

If you could manifest one thing for your businesses or your creative projects in the year ahead, what would it be?

Amanda Russo Rubman: My work is always evolving as I am. This year, I have two requests for community participation, and I am exposing more of myself throughout all my expressions. If these shifts resonate with one being, my heart will soar. 

What places do you most frequent? What local businesses should we know about?

Amanda Russo Rubman: So many wonderful farms to support. I have CSAs at Tributary and Solid Ground. If you watch the “In the Studio with…” video here, you will see vintage pieces from local shops and dealers- Three Turtle Doves, Fool for Love, Love Field Vintage, Vintage Treasure Shack, Clubhouse Vintage, and modern designs by GirlBoy and Eleven Six. In my backyard, Upstate Taco, Blackdot, Maplelawn, Stone Ridge Library, and Ollie’s.  

What inspires you personally?

Amanda Russo Rubman: The light. A reminder to free our imaginations. Offering a “safe space” with the possibility for endless discovery. Being able to capture and share that experience drives my passion. This is what I am searching for and what my work ongoingly explores.

What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite ways to unwind and unplug when you are not creating?

Amanda Russo Rubman: I am a Gemini, Virgo rising and an Aries Moon as confirmed by Soul and Brand. Which kind of says it all; I really don’t stop. My mind is always going, so I ground myself through daily meditation. Being in nature is critical through all seasons. Time at Maria Vera provides me with multiple layers of self-care, forcing quietude, nourishing my skin, and creating an opportunity to daydream or reflect. Long rides against our landscape with the windows down, regardless of season, with music setting the mood. 

You’ve had a number of fascinating 2024 shows. Reflecting on last year and your business, what worked and what didn’t? What do you want more or less of in the coming year?

Amanda Russo Rubman: 2024 was exceptionally rewarding; starting off the year at WAAM with an older fiber piece and then all new work, including the accolades of ONE, creating/producing Forest of Feminine for Upstate Art Weekend, and debuting my sculptural furniture with Daydream Landing at the Kingston Design Showhouse for Ulster Habitat to share a few. I wanted to be present with my community, and I was. I am excitable to a fault and my enthusiasm has a tendency to spread me thin. Education will always be part of my regimen, but this year, creatively, I am about evolving the experiences I create and share.

What is your current state of mind?

Amanda Russo Rubman: Find beauty, educate, create, and nurture through shared experience, on repeat.

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Follow/Connect with Amanda Russo Rubman via Website | Instagram | Inside+Out Spotlight

Photos by Mimi Young + Richard + Amanda Russo Rubman + Phil Mansfield
Featured top photog by Photographer, Pine and Fable at Friends & Neighbors. Wearing: Chambers Vintage, The Red Fox, Three Turtle Doves.
Video by littlebitcreates.

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See more of our IN THE STUDIO WITH… series!

In the Studio with Bespoke Ceramicist R.A. Pesce

In the Studio with Artist Elizabeth Keithline

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About littlebitcreates

Richard Hall and Mimi Young are the creative forces behind littlebitcreates. They produce a variety of projects, including in-depth artist profiles, event-specific promotional videos, and music videos. Their approach is exciting, innovative, and contemporary.In addition to their client work, Hall and Young collaborate with other creatives to create multidimensional, neo-surreal videos as part of a noncommercial venture. littlebitcreates emerged from the extensive knowledge Hall and Young gained over 30 years of experience in photo shoots and multimedia art. They exclusively shoot all of their videos on iPhones, appreciating the distinctive aesthetic it produces and the comfort it offers their subjects in front of the camera.

Follow + Connect with littlebitcreates via Website | Vimeo | @littlebitcreates