At WSG Gallery, we have a Visiting Artist program, wherein artists apply to show their work at our gallery for a period of time – 4 shows, or about 6 months – and we have the honor of meeting new artists and being inspired by their work.

Jan Ruvido Stebbins is one of our current visiting artists at the gallery. She came to painting in a round about way, and we’re so glad she’s sharing her work with us at the gallery. We’re also so glad that it has been flying off the walls, because, as artists, we’re also business people. To quote a friend, “Babies need shoes”, not to mention college educations!

Jan pursued her B.S. in General Business at Western Michigan University. After using her artistic sensibilities in the retail display business, her father encouraged her to do what she loved. She Studied at College for Creative Studies in Detroit for a year, “Where I met Russell Keeter, an amazing artist and teacher. He recognized my love for highly detailed work and interest in anatomy, and so encouraged me to apply to the Medical & Biological Illustration MFA program at the University of Michigan.”

This was the last MFA class in Medical/Biological Illustration at U of M to be trained by hand. Jan studied with a class of 6 students and felt very fortunate to learn under Gerald P. Hodge, a truly gifted artist, before he retired. He taught traditional carbon dust, pen & ink, and gouache techniques,
just as the digital world began dramatically changing how medical illustrations were created.

Jan has illustrated medical journals, surgery technique books and, more currently, created web-based drawings for a publishing company.

“Oil painting, which began as a search for more creative freedom, has become a happily satisfying focus in my art career,” says Ruvido Stebbins.

See more of her work at her website: http://www.janruvido.com/