Visual theorist Rudolf Arnheim said, “Unless the stuff of the senses remains present, the mind has nothing to think with.” The suggestion that our surroundings form our thoughts and influence our behaviors fascinates me. I have thought about the implications of this idea in terms of the impact of environment on our collective psyche. Humans tend to shape their own habitat, and I am interested in examining how these custom environments impact human thought. In my work, I look for connections between people and structures, the influence of humans on the landscape, and the impact of time on manmade objects and buildings. As I come to understand exterior and interior spaces, aging neighborhoods and urban environments, landscapes and greenspaces, I find myself more able to understand and represent the people who interact with them. 

Shushana Rucker is a Philadelphia-based painter and printmaker whose work investigates architecture, landscape, and connection. She earned her MFA from the University of Delaware and a Certificate from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Her work has been widely exhibited, and she has been the recipient of numerous awards including a 2022 New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship. Rucker is also an avid arts educator with over 20 years of experience teaching all age levels.