Lauren Rutten

Lauren Rutten is a visual storyteller, writer, mentor, and explorer based in Marshall, NC.

The camera has been Lauren’s creative companion for 45 years. In addition, writing, drawing, sewing, and collage have also been present in her creative practice, often realized as book art pieces that integrate these diverse media with her photographs.

At the heart of Lauren’s work is an exploration of body, spirit, and interconnection. Her subjects, whether the body, a landscape, or an abstract surface, are a conversation between the seen and unseen; what is wild or free and what humans attempt to control.

Her drive to connect with people and experience the unfamiliar sent Lauren on a six-month solo trip around the world in 2013. Soon after, she and her husband traveled 40,000 miles crisscrossing the United States. A former Jersey girl, Lauren knew she’d found home when they discovered Madison County, NC and she began exploring the region with her camera. Lauren’s landscape photographs evoke a sense of wonder and admiration for the abundant beauty in which she resides.

Lauren holds both a BFA & MFA in photography, which led to a 35+ year professional photography career and the opportunity to teach photography to young people from kindergarten to college level. In addition, Lauren has facilitated Amherst Writers and Artist Method and Soul Collage workshops. With the recent passing of her husband, Lauren has retired after five years as a partner-owner of Flow Gallery in downtown Marshall. She is now devoting her curiosity to studying and experimenting with a variety of different media.