Watercolor media artist Thomas Rutledge knows he has been fortunate to be able to continue painting all of his adult life. From a tragedy he suffered as a young man in Vietnam when he lost the use of his hands, he went on with his wife’s encouragement to a duel career as a successful commercial and fine artist. When asked about his beginnings, Tom recalls, “Even when I was a kid, I felt I would be an artist one day. I always drew and painted. I didn’t have art classes in school, but my wife Barbara did. We met in East Side High School in Newark, NJ. I did a pastel portrait of her and she said, “Why don’t you do this for a living?” She took the portrait to show her art teacher and the next thing I knew, I was offered a scholarship to the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts. I was the first student to go there from East Side High and it was great! Rutledge was trained by artist Charles Waterhouse in the Howard Pyle style of illustration. Pyle is known as the “father of American Illustration. Waterhouse was taught by William James Aylward, who was taught by Howard Pyle. So Tom sees himself as 4th generation Howard Pyle style. Tom is known for his precise paintings of local landscapes and haunting portraits of the down and out in his hometown of Newark. Currently he teaches Creative Arts at Rutgers University specializing in Drawing and Anatomy, as well as at Pine Shores Art Association where he also serves as Gallery Director. Tom is a master instructor in Watercolors, Gouache, Charcoal, Pencil, Pen & Ink Drawing. He loves sharing his knowledge with students at PSAA. Tom has won awards too numerous to count, but when asked which ones stand out in his mind, he recalls his 1st place win in the Allied Artists of America show, and the Garnet Award in the Northeastern Watercolor Society. While Tom is always working on is next painting, and next show, today he takes pride in knowing many students of his are now winning prestigious awards around the tri-state are