Rutabaga Art

06/02/2026

Kathy Williams and Sharon Michaelsen showing the finished book bench for the children's butterfly garden at the Geneseo Library.

05/30/2026

05/30/2026

The photo shows Karen Stewart Casper (in the middle) and her neice Amy and Amy's husband Al who graciously helped take down the 4th Annual Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit at the Cellar Restaurant and Rutabaga Art studio/gallery.
New work was hung at the Cellar and Rutabaga by them and other helpful Rutabaga members.
Thank you, also, to all the artists who entered and those who came to see their wonderful work. Every year the exhibit grows better!

05/25/2026

Becket and Mildred decided to try out the book bench painted by Kathy Williams and a few other Rutabaga Art members that will go in the Geneseo Library's reading garden.
The paintings in the background are by the late Pauline Swanson.

05/08/2026

Rutabaga Art presented two scholarship awards to high school graduates who will be continuing their education in the art field.
Sharon Michaelsen, Rutabaga President, presented the Decnie Jesche award to Hailey Henry (on the left) and the Rutabaga Art award to Hannah Stone.

05/08/2026

Our 4th Annual Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit will hang at the Cellar Restaurant and Rutabaga Art Studio/Gallery at 108 State Street thru April 26. There were many wonderful entries that deserved awards.
Here is a list of the winners chosen by this years judge, Robert Lipnick.
Best of show, "Burning Horses", acrylic by Zoe Petersen
2nd place, "Sunset Kitty", oil by Marinn Cisna
3rd place,"Milk Chocolate Moon Jar", ceramic by Neil Zahn
Photography, "That's My Girl" by Kathy Williams
3-D, "Ode to Brunelleschi" wood by Mike Lawerence
Honorable mention 1, "SummerHarvest" acrylic by Jamie Sullivan
Honerable mention 2, "Oreo Golden-Gluten Free" acrylic by Greg Dickensen
Honorable memtion 3, felted needlepoint by Marie Skiles
Youth excellence 1, "Brain Fog" pencil and pen by Jackson Parchert
Youth excellence 2, "Real Eyes Realalize Real Lives" oil by Aryanna Stahr
Youth honrable mention 1, "Mary's Sorrow" water souluble oil by Madison Reade
Youth honorable mention 2 ,"Cannonball" ceramic by Landon Theim

05/05/2026

Photos of a few of the winners of the 4th Annual Geneseo Fine Art exhibit:
Jamie Sullivan, honorable mention 1
Zoe Petersen, best of show!
Jackson Parchert, youth excellence1
More winners will be annouced.

04/30/2026

Pictured is Rutabaga Art member Kathy Williams, one of the lead persons who organized the 4th Annual Geneseo Fine Art Exhibit. Second photo is the hanging crew who hung all the art work at the Cellar Restaurant and the Rutabaga Art studio/gallery. The 3D entries will be at Rutabaga Art. Thank you Kathy Williams, Sue Elliot, Lexi Gordon, Sharon Michaelsen, and Karen Stewart Casper,
for all your hard work.

The openning reception and the critique by this year's judge, Robert Lipnick, will be Sunday, May 3, beginning at 3 pm. The public is invited.

04/27/2026

Good News! Tony from Kiwanis visited Rutabaga Art studio/gallery today and presented Sharon Michaelsen, Rutabaga Art president, a check to help with childrens classes and other community projects. Thank you for your continued support!

04/25/2026

Opossums are North America’s only native marsupial—often misunderstood, but incredibly valuable allies in our backyards.

Far from being dirty or dangerous, opossums are remarkably clean animals. They groom themselves as meticulously as cats, removing dirt, parasites, and especially ticks.

Their naturally low body temperature (about 94–97°F) makes them poor hosts for rabies. The rabies virus rarely survives in such cool bodies, which is why confirmed rabies cases in opossums are exceptionally rare. According to CDC testing, fewer than 1% of examined opossums show rabies infection—compared to 30–60% of raccoons in some regions.

But their true superpower is tick control.
A single opossum can consume up to 5,000 ticks per season. They don’t just pick up ticks by accident—they actively groom them out of their fur and eat them. Research from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies found that opossums eliminate over 90% of ticks that attempt to feed on them.

In areas where Lyme disease is a growing threat, opossums serve as a natural defense system, reducing tick populations and lowering the risk of tick-borne infections for humans and pets.

Opossums are gentle, non-aggressive, nocturnal, and rarely cause property damage. They clean up carrion, eat pests, and help keep local ecosystems healthy.

Don’t kill opossums—coexist with them.
Secure trash, bring pet food inside at night, and let these tick-vacuuming marsupials patrol your yard.
Protecting opossums means protecting public health.