Kat Rutler

Art Teacher

Kathleen Rutler is a Painter, Writer, Reader, Illustrator, Master Gardener, Nature Lover, Beachcomber, and Cook. Kat earned a BA in Communications/Journalism with a co-major in Psychology/Art Therapy from Ramapo College. Following that, a Graduate Certificate from Salve Regina University in Healing with the Expressive Arts (Writing/Visual Art/Music), 60 credits in Art at The School of Visual Arts (NYC) in Photography and Illustration; Parsons School of Design-Illustration and a Graduate Certificate in Historic Preservation from Drew University. She studied painting with Jock Mac Rae and Pastels at the National Academy of Design (NYC) with International Artist Wolf Kahn.

Kathleen is an Honorary Member of Rotary International where through The Gift of Life program hosted many young children and their families who needed life-saving heart surgery (from the Philippines, Jamaica, Peru and the Ukraine.) She raised five children and ran a family business (Ridgewood Taxi). She has also worked at the NY Times Microfilming Division as a manager of the Darkroom and has written for many small local publications, providing photos and illustrations for Feature Stories. Kat continues to volunteer for Habitat, Rebuild America, FEMA, Rotary International, and The Gift of Life.

She illustrated the directory covers for three schools for 22 years, painted pictures of hundreds of homes, children, pets, boats and planes. She is an avid vegetable/herb gardener from a long line of gardeners and loves to beachcomb (especially after storms). She is colorful, cheerful, loves kids, games, cars, taking photos, making Art and on some rare days, is ridiculously silly.