 The intent of Tomasz Rut is that the audience for his paintings is inspired in a positive way by his depiction of the beauty in mankind. He purposefully ignores the dark side of humanity in his paintings, instead focusing on the good. “We are all spiritual beings, and we are capable of some wonderful acts and of creating a lot of beauty around us,” he acknowledges.
Rut is one of many artists today who seek answers to the questions of life’s mysteries and relationships. Yet he has found his own unique style in which to explore the realms of spirit and feeling, developing a substantial body of work that contains figures and symbols within a timeless, antiqued environment.
Born in Warsaw, Rut grew up in Poland, the only child of a father who was an Olympic athlete (he won a bronze as a hammer thrower), and a mother who was an artist. Through his father Tomasz met many great athletes. Then, after he retired from sport, his father carved out a new career, going on to get his diploma as a civil engineer. “He was a great inspiration to me,” says Tomasz.
His mother was a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, a painter who later took up tapestry weaving. “I grew up between track and field and her studio,where she always had a limitless supply of paint andpaintbrushes,” he recalls. “My earliest memory is drawing, not even speaking.”  When he was aged 10, his mother arranged an art show in Warsaw for him, an event that garnered a mention in the local newspaper.
After graduating from high school, Tomasz came to the U.S. to attend art school at the Pratt Institute in New York City. He stayed for two semesters before returning to Warsaw to further study the technique of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, earning a Masters degree in conservation, a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry and art history. “I was always fascinated by the older traditions of painting, and I needed to find out more about it,” he says, adding, “I was interested in restoration because through that I could learn how the paintings were made.”
At the Academy he took drawing and painting classes. “I had not decided what I would do in the future— stay in the field of conservation or pursue a career as an artist.” After graduating, he came back to the U.S., taking a position in art conservation for the Biltmore House, the Asheville, NC, estate owned by the Vanderbilt's, where the art and furnishings date back to the 15th century. From there he traveled the east coast, restoring large-scale murals in museums and mansions for such clients as the Smithsonian Institute and the Vizcaya Museum, a 1916 Italian renaissance-style villa in Miami.
Later he moved to Florida where he started painting again. “And that is when I discovered my style.” He translated his fascination for conservation and the work of the Old Masters, Italian Renaissance, and Baroque portraits, into his own paintings. After going to Rome he began creating images of winged horses and humans. His canvases display imaginary figures—centaurs, fauns, muses, and winged creatures. “I knew for the first time that this was my form of expression—something that came from my heart. It was then that I knew I would do this for the rest of my life.”
The style Rut developed was that of creating an antiqued, distressed, yet expressionistic look to his oil paintings, through layers of glazes. “I use solvents, rags, sponges, anything that I have to hand. It is almost like an action painting. Comparing myself to Pollock would be far-fetched, but I get that feeling.” Those who inspired him include Caravaggio, and Rubens; Neo Classical painters such as Poussin; and Michelangelo, who in his eyes, towers above all others. “I don’t reject the Modern Masters. I am not prejudiced against any form of art,” he explains. He is a fan of Picasso’s. He has also assimilated techniques of the Abstract Expressionists— the somewhat veiled way in which he renders his paintings.
The themes that appear in Rut’s art are linked by spiritual awareness. Angels are for consolation and assistance; mankind’s constant struggle between the forces of good and evil manifests itself through the depiction of horses and wrestlers. The passion of relationships appears in sensual embraces.
 Spirituality and affinity are the threads that bring all of his characters and symbols together. At the same time, a sense of ambiguity pervades their interaction, takes them out of their historical context, and places them in the present. The viewer of his paintings can understand that these exploits of ancient gods and goddesses exemplify issues that confront the individual today.
After 13 years in his Palm Beach, FL, studio, Tomasz has moved south to Hollywood, FL, with his new wife Anu who grew up in Estonia. Their home on the water houses his new studio, with its high ceilings. He spends all day there, working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., often listening to classical music.
 Rut is known for his monumental work (sizes range up to 70 by 48 inches), yet he never stretches a painting before it is finished. Rather, he unrolls the canvas on the wall, painting directly onto it. Among his accolades, Rut has been profiled as a great achiever in Who’s Who in 20th Century America and recognized in a Robb Report Best of the Best as one of the most collectable artists in the U.S. His paintings are held in the permanent collections of a number of museums.
Many of his works are produced as giclées on canvas in sizes from 20 by 16 up to 40 by 42 inches in editions mostly of 95 to 350 that retail for $1,200 – $4,200.
His originals fetch from the low $20,000s for smaller sizes to over $100,000 for larger works.
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