Lower Merion High School alumna Rebecca Rutstein (Class of 1989) has followed a unique path that blends creativity with discovery. Today, she is a nationally recognized artist and ocean explorer whose paintings, sculptures and immersive installations draw inspiration from the natural world and her collaborations with scientists.

Rebecca’s journey into the world beneath the surface began in 2005, when she encountered sonar maps of the ocean floor during an artist residency in Hawaii. That experience sparked a lifelong fascination with the deep sea and its mysteries. Since then, she has joined scientists on expeditions around the globe, even traveling to the ocean floor in the Alvin submersible, to translate hidden processes into art that captures both the beauty and fragility of our planet.

Her work has earned major recognition, including a Pew Fellowship in the Arts, and she has served as an MIT Ocean Discovery Fellow and as the Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding at the University of Georgia. Rebecca’s art and story have also been featured by NPR, ABC, CBS, The Wall Street Journal, and more.

In her recent conversation with the National Endowment for the Arts, Rebecca reflects on her career at the intersection of art and science, and on how she hopes her work will inspire others to connect more deeply with the environment.

👉 Read Rebecca’s full interview with the NEA here!