Rusti Lee put out the proverbial wood shingle to her business in 2009. She is a third generation artist on her mother’s side. She spent her early years honing her skills and at the age of 19 she entered college with a major in Fine Art and minor in Art History. At college she found her calling immediately. She quickly became a favorite of her art professors. One of her teachers was quoted in saying, “Art is 10% talent and 90% work, except for Rusti who came out of the womb holding a box of crayons.” Her first oil painting won a 1st place award in a school competition. After getting her AA she transferred to UCSB to finish her higher education and receive her BA. Unfortunately the road to get there became precarious, as it often does.
When she was 21 she got into a terrible car accident in her beloved 67’ Ford Mustang. The first year after the accident she spent most of her time juggling school, work and surgeries to repair the damage to her body. Thinking she was better, she received a devastating blow to her art career, her hands and upper body began to show serious sign of internal damage. The next 8 years were spent having multiple surgeries to correct the damage. She was not able to work, finish school or paint. Eventually the doctors declared that they could not repair the damage and that her condition would never change.
By that time Rusti had married her long time boyfriend and was about to have their first child. She was happy that she was alive and well with a family, but a part of her missed her calling as an artist. During those years she would paint but the pain would get so bad that she would tape the paint brushes to her hands so she could hold them. She knew there had to be another way, but was baffled on how to do it.
By the time her second son was born she decided to go back to college to the Art Institute where she received a 4.0 GPA. She was proud of herself but the pain of the constant homework assignments became too much for her and she had to stop, yet again.
Then in 2009, she had a revelation. She realized that the pain would never go away no matter what she did, so why should her art suffer? That is when she decided to open Rusti Lee Arts. It is a business dedicated to hand painted whimsical home décor items, specializing in children’s design. She continues to receive pain management with her doctor which helps her to paint and manage the pain.
Rusti Lee Arts is named after the owner and artist, Rusti Lee Hanlon Ferejian. She is proud of the fact that she has found balance with her physical limitations and her passion. She hands paints every item that is in her shop. There is no factory or team of workers painting them for her. Her husband helps with most of the daily business and computer work so she can focus on what she does best: painting.
What does that mean for her clients? They know that each piece of work is a one of a kind piece of art that come personally from her, there are no reproductions. Nothing is massed produced and each piece is custom made to order. They know quality and beauty when they see it. That is why they buy Rusti Lee products.
