About
Mariah Rupp
I am a painter based in Morgan, Utah, where I live and work with my husband and three children. My paintings explore the relationship between color, pattern, and everyday beauty through vibrant floral still lifes and maximalist tablescapes.I am deeply intrigued by color theory and how colors interact with one another. Much of my work experiments with optical mixing—placing distinct colors side by side so the viewer’s eye blends them together. This keeps the color vibrant and alive, allowing the same paint to appear entirely different depending on what surrounds it.
My process is both intuitive and layered. I build color on top of color the way petals stack within a rose or ranunculus. I’m drawn to the small irregularities that appear when something structured is rendered by hand: organic patterns emerging from forms that might otherwise feel rigid. The paintings often take shape as lush still lifes: tabletops bursting with flowers, linens, glassware, dishes, cakes, and occasionally even a distinct object of culture, such as a Coca-Cola can. Pattern mixes with pattern, color clashes with color, and the compositions lean unapologetically toward maximalism. These abundant tablescapes are a way for me to explore themes of femininity, domestic life, and motherhood. Beneath the layers of paint, an underpainting often peeks through the surface like a thread binding a quilt together. That thread of color moves through the entire painting, quietly holding the composition together.
Ultimately, my work invites the viewer into a moment of celebration—a table set, flowers gathered, a fleeting pause in the rhythm of daily life. I paint because it brings me joy, and my hope is that each painting offers the viewer a small piece of that happiness.
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