New Arts Guild of Sonoma member enthusiastic about images

As a shy teenager rising up in an Atlanta suburb, Brian Rucker spent way more time observing somewhat than speaking, so he discovered that taking images was a pure extension of his character.

“It gave me confidence and a way to engage the world on my own terms,” Rucker mentioned. “With the help and support of my high school teacher, I found a natural talent I could lean on, build confidence through and connect me to life in a meaningful way.”

Photography remained a private ardour all through his life as he has constructed a 25-year profession in enterprise improvement and gross sales management, together with serving as a accomplice in three health-care associated companies. He presently leads the enterprise improvement staff at Muir Home Health in Northern California, which companions with John Muir Health to offer adults and seniors with a broad array of well being companies.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was motivated to discover images on a deeper degree, so he purchased a refurbished Canon DSLR digital camera.

“I started taking my camera everywhere and relearned how to really ‘see’ again, capturing the world the way I did as a kid,” Rucker mentioned. “That process reignited my passion for photography. Over the past five years, I’ve spent countless hours practicing, learning and evolving my skills.”

After shifting to Sonoma in March 2025, he started visiting the Arts Guild of Sonoma gallery often.

“I was drawn to the space, the work on the walls and the sense of community,” he mentioned. “One day, I ended up talking with a member who was working there, and that conversation really stuck with me.”

He utilized to change into a guild member and was accepted in January, thereby turning into solely the second photographer amongst its 29 present members, which incorporates three neighborhood members on the board of administrators.

Several of his pictures are included within the guild’s present “For the Love of Art” exhibition, which runs by Monday, March 2.

“I didn’t join just to have a place to show my work,” Rucker mentioned. “I wanted to be part of a creative community that would push me to keep growing. Being around other artists who take their craft seriously is motivating and it raises your own standards. I saw the guild as a way to stay inspired, stay accountable and continue evolving as an artist.”

Pat Meier-Johnson, a member of the guild’s screening committee and the 2022 Sonoma Treasure Artist, mentioned that its members had been impressed by Rucker’s images and professionalism.

“He presented his portfolio, which demonstrated skill and consistency,” she mentioned. “It’s that certain something that made our screening committee members draw a breath.”

She mentioned that since being permitted as a member, Rucker has been able to dive into each facet of the guild, comparable to studying about its requirements of exhibiting, taking part in receptions and taking part in an energetic function on committees.

“His warm personality and professionalism fit right in, and he has made an effort to get to know all of us,” Meier-Johnson mentioned.

She mentioned Rucker’s pictures are distinctly completely different from these of longtime guild member Howard Hardie, a traditional movie photographer whose pictures are captured on silver gelatin prints created in a darkroom.

“Both Brian and Howard have a solid story to tell about their photography,” she mentioned.

When Rucker first started taking pictures, he centered primarily on simply getting the photographs executed and ensuring they had been correctly uncovered and technically appropriate.

“I was learning the basics and trying to capture as much as I could,” he mentioned. “Over time, my technique became more intuitive. I stopped thinking so much about settings and started using my instincts more. That freed me to pay attention to light, timing and feeling instead of just mechanics.”

His modifying grew to become extra intentional, too, as he realized to do much less as a substitute of extra.

“My style shifted in a similar way,” he mentioned. “Early on, I was more drawn to obvious or dramatic scenes—big views, bold colors and things that stood out right away. Now, I’m much more interested in quiet moments, balance and subtlety. I’m looking for images that hold your attention instead of demanding it.”

His subject material has shifted towards topics that evoke steadiness, simplicity and quiet presence. This consists of water in its many kinds, reflective surfaces, architectural components, solitary pure options and compositions that emphasize line, area and light-weight.

“I look for scenes where atmosphere and form interact in a way that invites a pause,” Rucker mentioned. “Whether it’s a horizon bathed in soft light, a lone structure against open space or an interplay of shadow and texture, I’m interested in subjects that feel composed and intentional.”

Rucker mentioned total, he has change into extra affected person and selective.

“I take fewer photos, but I’m more connected to the ones I do take,” he mentioned. “It feels less like collecting images and more like creating something meaningful.”

He finds himself shifting between capturing extra broad views and extra intimate moments.

“Sometimes, it’s an open horizon, a pier stretching into the water, a lone tree at sunset, a boat resting in the harbor or waves on a coastline,” Rucker mentioned. “Other times, a shadow, a texture or a small object captures my attention. What matters more to me than the subject itself is how it feels.”

He is now notably impressed by the beautiful settings of Sonoma Valley and close by areas.

“After moving to Northern California, I truly felt like I had found my home as a photographer, surrounded by amazing views and landscapes that inspire my work,” he mentioned.

Rucker’s accomplice, Sara, a registered nurse for Kaiser, is a Sonoma native.

“She’s been very supportive and understanding as I’ve built my life and creative work here in California,” he mentioned. “Having than encouragement and stability has meant a lot to me.”

He has two boys: Luke, 22, in Napa, and Trey 27, within the Atlanta space.

In his free time, he enjoys bodily actions, together with mountaineering on trails, mountain biking and figuring out at EA’s CrossFit in Sonoma.

Rucker is genuinely enthusiastic about this subsequent chapter in his life in Sonoma Valley.

“Between the creative community, the natural beauty and the opportunities through the arts guild, it feels like the right place for me to keep growing, both as a photographer and a person,” he mentioned.

Rucker continues to develop his work, constructing a images enterprise that feels genuine and staying open to wherever his path leads.

He additionally stays dedicated to well being care, which he gravitated to early in his profession as a result of he wished to make an actual distinction in folks’s lives and contribute to their high quality of life.

“What kept me in health care was seeing how helping organizations grow the right way could expand access ant reach more patients in the communities that need support,” Rucker mentioned. “That balance of relationship building, thoughtful growth and real-world impact is what has kept the work meaningful for me over the years.”

So, he views his elevated give attention to images as a part of a gradual course of somewhat than as a profession change.

“I would not describe it as a sharp transition,” he mentioned. “Health care is still an important part of my professional world, but I am intentionally exploring opportunities to grow and expand my art and share more of it with a broader audience. I am taking a thoughtful, long-term approach and seeing where it continues to lead.”