A pair of North Shore artists capture the look and feel of iconic New England through their handcrafted prints.
By Lisa Cavanaugh
“What really strikes you as you arrive at Rusty and Ingrid’s shop is how much the essence of New England shines through,” says Rachel Holt, host of New England
Living TV. “They have a fantastic location on the water in Rockport, which is a big part of the inspiration for their art.”
Holt and the rest of the NEL TV team visited with artists Rusty and Ingrid Kinnunen at their new studio shop to film a 2024 episode with the young couple. “Even the design aesthetic of the building matches their artwork,” says Evan Berenson, NEL TV’s executive producer and director. “It is such a gorgeous setting, then you walk into their store and it is all reflected in their prints.”
“We have been working a long time to get a proper studio in town,” says Ingrid Kinnunen, who met her husband when they were both students at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. “We had another, smaller location in Rockport, which was just a gallery, and then we got our shop location in Salem, where
we were able to do some production,” she says. “The remainder of our production was still at our home studio, so we were spread out all over the North Shore.”
While the Kinnunens are now well known for their crisp, colorful, nostalgic hand-inked prints, the couple both trained in oil painting. “We didn’t have any experience in screen printing,” says Rusty, “so we had to teach ourselves when we first started a dozen years ago.” He had worked doing illustration, gaining design-related skills, which helped the process, but they still had a learning curve. “We didn’t have a studio or real supplies. We were doing it in our tiny condo, so we just figured it out on our own.”
Inspiration first came from their love of vintage travel posters and the desire to make fine art accessible to everyone. “We both really liked having original artwork in our house,” says Rusty. “But we were not wealthy by any means, so we decided to start making artwork that most people can afford.”
They also wanted to focus thematically on their home turf. “We are both from New England,” says Ingrid, “and we feature the local spots that mean a lot to us.” Their images of beaches, lighthouses, ski slopes, and Boston scenes clearly resonate with others, as proven by the popularity of their work.
“They showcase the prime locations in the New England area,” says Holt, who joined the pair in the screen-printing process during the video shoot. “What is neat is that they want the customer’s own memory of the place to come through the experience of looking at one of their prints.” She references one of their most requested images, a view from the grandstand at Fenway Park. “It feels like my own memory of being at the ballpark—like it’s me in those seats,” says Holt. “Everything in their shop reminds you of someplace you’ve been or something you’ve done,” agrees Berenson. “I’ve never really felt that anywhere else.”
Rusty and Ingrid begin their creative process by visiting or revisiting locations across New England. They take mental images and photos, sometimes do sketches, and then return to their studio to begin creating the prints. “We draw the designs using tracing paper and India ink, really trying to capture what it is like to be there,” says Ingrid. “We mix all of our ink by hand, and we embrace the elements of imperfection or variation that result.”
“We make our own screens and go through a series of different layers and colors for each print,” says Rusty. “We even make our own frames.” One of the most meaningful aspects of Rusty’s and Ingrid’s work is its authenticity. “You are getting an original, signed, handmade piece of art.”
Now that they have been successful for more than a decade, they are eager to reimagine some of the older, most popular images, such as the Fenway Park print, while still honoring the original intention.
“We decided to refresh our whole catalog,” says Rusty, explaining that he and Ingrid are going back to the drawing board and redesigning the images with new colors and details while retaining the essence of the originals. “The older editions are still unique, and instead of reprinting those, we are bringing them back in new ways.” He refers to their decision to simplify and harmonize their color library, among other creative evolutions. They also recently began producing larger prints, 24” x 32”, hand-printed on hardboard panels. “We decided to offer very large pieces of artwork for those customers looking for something on a grander scale.”
The pair, who have three children, are equally enthusiastic about their free, family-friendly “Print Your Own” events. “The experience of making a screen print in our studio is really fun for everyone,” says Ingrid. “Now that we have a studio that’s accessible to the public, we’re going to be doing more on a regular basis.”
It was this kind of talent and spirit that led NEL TV to want to share the Kinnunens’ story. “I loved hearing about how a husband-and-wife team began doing something a little different out of their home,” says Holt. “And now they have an amazing studio in a stunning location.” She adds that the couple truly showcases the region in a unique way. “There is so much thoughtfulness behind each one of their prints.”
“We like celebrating New England with our artwork,” says Ingrid. “We grew up here, and so our memories are similar to our customers’.”
Watch Rusty and Ingrid’s TV segment from New England Living Season 8.
