Philly Plain Dealer

In Point Breeze there is a widely undiscussed art studio known as The Studios @ 2202 Alter, that is home to a number of fascinating Philadelphia artists. Rebecca Ledbetter is one of the artists who works in the repurposed biscuit factory making abstract oil paintings.

Ledbetter, originally from Medina, Ohio has been living and working in Philadelphia for the past 13 years. Painting runs in her family, her grandfather was a painter and Rebecca has been oil painting since college. 

Her decision to come to Philly was “an intentional move. I wanted to be part of an art community that wasn’t like the New York York art community. From a small town in Ohio I knew I wouldn’t find the community there,” she explained. “You know you’re not alone in this art community. I think that’s one of the pieces I really love about being able to connect with other artists and creatives.”

Rebecca has a signature style of sorts, abstract oil paintings that utilize texture and are rooted in poetry that she often finds in literature. “I’m especially interested in how shadows and highlights interact with the surface, and how lived materials like pressed flowers or powdered marble become part of that buildup. Together, these layers allow the work to breathe and hold a kind of heartbeat, creating an atmospheric world that feels active and lived-in rather than resolved – mirroring the way experiences and relationships accumulate rather than arrive all at once. I want the surface to feel alive – capable of breath, weight, and quiet movement.”

Although her paintings are abstract, they tend to be rooted in language and poetry. For instance Ledbetter created a series of paintings inspired by Octavia Butler’s captivating short story Bloodchild. Her piece Bloodchild V is an oil painting depicting dozens of hands holding one another and reaching out into the ether. Ledbetter says that this painting “explores relationships and their transformative impact on our lives. Transcending the boundaries of conventional portraiture, this piece delves into the intricate tapestry of human experiences that collectively shape our identities.”

However, she also creates pieces like Autumn Musings which leaves the connotations to the viewer. Autumn Musings for all intents and purposes is a primarily orange painting inside of a beautiful mirror shaped frame. There is little explanation for what this piece means, but it’s a stunning texture filled painting that is booming with life. To me, it’s a subversion of self. The decision to make this painting look like a mirror with no reflection is a decision to be less self-involved. Her piece Winter Musings has a similar feel, however the blue hues in Winter Musings conjures a far less welcoming set of emotions. 

This is how Ledbetter wants the viewer to feel. The choice to pursue mastering textured abstract oil paintings “allows (her) to really let the paintings breathe and to really like pulsate. Sometimes I do that very literally by bringing in things like pressed flowers and powdered marble, so things actually create more 3D elements, and sometimes they do that just with the highlights and the piece itself to create that texture. So my hope is really to create a painting that almost breathes, so my viewers can really look at the work and see the different spaces created and kind of pinpoint different emotional responses to that.”

If you’d like to learn more about Rebecca Ledbetter’s art you can go to her website or check out her Instagram page!