Meet our Board Chair, Terre Rybovich
Terre Rybovich at Superfine Art Fair in Miami, 2024. Photo by Jon Ward.
At the Edge of Expertise: Terre Rybovich's Journey from Activism to Art
Third-generation South Florida native Terre Rybovich carries the spirit of exploration in her DNA. As the daughter of Tommie Rybovich, the noted sport fishing boat designer and builder, she inherited more than just a connection to Florida's waters—she inherited a willingness to work at the edge of her expertise, ever exploring.
Today, that same pioneering spirit drives Terre's artistic practice and her leadership as Board Chair of collaboARTive. Her large charcoal and pastel drawings—detailed, ethereal images created through the full engagement of her hands and body—reflect both technical mastery and fearless experimentation.
From Grassroots to Gallery
Terre's path to art wasn't direct, but it was purposeful. Armed with a Bachelor's in Politics and Economics from NYU and a Master's in Rural Sociology from Wisconsin-Madison, she spent her first career funding grassroots community and agricultural development. That work, focused on empowering others and building sustainable change, instilled a daring that now flows directly into her drawing practice.
Like her father, Terre works at the edge of her expertise, and this willingness to push boundaries is evident in her mostly figurative work, which sometimes includes birds drawn from her own photographs. Her pieces have been exhibited throughout Florida, are held in numerous private collections, and were even juried into the prestigious Viewing Program of the Drawing Center in New York City in 2004.
Building Community Through Art
But Terre's impact extends far beyond her studio walls. She's a passionate artist advocate who understands that supporting individual artists means strengthening entire communities. In 2004, she and two other artists organized five "artist listening sessions" across Palm Beach County, gathering feedback that led to the formation of a county-wide artists' organization.
Her community-building efforts reached new heights in 2016 when she partnered with the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Association to launch annual studio tours in Northwood, complete with trolley service. These events consistently drew 200-300 visitors, creating vital connections between artists and the broader community.
Leading collaboARTive Forward
In 2022, Terre brought her advocacy expertise to collaboARTive's Executive Board, and now serves as Board Chair through 2026. Her leadership comes at a crucial time as the organization works to expand affordable studio access and artist development programs throughout Miami-Dade County.
With a new exhibition opening this September at The Armory in West Palm Beach, Terre continues to balance her roles as practicing artist and arts advocate. Her work—both on paper and in the community—demonstrates that the most powerful art emerges when technical skill meets fearless exploration, and when individual creativity serves collective growth.
Learn more about Terre at her website terrerybovich.com.
