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Ruth was born in 1972 in West Lothian. From 1990 - 1994 she attended
Heriot Watt University/ Edinburgh College of Art, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Drawing
and Painting. In 1993 she was awarded theAndrew Grant Bequest Exchange to L'Ecole Des
Beaux Arts, Tours, France. During her career she has won a number of awards
including -The Elizabeth Ballantyne Award at the S.A.A.C 5th Annual Exhibition, Royal
Scottish Academy, December 1994, 'Scotland's Year of the Artist Award' Scottish Arts
Council/ National Lottery Fund 2000 for Artist-in-residence on board the SWAN and
Finalist for The Gilchrist - Fisher Award 2002, for Young Landscape painters under 30 Ruth
writes about her work: "My paintings are based on my experiences of living in the
Shetland environment and are concerned with capturing the atmosphere, the play of light on
the sea and coastal landscape, through mixed media. The skies and seas of Shetland are now
a constant inspiration.....I first came to Shetland in 1998 when I was invited to do
teaching in the isles. The islands had such an effect on me - particularly the changing
light and open space - I decided to move to the isles and return to painting. It took me
nearly a year to be able to digest the wealth of the landscape and begin to interpret
Shetland and its seas as it was a completely different environment to my home land in West
Lothian. I was and still am, taken by the constant changing elements - particularly the
drama of light upon the seas. The moods of weather playing upon the land and mists on the
moors provide continuing inspiration.Since moving, I have also been introduced to sailing
which has again created a whole new relationship with the ocean. I've been able to further
develop my understanding of the seas and to capture the completely different atmosphere of
being 'at sea' Jamie Thomas wrote recently in Thee Shetland Post '...Ruth's work has
a distinctive slightly abstract style. Using a limited palette of deep blues, whites, dark
browns and greens, she creates a very intense impression of scale and depth and a real
feeling of power of the sea. The cold northern skies are reflected with equal
intensity...' |
