About Ruth

I am a sculptor and installation artist, working primarily in textiles, metal, and found objects. I enjoy welding as well as using many traditional craft techniques in my work, specifically embroidery, knitting, and sewing. Repurposing my materials is important to my work, so often the fabric I use comes from my old clothes. Using fabric came very naturally to me because I grew up sewing clothes for my dolls until I started making clothes for myself as a teenager. While I did not grow up welding, as soon as I learned, I really gravitated towards the process because of how physical it is.

I make my work primarily about personal life experiences, while drawing a lot of my inspiration from the natural world. I hope that my work makes my viewers feel calm, reflective, and maybe think about something differently than before. I have been very inspired by quilters, especially the quilters of Gee’s Bend and Bisa Butler. I have also been inspired by the marine paintings of Winslow Homer and the poetry of Mary Oliver. Some other influences on my work are folk traditions, scientific practice, the environment, social justice, spirituality, and fashion.