About Ruth

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Publications

Goetze, Janet: "Painter thinks in 3-D for a creative challenge" The Oregonian, Southwest Weekly, February 1, 2007

Cowan, Ron: "'e-MOTIONal Art'" Statesman Journal, March 3, 2007

Kinch, Michael: "Expressing Mood with Watercolor," Watercolor magazine by American Artist, Summer 2005 issue

Boule, Margie: "Crazy Fun Figures into Artist's Big Birthday Bash", The Oregonian, May 1, 2003

Statesman Journal: "Ruth Armitage's New Watercolors Unveiled", June 29, 2003

 Lawrence, William B.: The Palette, Issue #3

Schink, Christopher: The Palette, Issue #3

Woo, Cathy: Watercolor Magic, Creativity Issue 2002, "Find Your Personal Style"

Watson, Donna: Watercolor Magic, Creativity Issue 2002, "The Fruit of our Suffering"

Lawrence, William B.: Watermedia Focus, Issue 22

Cowan, Ron: "Artists give auction life" Statesman Journal, June 18, 2001

Editors: Watercolor Magic, Yearbook 2000, "Ones to Watch"

Greenwood, Phaedra: "Abstracts dominate this year's watercolor exhibit", Taos News, July 20, 2000

The Oregonian, Neighborhood Extra, August 11, 2000 "Sisters’ Song"

Featured Artist: Oregon Art Beat, April 2004, K.C. Cowan, producer, Oregon Public Broadcasting

 

 

 

Artist's Statement

" I exaggerate color and shape to express a personal connection with the figures in my work. Some are quirky, some sad, some are happy, some strong, each is unique. By painting semi-abstracted figures, I hope to allow the viewer room to feel a kind of ownership for my people. Each figure I paint represents a part of my personality, a part of my life that I hope viewers connect with their lives. Subject matter includes images derived from observation, sketches, photos and imagination. My strong emphasis on color and shape unify the works and often become symbolic. For instance, an unusual hair color or shoe shape might suggest a quirky personality. Changing colors or shapes arbitrarily brings emphasis to certain areas of the painting and can convey humor or playfulness, melancholy or mystery."

I am attracted to watercolor because of the flexibility of the medium. Recently my work has incorporated collage, watercolor pencil, gold leaf, and occasionally acrylic or encaustic along with watercolor. However, watercolor remains the dominant element. My art helps me to reconcile the past with the present. I hope to express family connections through humor, ambiguous settings, and above all, color.

Galleries

Ruth's work is exhibited regularly at: 

 Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, 335 State Street,    Salem, Oregon, 503-581-3229, www.zeekgallery.com 

RiverSea Gallery, 1160 Commercial Street, Astoria, Oregon, 503-325-1270 http://www.riverseagalleryastoria.com

Associations

Ruth has earned signature membership in the National Watercolor Society and the Northwest Watercolor Society. She is immediate Past President of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.

Experience

Independent Study with the following artists and others: Katherine Chang-Liu, Serge Hollerbach, Skip Lawrence, Alex Powers, Christopher Schink and Arne Westerman.

Lectures, Demos, Teaching

Creative Arts Community, Menucha Residential Art Workshops

Lakewood Center for the Arts

Oregon Society of Artists

Buffalo Grass Watercolor Society

Art Media

Watercolor Society of Oregon

Cedar Hills Parks and Recreation

Keizer Art Association

Village Gallery of Arts

       

Juror

Oregon Society of Artists

Southwest Washington Watercolor Society

Beaverton Arts Commission Showcase

Keizer Art Association

Vistas & Vinyards Plein Air Group

Solo Exhibitions

Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Arts Commission, February 2006

Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, Salem, Oregon: July 2003, 2005

RiverSea Gallery, Astoria, Oregon: September 2005

Salem Art Association, Focus Gallery, April 2002

Salem Art Festival, 1997-2006

Portland Art Festival, 2002

Art in the Pearl, 2000 -2001, 2005

West Linn Library, "Haunting Aunties" 2000

Other Juried Exhibitions and Awards

 

2008 San Diego Watercolor Society International Exhibition, San Diego, California

2008 Northwest Watercolor Society Waterworks Exhibition, Bellevue, Washington

2008 Watercolor Society of Oregon Aqueous Media Exhibition, Hood River, Oregon - Award of Distinction

2008 Northwest Watercolor Society Annual Open Exhibition, Seattle, Washington

2008 Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, 100 Artists Invitational Exhibit, "What's Inside" a benefit for Poyoma Day Treatment Center

2007 Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, 100 Artists Invitational Exhibit,  "Shelters" a benefit for Salem Outreach Shelter

2006 Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, 100 Artists Invitational, Shrines to the Enviornment, a benefit for SOLV *-Best Use of Recycled Materials Award

2006 Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, 100 Artists Invitational, Letter and Numbers Benefit for Adult Literacy Program Chemeketa Community College

November 2005, 2006 "Face The Public" Invitational collaboration, -"Oregon Gothic" and "Mona Lisa", Mary Lou Zeek Gallery

2004 Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, 100 Artists Invitational, HeART Beat, benefit for the American Heart Association

2004 Watercolor Society of Oregon Transparent Exhibition, Ashland, Oregon

-Sweepstakes Award

2004 Watercolor Society of Oregon Aqueous Media Exhibition, Keizer, Oregon - Second Place Award

Mary Lou Zeek Gallery, "The Door Show" May 2003, 2005, 2007 Salem, Oregon

2003 Watercolor Society of Oregon Transparent Exhibition, Forest Grove, Oregon - Achievement Award

2003 Watercolor Society of Oregon Aqueous Media Exhibition, Springfield, Oregon

2003 Hilton Head International Exhibition, Hilton Head, South Carolina - Honorable Mention Award 

2003 California Watercolor Association Exhibition, Danville, California

2003 Texas Watercolor Society Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas - Merit Award

2002 Waterworks Exhibition, Northwest Watercolor Society, Seattle, Washington

2002 Red River National Watermedia Exhibition, Moorhead, Minnesota

2001 Watercolor Society of Oregon Exhibition, Grants Pass, Oregon - First Place Award

2001 Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition, Golden, Colorado

2000 National Watercolor society Exhibition, Fullerton, California - Combined Donors Award

2000 Taos Exhibition of American Watercolors, Taos, New Mexico

2000 Watercolor Society of Oregon Exhibition, Corvallis, Oregon - Fifth Place Award

1999 Watercolor Society of Oregon Exhibition, Medford, Oregon - First Place Award

1996 Watercolor Society of Oregon Exhibition, Bend, Oregon - First Place Award

 

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