Ruth Marshall is an Australian-American contemporary textile-knit artist. Ruth’s artwork explores the creative possibility of textiles through crochet and knitting, with an emphasis on bringing these crafts to a fine art level of excellence.

STATEMENT:

My fine art textiles delve into the creative potential of crochet and knitting, with a focus on interpreting nature through flora and fauna. My aim is to elevate these crafts to a high standard of excellence, allowing viewers to appreciate the fragility and beauty of our planet while marveling at the wonders of nature. In addition to my artistic practice, I teach art and crafts and collaborate with community members on public displays, extending the reach of domestic crafts beyond their traditional confines. I am committed to sharing knowledge on environmental and conservation practices and incorporating recycled materials whenever possible. This ongoing exploration fuels my passion for demonstrating the vast expressive possibilities within fiber and textile art.

BIO:

Ruth Marshall, born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, earned her BFA in Sculpture from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Awarded the prestigious Anne & Gordon Samstag Scholarship in 1993, she pursued her MFA at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. A U.S. resident since then and a naturalized citizen, Ruth has lived in the Bronx since 2000, initially working as an exhibit sculptor at the Bronx Zoo for 14 years. Sponsored by the Wildlife Conservation Society, she transitioned to becoming a naturalized citizen while advancing her art career. Ruth has taught Foundation Drawing at the School of Visual Arts since 2005 and continues creating public art installations in collaboration with Bronx organizations.

Her work has been covered in the press and exhibited at museums including MASS Art in Boston, Museum of Arts & Design in NYC, and the National Wool Museum in Geelong, Australia.  Articles and books include The New York Times, VOGUE Knitting, and Surface Design Magazine, “Textiles: The Art of Mankind”, by Mary Schoeser, Thames & Hudson 2012, and her own book, “Vanished into Stitches”, available on Amazon.

She is a multiple BRIO winner – ‘Bronx Recognizes Their Own’ by Bronx Council on the Arts and receives yearly grants from this local arts council for community based art creations.

Her textile-based art, using crochet and knitting, elevates traditional crafts to fine art, engaging audiences with works that explore the expressive qualities of yarn and its connections to socio-political contexts.

“The twenty-first century is gripped by the predicament of habitat loss and species decline.  There is an urgent desire in me to say new things about this disappearing world and to contribute to the efforts to help wild animals and wild places endure. I want you to see the fragility of our planet and to explore the wonder of nature.  My recent efforts in art making with members of the community enables community nurturing to exist outside of the world of private nurturing that domestic crafts usually inhabit. I am invigorated to continue these practices and to learn new skills to demonstrate the extent of expression possible in creative fiber structures.”

Contact: info@ruthmarshall.com