"To paraphrase Thornton Wilder in Our Town, Nature pushes and contrives in spite of man’s attempt to control it. My work reflects that struggle," Ruth Knowles, 2005.
Explore a curated collection of Ruth Knowles's most iconic paintings.
Ruth's art was deeply rooted in nature and her relationships with it. Growing up in small town Indiana she was, "given the freedom to wonder and to confront Nature on its own terms." This connection to land is a prevalent theme from her pears series to her abstract landscapes.
With a Masters in English and as an impactful English educator, literature and language was a common motivation in her work. Many paintings have quotes from poets, authors and songwriters, sometimes barely visible. The observer must explore to "reveal additional images and meanings."
Ruth developed a distinctive technique of layering paint and transparency, creating depth and texture in her compositions.
Her brushstrokes were deliberate and expressive, adding a sense of movement and energy to her paintings.
"My paintings are like Jazz: roots in the South,
improvisational, underlying themes, rhythmical, emotional, intensely colorful, familiar at times, dissident at others."
Ruth's vibrant color palette was a hallmark of her style, using contrasting warm and cool colors to evoke emotion and create visual interest.
Born in 1937, in a small town in Indiana, Ruth Knowles grew up appreciating the sprawling farms and charm of the mid-West.
After recieving a B.S. in Art and Journalism and an M. A. in English from Indiana State University, she moved to Phoenix in 1961.
Ruth's body of work includes mixed media, print making, encaustic, batik, and watercolor. After exploring many mediums, she found her true voice through water-based acrylics on canvas. Even after her death in 2012, Ruth's paintings continue to inspire through their innovative use of color, texture and composition.
Ruth Knowles was an engaging English and Art teacher who influenced generations of young people at the high school and college level.
She devoted her life to art education and nurturing the creative talents of her students and peers. She was involved in many associations including President of the Arizona Artist Guild.
After retiring in 1995, Knowles was able to pursue her own art commercially, allowing her talent to grow flourish. She exhibited in the Phoenix area, New Orleans, San Francisco, Houston and SantaFe and won local and national awards.
2025 marks 30 years since Ruth retired as an art teacher and began selling her work.
Ruth began her commercial success as an artist in 1995.
Ruth's success began when she took her years of artistic experimentation and focussed on sharing it with the community.
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Celebrating the life and work of a visionary artist.