Ruth Gavin

Ruth Gavin is an Australian based artist living in Melbourne. Ruth is a self-taught artist and works as a senior graphic designer, having completed a Bachelor of Design, Graphic Design at RMIT University, in 1998. Her interest in art started at a very young age. Taught how to shade and blend colours at eleven years old, a whole new world opened up to her creatively. Encouraged to explore the face and human form, led to a strong interest in portraiture. After many years of working with dry media on paper, Ruth is currently exploring techniques with oils. Her portraits are often contemplative, intense and melancholic in mood.

“The focus of my work is seeking to observe and portray the mystery and depth behind the human persona. This exploration and my creative process allows me to connect not only to my subjects, but also more deeply to myself.

I have always preferred to express myself through art rather than words, the process of exploring the subject and revealing my responses to it. My desire is to capture and reveal to the viewer, a fleeting moment in time, an opportunity to witness an essence of the subject, paused. This momentary glimpse at an aspect of an individual is the force behind my work.”

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.