Bringing colour to your world

IT’S her first solo exhibition – the culmination of a lifelong love of art and a family that embraced all things creative.

Dr Ruth Schubert is set to unveil that exhibition this Sunday, after spending the past decade really focussing on her art practice and also allowing her to share her passion for the great outdoors and what she describes as a ‘lifetime of fascination with the wildlife of our state and the Limestone Coast’.

Her grandfather, father and brothers all showed a penchant for the creative and now Ruth’s Bright Wings, Wild Things exhibition at Penola’s Gallery 54 will see that tradition continue.

A distinguished educator, for much of her career, Ruth was on the road and it really wasn’t conducive to pursuing her artistic bent.

“But now that I am not travelling for work as much, I have been able to really focus on my art,” she said.

And it is not just her art that has become a priority – she was instrumental when on the Stand Like Stone Foundation board in creating one last exhibition of the late Mount Gambier artist Lorry Humphreys’ works back in 2017, and spearheading the establishing of a scholarship in her name to make use of the eccentric’s artist bequest to the foundation.

She is also president of Thumb Print Workshop Inc – a printmaking collective of Limestone Coast artists, that is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, that is exactly what Ruth did when she agreed to her debut solo showing, having had many pieces in collective exhibitions over the years, including hanging pieces at Robe’s Karatta Wine Room & Gallery.

“I basically set myself the task of doing one painting a week for two months and I have 11 pieces that I will hang for the exhibition,” Ruth said.

There is one guarantee when it comes to Ruth and her work – it will be colourful.

“I love colour,” Ruth said. “My works are very colourful and whimsical – I am attracted to works that are vibrant.”

Given Ruth makes a point of visiting art galleries at every location to which she travels, it is only fitting her works will now be the main attracting for those travelling to Penola in the next few weeks.

“Bright Wings, Wild Things is an invitation to notice, appreciate, and value that beauty and vitality that surrounds us,” Ruth said. “May these works, spark conversations, stir wonder, and inspire stewardship of our fragile ecosystems.

“It is a milestone born of collective inspiration and personal passion, where every bird, magpie, Kookaburra, rosella, superb fairy wren becomes a wild ambassador of memory and resilience.

“My aim is to connect viewers to these creatures’ spirited presence, inviting reflection on our interdependence with the natural world.

“I wish to acknowledge the first nations people Boandik, Moandik, Pinchunga, Meintangk people whose were the first people to understanding and care of our precious wildlife and they named these birds in Bunganditj, some names are known, some still be rediscovered, some of have been lost.”

Just as her love of art dates back to childhood so does her love of the outdoor world.

“As a young girl I roamed a large wheat farm on the west coast of South Australia, often helping my brother with his precious egg collection,” Ruth said. “Even then my father said he could only take one egg, as long there were three in the nest. Animals and birds and environmental protection of our wild places has always been close to my heart.”

So has always developing and evolving and so Ruth often avails herself of workshops and art retreats, most particularly in the Grampians, and uses her regular gallery visits to expose herself to new techniques and concepts.

Ruth has the luxury of her own studio space at home but her passion, and has been a project for some time, is to see a dedicated space set up for artists in the community.

“I just thing it is so important to have a shared space – it is great working with other artist,” Ruth said. “To be able to have a space to work together, to host workshops, to have a retail space – it all helps promote people’s confidence. There is a lot of talent in this region – it just needs encouragement and that can come from working with other people.”

For now, though, the focus is well and truly on Ruth and her work as Bright Wings, Wild Things is unveiled.

“This work draws on a rich palette of colour and texture, with a naïve and whimsical touch illuminating the distinctive plumage and personalities of native birds, transforming each canvas into a vibrant testament,” she said.

Aunty Michelle Jacquelin Furr will be part of the official opening which starts at 1pm on Sunday at Gallery 54.

The exhibition runs until December 7 with Gallery 54 open 10am to 3pm, Thursday to Sunday.