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Ruth Liengaard

Disciplines

Textiles, Ceramics, Printmaking, Sculpture

Workshops for Ages

Age 7 upwards

Workshops Offered

- Crafts
- Feltmaking
- Spinning weaving, dying with natural materials weaving
- Knitting and crochet and braiding
- Willow sculpture
- Pottery, Iron age, Roman, people and animal pots
- Textiles
- Fabric printing and dying:
   screen, stencils, traditional ethnic techniques from around the world
- Flags and banners
- Paper mache and cardboard furniture
- Bread pittza and roll making with various flours sour dough and yeast
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Carnival work – large portable sculptures
- Collage
- Nature Art – Site specific
An example could be using sticks feathers mud berry juices etc to create 2 dimensional work based on Stone age cave art or aboriginal bark paintings, Or sticks, sheep wool hazel withys foliage etc to create structures based on the word 'shelter'.

Artist Statement

Formative years parents ran an Arts and Craft community where Ruth learned spinning, plant dying, raku fired pottery, batik, vegetarian cookery and organic gardening. Later she was part of the team that facilitated events and weekend workshops in these areas.

She then went on to do a foundation in Art at Cheltenham followed by a degree course in 3 dimensional design at Camberwell school of Arts and Crafts London where she gained a First Class honours degree in 3d design followed by a FAETC teaching qualification parts one and two.

Since then she has alternated between making her own work which she exhibits both here and abroad and teaching in colleges, schools and for special groups art events and seminars.

Inspiration comes from Folk Art (her parents are Scandinavian) from Animals, Nature, and an intense interest in human communication and the human journey towards self discovery and actualization.

A couple of interesting projects (in the last couple of years) have been “Interkunst” International Symposium of Art in Stuttgart Germany where 10 artists from different countries came together to exhibit and work with the public for a week in the middle of town on the theme of communication and art (art without a common language).

Ruth together with 2 assistants made an interactive mobile which involved making felt balls and pompoms with members of the public (see picture). Since then a few more have been made at various venues including the Museum in the Park Stroud.

Another group project was at the centre for non violent communication in Switzerland, Zurich - Ruth facilitated making a large decorative Mandala using natural materials found around the site.

Selected exhibitions in last two years
Raat Hus, Nurtenham Germany – International exhibition on theme of art and communication. Also accepted for Royal west of England Academy Autumn show
Ruskin Mill College Nailsworth – “Common objects” a 2 person show with Patricia Digby textiles and welded metal sculpture education

Artist statement:
In the spirit of play and enquiry I make and assemble objects that reflect my interest in beauty, humour light shadow and celebrating life