Ruth Scotch

For me, creating a painting is like detective work. It is trying to get to the truth of the matter while stumbling upon clues that will help solve the case.

I paint outdoor markets and cafés, children, and more recently, fish. The common denominator of these subjects is my fascination with color and light, shape and pattern. How can I take a mass of different shapes and colors and bend them to my will in creating a dynamic composition? What steps will lead me to a harmonious, yet visually challenging solution?

The shift in color as light falls on a person’s face, breaking the facial planes into patterns of shape, is as fascinating to me as a box of sardines. These subjects become colorful shapes and patterns in my compositions–contrasts of dark and light. I concentrate on these contrasts and shapes rather than the actual objects that I am trying to depict. In this way the geometries of light are first revealed and then slowly the details of the scene emerge through the underlying patterns. Then I am able to create the kind of spatial depth I seek in my work.

Teaching at Concord Art in Fall 2023:
Painting with the Palette Knife from the Model
Knives Out! Painting with the Palette Knife