Ruth Shively was born in Hastings, Nebraska and received her BFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She moved to New York City during the early 1990s to pursue illustration and work in an illustration studio. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions throughout the US. Shively was recently awarded an artist residency at Chateau Orquevaux in Champagne Ardenne, France for the summer of 2018. One of Shively’s paintings was recently pictured in an Ian McEwan novel, Nussschale (Nutshell). The artist lives and works in Portland, Oregon.
I work largely with the figure, concentrating on women. In awe of the strength women behold, I feel the need to express their character through my work. I can't explain how I choose my subjects, I go with my instinct and immediate feelings and drawn to stark, positive/negative space. I like humor, mysteriousness and intimate mood, wanting the viewer to make their own interpretation. I studied drawing and illustration in school but I'm a self-taught painter and prefer this medium as I love the spontaneity of the paint and using color to create space.
