Artist Bio
Ruth Petersen Shorer was born in Coney Island and raised in New York City. She always knew art was her life. Ruth received her BFA in Sculpture, a minor in painting from Pratt Institute in New York after attending the Rhode Island School of Design and the High School of Music and Art in NYC. She has lived most of her adult life in the Bay Area of California. A mother and an artist, she has worked as a graphic designer, educator, and director. Currently, Ruth’s focus is painting on a variety of surfaces, reflecting inner and outer world struggles and joys. She has worked in ceramic sculpture, mixed media, acrylic monotypes, and a variety of paints. Ruth’s work combines strong design, innovative techniques, and personal vision. There is always room for the unexpected. Beginning with ideas, she allows the piece to take on its own life, without too much pressure of outcome. She believes technique is important, it permits the viewer to connect with the work. Much of her art is narrative, it tells a story, some of which relates to personal history. The expressionistic works were created as a reflection on the dichotomies of life – the joy of family and the sorrow of loss; lives touched by both exhilaration and frustration. Intensity is felt through the depth of color and form as well as the content. The works are passionate, inspiring, and emotionally rich, much like life. Though experience is unique to each of us, others can empathize and relate to her journey through their own situations. Feelings are universal.