And that’s week two! Another small work complete, a new work begun, another town visited, a couple of (shorter) hikes, sunsets, sunrises, and a workshop.❤️
This 2nd week went by so fast, and I’ll be honest, a little missing of home crept in but I find that really typical of me after any week of being away. I do a lot of reminding myself of how short this time will seem once it’s past, walking where people are, diving into the work, and, of course, talking to Seth. These all help get me back into a better headspace.
Last week coming up.....❤️🌲🌄
#shenandoahnationalpark #artistresidency #art #baltimoreartist #awayinthemountains
When visiting @achistsoc last week, I looked through texts searching for images of craft created by former mountain residents of Shenandoah. What I found, over and over, were women and children wearing similar patterns on what were either handmade or simple ready made clothes. Plaids, checks, and florals dominated the photos.
I knew I wanted to incorporate the memory of these patterns into my work.
This view can be seen from Loft Mountain. The mountains themselves becoming the checks, plaids, and floral that first grabbed my attention - a little homage to the woman who lived in these hills before, who hopefully watched these sunsets in between the vast amount of work I'm sure they had to do to exist here.
"The Fabric of Loft Mountain"
8"x6" gouache on Bristol board
#maganruthke #shenandoahnps #gouache #workonpaper #baltimoreartist
@snptrust
My first finished piece while on residency in @shenandoahnps
It's the culmination of my first hike here to visit Corbin Cabin, one of the only remaining homes left intact from former mountain residents, maintained by the @clubpatc
To get there from Skyline Drive you hike into a steep hollow and after a couple of miles, cross a stream bed with the cabin directly across it. This land would have been at least partially cleared for farming, so the idyllic spring forest surroundings now are not quite what we would have encountered originally.
The cabin itself is a work of art, one that I knew would be the subject of some of my work. You're probably asking, why the weird set of stairs? These are a little ghostly nod to the former land owners, the steps at the back of the house that would have been my favorite if I had lived there.
"Corbin Cabin, Idealized in Spring"
14"x11" gouache & ink on Bristol board
@snptrust
#maganruthke #gouache #shenandoahnationalpark #artinthepark #corbincabin
Today's sunset marks my first full week as artist-in-residence at @shenandoahnps . It feels like I've been here much longer, it's just so comfortable in a strange way. Maybe because home isn't terribly far, but maybe because I always have one foot in the woods and on the trail.
This first week I've hiked daily, visited local historical societies, marveled at native spring plants (pulling up gariic mustard along the way obvi), completed a piece that I'm pretty proud of for all of its challenges, watched so many sunsets, bumped into some deer (literally), taken notes, and developed some ideas for new works that I'm looking forward to diving into this week and next.
Things to do still: sunrise & night fire...both of which are commitments when solo.
This time in our park is magic. I'm so proud to be serving it and can't wait to make more work in honor of its people and history.
@snptrust
#maganruthke #bmoreart #baltimoreartist #nationalpark #artinthepark
I don't think I can ever properly convey the thankfulness, joy, and absolute understanding of my privilege to be living (temporarily) in this park that, for me, was a childhood wonder.
This sunset is the closest I can get to the feeling.
Thank you @snptrust and the staff at @shenandoahnps for supporting art in our National Park. I will do my best to be worthy of this land. ❤️🌄
#maganruthke #nps #artistinresidence #artinthepark #shenandoahnps
Finally took photos of this worthy of the grid. My "dried leaf" necklace that is inspired by a huge dried bird of paradise leaf in my home.
Completely hand-cut & hand-painted on wood reclaimed from the making of acoustic guitars. One-of-a-kind.
In my shop now
Link in bio
#maganruthke #woodnecklace #handmade #madeinmaryland #shopsmallartists
Sometimes you rent an @airbnb in the most perfect, unexpected setting. This was one of those times. Tucked away in tiny Deming, New Mexico is a tiny Adobe-styled house. Built by an artist in 2020, it sits in perfect view of the Little Florida Mountains surrounded by a quiet desert full of wildlife. A few hours from Phoenix, it was the perfect stop-over full of sunsets, warm fires, and coffee with the sunrise. These three pieces are for that time. Two will be in my shop drop later this week. 🌵🌅
Reclaimed wood used in acoustic guitar making
,waxed cord, vintage thread, acrylic, found branches
#maganruthke #newmexicoart #woodwallhanging #marylandartist #floridamountains
You've all been wondering when our last trip to the southwest was gonna feed my work...😊 New wall hangings in progress....
#floridamountains #newmexico #demingnm #reclaimedwood #handmademaryland
The latest drop in my little magnet club, the 28th Street Magnet League! This quarter was inspired by the Sonoran Desert and the beautiful @thejoshuatreehouse in Tuscon.
Only members receive these special, hand-painted, wood magnets. They all come with a story and arrive in a hand-made box. Keep it for your collection or give them as a gift.
The next drop comes in June. Join to get yours!
Link in bio
/shop
#maganruthke #desert #marylandartist #handmade #madeinmaryland
A new basket! At 5 1/2" x 1 1/2", she's my largest yet 😆. Working small is my thing 🤷♀️.
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Completely handmade from Eastern Shore loblolly pine and waxed cord.
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#maganruthke #pineneedlebasketry #bmoreart #baltimoreartist #madeinmaryland
My first memory of wanting to visit a national park was after reading an old @natgeo magazine that had pictures of @carlsbadcavernsnps . It broke my 1980s brain. Seeing it in person seemed so impossible then, too far away, too expensive. Forward 40+ years, this trip to the super southwest, for me, was full of doing right for that little girl in Harford County, MD. It proves that sitting on the floor, reading about places not your own, as a child matters. Parents out there - leave old Nat Geos around the house. Give your kids an atlas. Let them wonder and find those places they thought could only be imagined. It might make a positive difference in our world.
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1) morning coffee (my favorite ritual) at @jthtucson
2) Sonoran Desert at dusk
3) @catalinastatepark , Tuscon AZ
4) Saguaro cactus at night
5) beaming down at @nmspacemuseum
6) hiking @whitesandsnps
7) sunset in Carlsbad, NM
8) impossible to capture the glory but 🤷♀️@carlsbadcavernsnps
9) quick peek at @guadalupemountainsnps
10) break from driving through the winter wind storm
11) sunset over the Little Florida Mountains
12) chilly desert hike
13) Seth finally gets a desert fire under clear, big night sky
14) sunrise in Deming, NM
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#southwest #wintertrip #desert #newmexico #arizona #texas #nationalparks
At markets, folks are often in disbelief that I paint such tiny details on my work. Well, here's some proof. 😊 🎨No magnifiers, no AI, no stencils or stamps, just a gurl and her favorite Aqua Elite @princetonbrush painting with @liquitexofficial titanium white on hand cut, reclaimed wood from acoustic guitar making.
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Come to @greatergoodsmarket_ on February 7th to shop these in person or head to my website now.
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Link in bio
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#maganruthke #handmade #baltimore # #handpainted #acrylicpainting #reclaimedwood #madeinbaltimore #madeinmaryland #maker #nature #baltimorehandmade #art @madeinbaltimoreprogram
