art - illustration - quiltmaking
art - illustration - quiltmaking
On any given day there are a million ideas floating in my mind, so that the challenge is not so much to find inspiration, but rather, to decide which idea to run with next. For the sake of taming the flow of creativity and chaos of ideas that want to be realised, I focus my artmaking into two main pursuits…
textile fine art, using quiltmaking techniques
picture book illustration, to capture and celebrate the world of little children beyond what I currently have time to explore in my art quilts.
I especially love it when these two pursuits collide and cross paths, and am continually looking for ways to make this happen.
Hi, I’m Ruth!
I’m an award winning artist, a quilt-pattern designer, and a published picture book illustrator.
I’m so grateful that you’re visiting my site. Really, I’d love to meet with you in person over a cuppa in my studio, but right now this will have to do! I’m enjoying the creative journey that God has led me along since childhood. For as long as I can remember I have had a burning desire to make, stitch, draw and capture. I am thankful every day for the opportunities, new friends, varying creative endeavours, and endless opportunities to learn new things that are part of this wonderful journey.
1996 Made my first art quilt as part of my Year 12 studies
2003 Became a stay-at-home mum and started playing with various quiltmaking techniques
2007 Won Best of Show at QuiltWest with ‘Not Even Solomon’
2008 Held my first solo art exhibition
2018 Ran my first piecework workshop
2019 Published my book ‘pieced’
2023 Launched Creative Piecework, my signature quiltmaking class
I work from my beautiful home studio in the Perth hills, in Western Australia,
although in reality, my creative endeavours tend to spill out throughout the rest of the house too! My drawing table is set up in the lounge; fabric dyeing happens in the laundry; there is a vintage sewing machine set in the living room always ready for a small window of stitching time, and a whole lot of sketching happens poolside while supervising my children during the summer months.
Artist Statement
why i make art
I am an artist. I stitch hundreds of little pieces of hand-dyed fabric together to make bold textile paintings. With a riot of colour and form the artworks were created in order to enjoy and capture the wonder of small children discovering this awesome world.
Observing small children notice budding flowers, snail trails, ripening fruit, textured leaves, floating bubbles, dripping rain and pencil marks on paper for the first time is a wonderful reminder of just how special these ordinary things are. In an effort to retain some of that wide-eyed wonder myself and to share it with others, my current body of vibrant quilted textiles incorporate traditional patchwork and quilting techniques in a contemporary way to powerfully record the learning experiences of little children.
Children are naturally appreciative of God’s creation, and as I share with them the wonder of our Creator God I am reminded over and over again of the wonderful things He has made; most especially the children who have been entrusted to us to nurture and to teach.
I obtain my artistic inspiration from God’s creation. I find inspiration to explore new ideas and designs in the way that everything works and fits together in this world – the laws of nature, the interrelationships between animals, and between plants and animals, and the role of man in the natural world. I also enjoys the challenge of pushing to their limits my sewing machine and the range of materials and techniques I have available to me.
I hand-dye much of the fabric I use for my quilt tops. The art quilts are pieced by machine in a process not too far removed from traditional patchwork techniques. Where a design requires it, I will also incorporate screenprinting, to add texture or tell part of the story. Every artwork is completed with intensive machine stitching to quilt the layers of the piece together, as well as to add interest through texture and embroidered patterns.
I am honoured to have artwork featured in exhibitions and private colletctions nationally and internationally. My artwork is available for purchase at Aspects of Kings Park, Mundaring Arts Centre, Petrichor Gallery and here on my website.
Curriculum Vitae
so much to be thankful for
Education:
University of Western Australia, WA, BSc (Zoology) / BE (Environmental, Honours)
Albany Senior High School (TEE)
Career Highlights:
Shine, written by Danny Parker, illustrated by Ruth de Vos, published by Fremantle Press 2021
Barefoot Bea, illustrated by Ruth de Vos, published by Yellow Brick Books 2019
Gerry Gaunteltt Award (Minnawarra Art Award, 2017)
Quilt National 2017
Quilt National 2015
Acquisitive Prize winner at Golden Textures 2015
Acquisitive Prize winner at Australian Cotton Fibre Expo 2013 to be a child (solo exhibition, 2012)
Quilts by Ruth de Vos (invitational solo exhibition at the Australasian Quilt Convention, 2011)
Quilt National 2009
Eucalypts in Focus (solo exhibition, 2008)
Best of Show, Quilt West 2007
2008
Eucalypts in Focus – solo exhibition at Central TAFE’s Showcase Gallery, Northbridge, WA
Best of Australia, Australasian Quilt Convention
Australia Wide
Minnawarra Art Award 2008
Stitched and Bound 2008
Expressions 2008 – The Wool Quilt Prize
Dare to Differ 2008
2006
Best of the Best – A display of quilts from the West Australian Quilter’s Association, at the Australasian Quilt Convention 2006
Selected Awards:
2017
Gerry Gauntlett Award (Minnawarra Art Award)
2015
Acquisitive Prize (Golden Textures)
2013
Acquisitive Prize (Australian Cotton Fibre Expo)
2009
1st Prize – Art Quilts (Quiltwest 2009)
2007
Best of Show (Quiltwest 2007)
Best Use of Colour (Quiltwest 2007)
1st Prize – Art Quilts (Quiltwest 2007)
3rd Members’ Choice (Quiltwest 2007)
2006
Best Machine Quilting (Quiltwest 2006)
3rd Prize – Art Quilts (Quiltwest 2006)
4th Viewer’s Choice (Quiltwest 2006)
2005
Best Use of Colour (Quiltwest 2005)
2nd Prize – Art Quilts (Quiltwest 2005)
Collections:
Western Australian Museum (History Collection)
Private Collections – Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, United States & Indonesia
Publications:
2020
Shine, written by Danny Parker, illustrated by Ruth de Vos, published by Fremantle Press
2019
BarefootBea, written by Heather Neilly and illustrated by Ruth de Vos. Published by Yellow Brick Books
Pieced, written and published by Ruth de Vos
2018
Art Quilts Unfolding: 50 Years of Innovation, edited by Sandra Sider p217
2012
Quilting Arts Issue 58 p38
Australian Quilters Companion Issue 57 pp64, 66
2011
Art Quilt Portfolio: Natural World, edited by Martha Sielman
Quilting Arts InStitches No. 4
2010
The Art Quilt Collection: Designs and Inspiration from around the World, introduced by Linda Seward, 2010 p150
SAQA Journal Vol. 20 No. 1 front cover, p8-11
SAQA Journal Vol. 20 No. 1 front cover, p8-11
1000 Artisan Textiles by Sandra Salamony & Gina M. Brown p228, 229
Selected Exhibitions:
2021
Minnawarra Art Award
Layered & Stitched: 50 Years of Innovative Art (San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles)
Golden Textures Art Quilts (Ararat Gallery TAMA)
Fine Art at Perth College
2019
Minnawarra Art Award
City of Rockingham Art Award
2017
Art Quilt Australia ‘17
Quilt National ‘17
Golden Textures ‘17
Minnawarra Art Award (winner of Gerry Gauntlett prize)
2016
Australia Wide 5
2015
Art Quilt Australia ’15
Golden Textures (Acquisitive prize winner)
Quilt National ‘15
2014
Feature Artist at Aspects of Kings Park, 2014 Wildflower Festival
stitched & bound Back to the Razors Edge
Australia Wide 4
Australia Quilts @ Carrefour Europeen du Patchwork
2013
Australian Cotton Fibre Expo (winner of the Acquisition Prize)
Minnawarra Art Award
Highly Commended at the City of Melville Art Awards
2012
Bunbury Regional Art Galleries Christmas Shop
A Child is Born: Wesley Uniting Church
stitched & bound 2012
For We Are Young and Free: Toyota Community Spirit Gallery
Regeneration: Contemporary Quilted Textiles
to be a child – solo exhibition
stitched & bound 2012
2011
Quilt! @ Stanthorpe
Quilts by Ruth de Vos @ AQC (invitational solo exhibition at the Australasian Quilt Convention)
2010
The New Quilt 2010
SAQA Creative Force ’10
Wonders of the World, IQF Houston
Australia Wide 2
stitched and bound 2010
2009
Quilt National 2009
Art Quilt Australia 09