Ruth Gibson
Artist / Sculptor / Project Manager
Strengths/skills
- Completion of successful public art commissions
- Project Management of ‘Benchart’ a Community and Public Art Project involving commissioning and creating new public artworks, bus shelters, organising and delivering a wide range of arts workshops, lectures and presentations.
- Arts Council Funded Project development and success in funding applications
- Developed a strong working relationship with the brick industry and receive regular support, technical advice and sponsorship from Ibstock Bricks
- Involved in various community arts projects, from organisation and fundraising to delivering ceramic and art workshops
- Strong collaboration developing Cloud Gallery initiative
Public Commissions:
- 2007/08 Ellesmere Gateway Sculpture Commission for British Waterways
- March 2006 Shropshire Wildlife Trust ‘Welcome Break’ M54 Telford Services Commission
- July 2005 ‘All the king’s Men’ Sculpture Trail, Harlescott Shrewsbury
- July 2003 ‘Mnemosyne’ Shirehall roundabout made permanent by SABC and SCC
- 1992, 1994, 1999 Stage set design for ‘Combination Dance’ Richmond Theatre.
- Fifteen years of self-employment running a successful ‘designer-maker’ business
Exhibitions:
| February 2008 |
‘Cloud Space’ Installation Artist’s Walk, Greenhouse Shropshire Exhibition |
| September 2007 |
‘ Straw Spiral Cloud Space’ Onny Meadows Craven Arms Shropshire |
| July 2007/6 |
‘Contemporary Art Auction’ Halls Fine Art Auctions |
| November 04 |
‘Frank’ Shrewsbury |
| Oct-Dec 04 |
‘Shropshire Open and Print Open’ SMAG and Gateway |
| July 2004 |
‘The Sculpture Show’ Mottram Hall, Cheshire |
| May/June 04 |
‘Recent Graduates’ New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham |
| April 2004 |
‘The Sculpture Show’ Stone House, Cotswolds |
| December 2003 |
‘Revealed’ Resident Artists Exhibition, Whitehall, Shrewsbury |
| Nov-Dec 2003 |
‘Light’ Rufford Ceramic Centre, Nottinghamshire |
| August 2003 |
‘Art in Clay’ National Ceramics Festival, Hatfield |
| July 2003 |
‘New Designers’ Business Design Centre, Islington |
| June 2003 |
University of Wolverhampton Degree Show - Won ‘The Potclay Award for Outstanding Work in Clay’ |
| January 2003 |
‘Manipulations’ City Space, Birmingham |
| Jan-March 2003 |
Wrekin and Telford Open’ The Spout House Gallery |
| Nov 02-March 03 |
‘Open 02’ The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery Won the Moorcroft Prize for Ceramics |
| 1990-2000 |
Shropshire, Wrekin and Newtown Open Exhibitions |
| 1997 |
Won the materials prize in the Shropshire Open |
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Other Achievements
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Work selected for publication in: ‘‘Firings – philosophies in contemporary ceramic practice” by David Jones Published 2007 The Crowood Press ‘‘Brickworks’’ by Gwen Heeney Heeney Published A&C Black
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March 05 Short-listed for the International Ceramic Festival Student Award, Aberystwyth
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March 2005 Birth of my daughter Jessie
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Trustee of VAN Shropshire’s Visual Arts Network 2004 - 2006 July
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2003 Assistant to Robert Harrison (USA) International Ceramics Festival, Aberystwyth.
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Selected to play for England in the European Korfball Championships 1987
Qualifications
First Class BA Honours Ceramic and Sculpture, University of Wolverhampton 2003
Artists Statement:
‘My work as an artist begins with wide open eyes, the most important tool I have. Observing the details of life; the shapes, patterns, textures and colours that surround us, and the effects of light on surface and form. I use photography and video to document the world around me as I see and enjoy it.
A deep passion for the landscape and natural environment, bound with an endless and evolving relationship with humankind. Humans’ impact upon the landscape is core to my thinking and informs my artistic practice.
With a concern for the environment and a basic desire to work with natural materials, close to the earth, I am constantly striving to create work with minimal environmental impact. To work with my hands transforming materials into beautiful, functional and inspiring work that can move people is a real privilege and joy.
My artistic practice covers numerous disciplines from public art, community art and project management, exhibition work, commercial galleries, private commissions and garden sculptures. Working with people from all walks of life is inspiring and enriching. I’ve shared working with clay in pubs, market halls, on canal sides, hillsides, and beaches, in churchyards, village halls, housing estates, in old buildings, public parks and the middle of traffic islands!’