The work of Ruth Schrock now on display in the library corridor is distinctive for several reasons. For one, she shows her work in both painting and photography. That her photography is film-based is significant in this day of digital work. The pieces now displayed come from her work while a student, and most of the subjects resulted from course assignments as she majored in fine arts. Painting and photography were favorite media, and both required seeing and interpreting.
The painting “Space Form Puzzle III” was inspired by a particularly interesting tree bark and was part of a three-part series. The first two were totally abstract, and the third evolved into this more representational form. “After Braque” and “After Pollack” came after studies of their work then selecting stylistic elements for interpretation in her own painting. The photographic series “Passages, as Metaphors for Life” resulted from a semester-long study on a singular subject. Doorways, hallways, and windows all speak to the mystery and unknowns we experience as humans. During the 70’s and 80’s she was included in juried exhibitions in Indiana, Michigan, and Virginia.
While Ruth’s career path was circuitous, from early childhood on she enjoyed visual stimulation, long before she knew what “fine arts” meant. She first received a BS in Nursing and spent several years in psychiatric nursing before becoming a “stay at home mom.” It was during that time that she began her art studies. After completion of her fine arts program, she worked as a free-lance photographer for a time, but found long hours in the dark room too isolating. She then found her way into the interior design field, which she has enjoyed for the last 30 years. In her interior design, she sees rooms as giant canvases waiting to be filled with form and color.
Ruth’s show will be up through February.