|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
With
a fierce truthfulness, Joanne Beaule Ruggles turns her gaze to the
topography of despair - the landscape of anguish as it is stretched
across the human frame. In this newly evolving Scream Series the artist
is unhesitating in her desire to explore and express what she feels
in her heart. Few can dispute that our world feels profoundly changed. Within that climate, Ruggles believes we do not have the luxury of avoiding reflection upon the darker side of the human psyche. Oppositions are inherent in who we are, and only through their contemplation can we open our vulnerabilities, heal our wounds, uncover our beliefs, and ultimately discover our resilience. Although this artist paints herself as an optimist, she has no patience for those who declare as off-limits anything but the most trivialized portrayal of our human condition. Ruggles is a master at her craft - reveling in expressive paint and ink; taking risks with unorthodox tool and technique; moving with surety in matters of composition and color. After thirty years of study, she deciphers the terrain of human soul in a glance, allowing her viewers to share her vision by employing an eloquence of hand gesture, poetry of facial expression, and an intense empathy with her subject. This artist understands that her contemporary work is nonetheless part of a long tradition of artists studying the grand thematic topics and points to the work of Kollwitz, Rodin, Schiele, Picasso, and Munch. These are sly and seductive works - beguiling, even beautiful - but not for the faint of heart, or those content with mindless decoration. Risking discomfort, the artist has created a new series of artwork sure to instigate much-needed introspection and public dialog at a time when there just may be too little of it occurring. Go to Gallery |
