Ruth Thomas
I became interested in using found objects twenty years ago, while a student at Coventry, collecting the broken and discarded metal, plastic and glass objects that can often be found in an urban environment. In 1992, after a period of working figuratively, I started making collagraphs and in recent years I have returned to working with found materials, this time from nature, making reference to my rural background and the area in North Wales in which I now live.
Feathers and worm casts collected from the beach, grass, leaves, bark and seeds are now the subject matter of my work. I like to make art using unusual materials or materials which are often overlooked; the grass that features in many of my prints is a plant that inspires little interest except as a surface to walk upon. I try to let the materials represent themselves through simple abstract forms.
Most of my prints are collagraphs. A collagraph has the quality of a cast and always retains a ghost of the original material or object. Like a cast, it conveys the absence of the object.
What is a collagraph?
A collagraph is a print from a collage. A variety of materials can be used to make the printing plate including papers, card, fabrics, thread, wool, tin foil, sand, grass, seeds and some other natural materials. The materials are glued onto a support such as mountboard. Textured surfaces such as sand and fabric will retain ink and print as a dark tone, while smooth areas will print as a very light tone. The plates are sealed with white emulsion and acrylic varnish.
To print the plate, ink is rubbed into every part of the plate and the excess is wiped away, so that ink remains in the recesses of the plate but is largely removed from the surface. The plate is printed onto dampened printing paper, using an etching press. The pressure from the rollers forces the ink out of the plate and onto the paper.
C.V.
Date of birth 3.3.63.
Nationality British
TRAINING
1981 – 1982 Foundation Course in Art & Design
School of Art & Design
Nene College
Northampton
1982 – 1985 BA (Hons) Fine Art (2.1)
Faculty of Art & Design
Coventry (Lanchester) Polytechnic
1994 – 1996 MA in Art & Design
Leeds Metropolitan University
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
SOLO / TWO-PERSON
1986 Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston, Lincolnshire
1987 Gallery 273, Queen Mary College, London
1987 Lady Lodge Arts Centre, Peterborough
1989 Southwark College Gallery, London
1989 School of Art & Design Gallery, Lowestoft College of FE
1990 Astley Cheetham Art Gallery, Stalybridge, Manchester
1991 Alsager Gallery, Crewe & Alsager College
1991 Arts Intaglio, Manchester
1991 Salford Art Gallery
1993 Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
1994 Design Innovation Centre, Leeds
1995 Blackburne House, Liverpool
1996 Skelmersdale Arts Centre
1998 Editions, Bluecoat Chambers, Liverpool
1999 Printmaker of the Month, City Gallery, Leicester
1999 Natural Selection, Editions, Bluecoat Chambers, Liverpool
2001 Sixteen, Yarrow Gallery, Oundle School (exhibition and residency)
2002 Main Gallery, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Flintshire
2002 Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead, Anglesey
2003 Landmarks, manorhaus, Ruthin
2005 Cornerstone Gallery, Hope University Grand Hall, Liverpool
2006 Firbob & Peacock, Knutsford, Cheshire
2006 Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran
2006 Bodelwyddan Castle, Denbighshire - exhibition & residency
2007 Rhyl Library Arts Centre
2007 Editions Contemporary Arts, Liverpool
GROUP
1986 Three Years On, Northampton Art Gallery
1990 Intimate Settings, Drumcroon Art Centre, Wigan
1991 A Grain of Wheat, Art relief for Africa, Commonwealth Institute Gallery, London
1992 New Work – North West II, Bolton Art Gallery
1992 Lawrence Batley Centre Gallery, Bretton Hall College, Wakefield
1993 Mixed print exhibition, Harewood House, Leeds
1993 Artists Show, Leeds City Art Gallery
1994 Manchester Academy of Fine Arts Annual Open Exhibition,
Manchester City Art Gallery
1994 Dean Clough Galleries, Halifax
1995 Summer Show, Ainscough Gallery, Liverpool
1995 Paperworks, Dundee
1996 Escuela de Arte de Oviedo, Spain
1996 Boundless, National Open Print Exhibition, Huddersfield Art Gallery
1996 MA exhibition, Leeds Metropolitan University Gallery
1996 Linton Court Gallery, Settle
1996 James Colman Fine Art, London
1997 Ainscough Gallery, Liverpool
1997 – 98 Making Faces: Artreach touring exhibition, Liverpool and the North West
1997 Transformations & Innovations, Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield
1998 Linton Court Gallery, Settle
1999 Mini Print Internacional, Spain, England and France
2002 Dundee Open Print Exhibition
2002 - 3 Wrexham Print International
2003 Drumcroon Education Art Centre, Wigan
2004 Manchester Art Show, Manchester International Convention Centre, G-Mex
2005 Glansevern Hall, near Welshpool
2005 Manchester Art Show, Manchester International Convention Centre, G-Mex
2006 Printfest, Ulverston, Cumbria
2006 & 2008 Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy
2007 Calder Gallery, Hebden Bridge
2008 Cambridge Contemporary Art, Cambridge
FORTHCOMING EXHIBITIONS
2008 Llanrwst Almshouse Museum
2008 Colwyn Bay Library
2009 Clwyd Theatr Cymru
COMMISSIONS
Various private commissions since 1985.
1991 a painting for Slumberland plc
1993 29 paintings and drawings for a restaurant in Bath
AWARDS
1982 Nene College Travelling Scholarship
1984 2nd prize, national student screenprint competition
1996 North West Arts Board grant
1996 Merseyside Arts Special Activities Fund – to visit Estampa,
the International print fair in Madrid
2002 Arts Council of Wales grant for marketing tools
2004 Arts Council of Wales grant to exhibit at Manchester Art Show 2004
2005 Arts Council of Wales grant to exhibit at Manchester Art Show 2005
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Include St Peter’s School in York, Oundle School, Slumberland plc and Glaxo Pharmaceuticals.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Peterborough Arts Council; Arthur Mellows College, Glinton, Peterborough; Bedfordshire Art Loan Collection; Roade School, Northampton; Northamptonshire LEA; Northamptonshire Schools Loan Collection; Cambridgeshire LEA; Southfields School for Girls, Kettering.
MEMBERSHIP
2005 Elected to Royal Cambrian Academy
TELEVISION
June 2002 Featured in ITV1 Wales’ arts documentary series HIGH PERFORMANCE