Words by Han McGufficke + Ruby Woodlock
We are very excited to announce the studio walls will have a fresh new look, our NEWEST Feature Artist – Ruby Woodlock will be bringing a fun and fresh new vibe to The Saltbush Studio.
To showcase the amazing talent of our new Feature Artist, we are pumped to be having an exhibition evening on Friday 13th of August, from 5pm – 7pm aligning with our Beginner Reformer night.. so please come along, enjoy some cheese and bikkies and maybe a cheeky champas and support the AMAZING Ruby as she fills the studio walls with her amazing work.
Enjoy this read to get to know a little more about the queen Ruby..
ALL ABOUT RUBY
Ruby is an amazing emerging self-taught artist based near Forbes, NSW. Living on a farm with her fiancé Mitch and their tribe of dogs, including a little corgi Alfie and a few kelpies. When Ruby isn’t in her studio painting and has a bit of free time at home, she loves to be pottering around in the gardening. And when there is a few spare minutes in the day, you might find her wedding planning (so exciting!)
Ruby told us she was very lucky to inherit the creative gene from her nan and mum. “Nan was a very talented painter and drawer, mostly of oil landscapes and charcoal drawings. When I was young, if I wasn’t outside riding the horses with my sister, you’d find me drawing – 99% of the time, drawing horses! At the ripe old age of 8, I went through 15 drawing books with 120 pages in each that year, and mum kept them all! Safe to say I aim for quality over quantity now!”
RUBY’S ART JOURNEY
“Since I was young, creating art has always been a hobby of mine but I never imagined it could turn into a career! In year 12, my work was chosen for ARTEXPRESS, one of my first and biggest artistic achievements. I was one of about one hundred other students chosen out of ten thousand who studied art in year 12. I was offered an interview with The University of Arts, London. At the time I never imagined art being a realistic career path for me and decided not to go for it. While studying nursing a few years ago and in between uni lectures, I would often paint little watercolour tablescapes when I needed a break. I posted a watercolour on my Instagram story and it got a lot of traction! The print of that work is now one of the best sellers on my website (very full circle)! After a few weeks of convincing from my fiancé Mitch, I made an instagram account to share all my art, and the rest as they say, is history!
I contacted a few gift and homeware stores, coffee shops and florists to see if they would display my work. This was such a great way for me to get some exposure in various rural towns, while filling their walls with some colourful art! I decided to leave nursing and try to pursue painting a little more seriously. Leaving the security of a guaranteed job to try my luck on a passion project was one of the trickiest decisions I’ve ever made, but was one of the best things I’ve ever done! This year in particular I’ve felt my work has gained some momentum through various exhibitions, upcoming markets and the opportunity to display my works in shops and galleries in QLD, while continuing to paint commissions for my lovely clients.”
THE INSPIRATION
“I draw a lot of inspiration from the simplicity of everyday life, particularly the importance of conversing around the table. I try to celebrate the beauty of simple moments by capturing scenes of fruit, flowers and table settings on a canvas. In recent years, while travelling overseas, I had the privilege of experiencing cuisines from different countries. Despite cultural differences and language barriers, the concept of gathering to converse around the table is a universal practice. The main purpose of my tablescapes is to reflect the sense of joyous occasion of important gatherings using a bright and vivid colour palette.”
There is nothing more that we love, than people who are keen to have a crack! When I spoke to Ruby about her Yoga/Pilates regime, she told me she was a bit of a yogi in school, and is new to Pilates. “I really enjoyed it and it’s definitely something I’d love to do more regularly, particularly reformer!” So along with Ruby’s exhibition and now that we have completed our 6 Week Mat Pilates Beginner Guide – we are combining Ruby’s exhibition night with a ‘Beginner Reformer Evening’
If you are new to town, wanting to start your pilates journey, are just curious or ready for a new hobby. We would love for you to come along for Ruby’s exhibition night. Friday 13th of August, from 5pm – 7pm. The first half of the night will be art, cheese, bikkies, bubbles, vibes. Then at 6pm we will be starting a ‘Beginners Guide to the Reformer. Best part – it’s all FREE! So bring a friend or someone you would love to get into your next reformer class with you, and we can’t wait to see you all!
Big love. Em xx
