Monday, September 20, 2010

Artist Interview: Ross Ruot




What is your name: 
Ross Ruot
 Do you have a formal art education or are you a self taught artist:
Self-taught, in constant evolution.
 What is the style of your pieces:
I take a contemporary approach in dealing with color, depth and composition. Fascinated with how colors interact and intrigued by how their relationships change with different surface scales and textures, I am drawn to create balance between order and chaos. I create under the influence of the experiences, perceptions and responses of his daily life; my work is a mirror of the worlds in which I travel.
What is the medium in which you work:
Acrylics, collage, oil pastels, crayon & marker, and watercolor. I really like mixed-media right now and I’m constantly in search of new products and techniques to incorporate into my work.
What started you on your path as an artist:
A new apartment void of art. When I decided it was time to purchase art for my new space, I became quickly discouraged- the art I was attracted to was well above my price range while the affordable art was less than mediocre. I thought I could do better than the latter and started producing my own work. I soon received praise from friends and family and encouragement to explore more. Soon I was exhibiting and selling to the public.
What is one of the most important things that art has brought to your life:
Direction. Until my discovery of the passion to create, I felt stagnant. I now have definitive goals to work toward.
What is your favorite genre of art besides the one you work in:
 Performing Arts- Music directly influences my art. I’m never without music in my studio- no genre is off limits. I also find it captivating to watch actors- the ability to dissociate from ones true identity to become someone else, and to do it convincingly, is an amazing gift.
Do you have art showings, and if so what are they typically like:
I have participated in both solo exhibitions and group shows. The venues vary from galleries to upscale lounges to an exhibit at a successful retail fashion store to the corporate office of a major east coast real estate company.
Do you have a certain set of clothes you make art in:
There was a time when I feared that I had more clothes with evidence of my artistic endeavors than not. I’m getting much better that taking the extra few minutes before I dive into my work to change into the appropriate clothing. I have tan corduroys that I prefer to ‘work’.
What has been the most frustrating part of being an artist?
The business side I find to be both frustrating and exhausting. 
What is your favorite sandwich of all time:
Veggie on baguette with Dubliner cheese slightly toasted. Favorite food: food for thought.
Has this year brought about any changes in your work, and if so what are they:
This past year my studio space tripled in size- this allowed me to change the process in which I create. Before the expansion, I would tend to see a piece from start to finish before I was able to move to my next work. Now, I can have multiple pieces in progress and depending on my mood, work on the piece that I’m most inspired to work on. This has encouraged flow and my production has increased greatly.
Who is your favorite artist alive or dead:
Jean-Michele Basquiat
What is the most moving piece of artwork that you have seen in person:
Three-way tie:
‘Inopportune’- Cai Guo-Qiang
 ‘Infinity Dots Mirrored Room’ and ‘Repetitive Vision’- Yayoi Kusama
Do you have any animals, and what do they think of your work:
I do not have any pets of my own. Years ago, while in high school, I painted a large-scale portrait of Picasso that my family’s dog, Miss Hassie, disliked- she met him with growls and barks which was atypical of her behavior.
Do you have any upcoming exhibitions you would like to share with us:
I’m currently preparing for a solo exhibition to be held in January 2011 in Chevy Chase, MD. Additional details will be made available on my website later this fall
 
 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...