Louisa Ruthven

Artist Statement

I am a visual artist working in textile and stitch. My art is primarily nature led, and I am deeply committed to the land and the duality of its permanence and fragility. I strive in my work to reflect both that delicacy and strength, as well as the richness of colour, texture and line. I am inspired by both a sense of place, the ‘melancholy transience’ of nature and the ancient memories held within the soil. Using plants and foraged matter, I create natural dyes and prints to explore my connection and responsibility to the land. Walking daily along the edges of the salt marshes and shorelines by my home forms an intrinsic part of my creative practice, with my observations and responses to the ebb and flow of the seasons also feeding and informing my work.