Based in Los Angeles, Ruby Roth is a writer, illustrator, and former best-selling children's author. Through her art, Ruth explores the inner lives of women, the complexities of femininity, and the female form. To discuss Ruth's work and journey into the art world, she joins us for an interview.
First off, how are you and what is the last project you worked on?
This year has been a doozy. I've secretly had a great time in 2020-2021. I loved the isolation and exemption from social engagement, although I had a delayed reaction because the 2022-2023 season was so bad. But I saw it as a mission to clear the decks.
And so I finished a book I had been working on for seven years called The Boss Within: Reclaiming the Feminine. Drawn from journals and detailed sketchbooks, it is a collection of writing, art, and images that flowed out of me as I started my life over again at the age of 34, leaving the 14-year-long relationship of identification that had shaped my entire adulthood. This was a huge shift for me, from absolute marital dependence to sovereign celibacy. The book chronicles my path forward as I reclaimed my life, my art, my creativity, my sexuality, my relationship with men, and masculinity itself. It will be a story that any woman who has given up on herself will recognize, and a beacon in the darkness for anyone who finds their way back. The book and the process of releasing it was an exploration for me of my instincts, intuition, and the feminine strength that I relied on to heal and move forward.
Your artistic practice delves into the inner lives of women and the “wilderness” of femininity. Can you share more about the themes and passions that inspire your work in this field?
I find being a woman very mysterious. Through thousands of years of spirituality and human archetypes, the feminine has been recognized as a force of intuition and instinct; The energy of creativity, sensuality, acceptance, nurturing, healing, and collaborating with or transforming other energies. Nature and our experience of it are closely linked to femininity. I am interested in the female body as a vessel for these forces, always taking into account the energies of our inner and outer worlds and seeking sacred balance. I believe that because we have a visceral memory of centuries of cultural heritage that preceded us, those of us who identify with femininity also feel good when we practice our version of ancient rites or rituals. We begin to feel bad when we have reason to remember that we were oppressed or punished, scarlet-lettered, and burned at the stake. So the women in my drawings and paintings are often alone, in vast landscapes communing with the moon, or alone where they can be free to exercise their innermost natures.
Your journey with scoliosis has been an important part of your life. How has this experience influenced how you perceive and depict the human body in your art?
Distortion and asymmetry were physical signatures before they were stylistic choices in my art. Art was an early outlet for pain as she began treatment for aggressive scoliosis at the age of four. I ended up wearing a hard plastic back brace for over 20 hours a day for 13 years and it transformed my body into shape. It hurt my hips, squashed my ribs, and left me permanently scarred. Having studied my body and bones since I first saw them on an X-ray as a child, I became deeply interested in drawing objects, especially from live models, and living vicariously through others. I exaggerated what I found interesting and beautiful, and through observational drawing, I found a way to see the beauty in my scars and their asymmetry. Distortion then became second nature to my drawing and painting style, and I use it to bring out everything I see emotionally in my subjects.
Going from being a best-selling children's book author to focusing on fine arts is a big transition. Can you discuss the factors or experiences that led to this shift? How has your background in children's literature influenced your current artistic practice, if at all?
My personal work has always been figurative, but I also wanted to make art with a purpose beyond self-expression. University art was always rooted in social or political commentary, in a more explanatory way than the conceptual tasks pushed by teachers. My first paid job out of school was teaching art in an after-school program, and when my students noticed my eating habits, their trillion questions inspired me to create one of the first non-fiction books of its kind in children's literature about veganism. “Vegan” has become a household term and books have spread with the demographic explosion and I have become a spokesperson for the issue. It was a great start, using art as a tool for change. The biggest impact of this dismissal on the rest of my career was the discipline and production schedule involved. I actually developed an entire brand with a targeted following by first finding a gap in the market, making something unique, having a real origins story, then reaching out to my ass, selling out at every festival I could, and expanding my product line. Goods and services you provided, from publications to speaking engagements, blogs, social media content, etc. So since my career leap, I've come to understand art as a real job that requires a 360-degree skill set that goes beyond just the craft, and a long-term commitment to growth.
As an artist based in Los Angeles, how do you see the art scene influence your work and vice versa? Are there specific aspects of the local or global art community that have shaped your artistic journey?
Because I was more focused on my children's books and my ex's career until I left that relationship at 34, I didn't start touring the scene myself until recently. I feel lucky that I developed a strong sense of self before I was affected by anything that happened there. When I started out back then, it was on my own terms, and everything true about the scene you hear before you're in it — the lack of access to galleries, the pay-to-play plans, the shoddy promises, the broken promises — was just laughable instead of… Weaken it. Feel good no to be affected; To participate in gallery shows or art fairs and be there because I really want to be, because I think I have something to bring to the table, because I sincerely support other artists and galleries, and because I want to get to know these people and create a community. I'm not influenced by the scene creatively, but I get inspired to further develop my craft by being in a skilled community of passionate, hardworking people.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring artists embarking on their journey into the art world, what would it be?
Prepare for peaks and valleys. Most likely, there will always be alternating periods of “feast and famine,” and if you recognize that they are temporary states and have confidence in the seasons, you will continue to move forward no matter what and discover ways to support your artistic practice if necessary along the way. Entering the art world with a long-term strategy of perseverance is key.
