Cheryl K. Ruddock (born 1949)[1] is an American-born Canadian painter from
Guelph, Ontario, who has exhibited widely for over 30 years. Working extensively with
oil on canvas and
gouache on
handmade paper, she is known for using layers of colour and exploring the fragility of life, botanical themes, and empty-bodied clothing.[2][3][4] Her work is held in the
Canada Council Art Bank[5] and the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery,[6] as well as collections of the University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, and the University of Guelph.[5]
Her recent exhibitions have included Colour Possibilities at the Renann Isaacs Contemporary, Guelph;[4] and Harmonics at
Gallery Stratford, in 2016.[7] A career survey of her work, entitled Slip, was held at the
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, now the Art Gallery of Guelph, in 2010.[8][9][10]
She lived in various locations including Toronto, Montreal, and the Yukon, settling in Guelph in 1980.[5][1] During this period of her life, she was focused on
weaving.[5] In 1986, she earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from the
University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.[11][5]
Career
Her paintings and prints belong to the following public collections: The
Canada Council Art Bank, The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre, and the University of Guelph Collection.[5] Her work is also held at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, University of Waterloo Art Gallery, Glenhyrst, The Art Gallery of Hamilton, and the Art Gallery of Brant.[citation needed]
Her subjects include recurring mythic symbols, such as the female form, empty clothing, and desiccated botanicals.[3][13][14]
Ruddock works with oil and acrylic on canvas, including shaped canvas bound to wooden forms. Periodically, she creates monoprints with master printer Stu Oxley at the Riverside Press, in Elora, Ontario.[15]
Reception
A 1991 review of her "Tendered Hearts" exhibition stated, "The Glenhyrst fairly bursts with colors on Ruddock's canvases. The lasting impression is one of sureness, confidence, unapologetic application of color and abstract images."[12]
Personal life
Cheryl is married to
Nicholas Ruddock, a physician and author of The Parabolist, published by Doubleday.[16]
References
^
abcMacDonald, Colin (1990). "Ruddock, Cheryl K.". A Dictionary of Canadian Artists. Vol. 7 (1st ed.). Ottawa: Canadian Paperbacks. p. 2365.
ISBN0919554199.
^"Cheryl Ruddock". Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art. Archived from
the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.