Artist Biography:

Born in Buffalo and raised on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, Ruth is a mixed media artist that explores the intersection of femininity, indigeneity, and culture; drawing from experiences growing up on the Seneca Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. She grew up drawing from a young age and she was raised in a traditional, tight knit Seneca community. As a child, she grew up speaking her Native language and was immersed in her own culture in every single way. It wasn’t until she moved to Chicago in 2023, that she was in a non-native environment. This sparked a change in her work, using her art as a way of healing and reconnection to her community and culture.

Her upbringing is what heavily inspires her work and the community role she currently engages in. During her second semester at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she reestablished the Indigenous Students Association. From 2023 to now, she currently serves as a community organizer and activist highlighting how important it is for Native and Indigenous artists and people to be in community with one another. Through this involvement within the community, it has opened doors for her. Good Medicine Gang made their debut on the MCA Stage with artist, Elisa Harkins. They got to perform 2 Muscogee Creek hymns on stage, with drums they all handmade themselves in a previous workshop. This experience was an amazing way to decolonize a space like the museum and served as a very pivotal role in her art career.

When working with multiple mediums, I explore these different relationships between materials while also thinking about how my community work fuels my creative work. Using different experiences to intertwine ideas of femininity, nature, and indigeneity to show my work in a beautiful way.

Email: ruthanne012@gmail.com