About

Ruth Egon portrait photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Egon celebrates the natural world, with abundant painting tapestries of joyful colour, whimsical style and abundant energy. She encourages embracing mother nature, and the feminine world as a source of strength, resilience and inspiration. The never ending beauty and variety of nature is a source of wonder and something we can all connect to. This connection grounds us to being the best version of ourselves. Coming from a unique upbringing, being raised by a single father has helped her embrace a different perspective and be comfortable with the quirky. 

 

From Ruth,
The calling to create art started very early for me, in fact my earliest memories I remember creating, drawing, crafting in all forms, and I even formed my own artist community ‘Ruth’s Art Club’ at primary school. Every birthday and Christmas had a long list of crafting supplies, and I was lucky enough that my father encouraged my passions. The first artwork I saw that viscerally moved me was Van Gogh, Cafe Terrace at night (1888). 

Van Gogh Cafe Terrace at night

 

 

 

 

 

 

The experience made me feel moved to a different place, a magical place outside real life. I felt the power art has to move you, shift emotions and transcend. I had quite a challenging childhood, and finding a new space that evokes a positive mood was a relief and a light turned on for me. At that point I knew I wanted to be an artist and that feeling has never left. I also realised in this moment that everything is temporary and emotions change depending on your surroundings.

My ambition is still to create a moving experience for the viewer, to take them to a place of wonder and delight, through uplifting colour palettes and natural forms.

Creating joy and uplifting people really motivates me to create artwork. I love natural beauty and the themes of botanics and living creatures are a common source of inspiration for me. The natural world's variety of life, colours, shapes and forms is a never-ending source of wonder and curiosity for me. The experience of being within nature is both humbling and awe-inspiring.

Growing up in an unconventional family, with a single-parent father raising me and my brother, I experienced feeling left out of normal family life and society’s expectations. This life experience led me to always lean into empathy, and being comfortable with unconventional ideas and celebrate differences. For this reason, I love quirky things and combining contrasting visual references together.

I want to celebrate difference, and live a curious life, embracing idiosynchronicity. There’s nothing I like more than browsing charity shops, finding unique treasures, and wandering around a garden to find new species of plants.

Pattern and rhythm feature a lot in my work, as I find these naturally occurring patterns in nature a tonic to a sometimes complex and anxiety-provoking contemporary life. My bold and bright colours uplift and inspire, encourage goodwill in people and give people the courage to keep going. I believe more love is needed in the world to create a ripple effect of empathy and kindness. I’m passionate about looking after the environment to sustain our precious natural world. You can read more about how I put my environmental passion into action here.

I do have a formal art education, however, I studied Textile Design at Winchester School of Art, not in Fine Art (like you might understandably presume). I had some success as a freelance textile designer, but I realised a few years ago (during the pandemic) that painting is really where my true passion lies and fits me best. The process of painting is very much a slowing down and considered way of creating in contrast to textile design which is dictated by trends and seasons.

Since going back to painting I have exhibited in New York, Venice and Milan, and appeared in Vanity Fair. Coming from a very humble background growing up in Walsall, a post-industrial town, the response to my artwork has taken me by storm, but I love hearing about the positive impact my painting has on people’s life e. I now live in Dunfermline in Scotland in a more rural setting. My ambitions are to create art accessible to everyone and I hope in the future I can bring art exhibitions to people who wouldn’t necessarily walk into a gallery, to show them the power of art, in an unconventional and welcoming setting.

My artistic values lead the direction of my work

  • Create breath-taking beauty inspired by nature
  • Use colour and pattern that uplifts, is playful and joyful
  • I combine quirky ideas, mixing representational and abstract styles
  • A slower more considered process of painting suits my preferred way of creating
  • I'm passionate about encouraging everyone to create. I like to build confidence in younger artists and break down elitist ideas about entering the world of art
  • I get inspired by walking in nature and different cultures to find new colour-ways and motifs
  • Mental health is a subject close to my heart. As a young person, I felt left out of 'normal' society having a single dad raise me. I now embrace weird, strange and different things, and help others do the same. 

 Mindful art workshops

Locally, in Dunfermline and Fife I host mindful art workshops, where the focus is on observing from real life (in natural settings), and trying new creative techniques as a group. 

The 2 hour art workshops 'Mindful Musings' are set in the beautiful backdrop of nature within Fife as we use natural surroundings as our inspiration to get creative. 

You will explore different art mediums and techniques in a relaxed and informal manner, designed to stretch your imagination and have fun with new processes.

You will learn creative key skills for observation and be guided on how to use your perceptions to inspire art. Enjoying and observing nature benefits mental health and art will stimulate your imagination, in a social and relaxing setting. 

If you would like more information on hiring me for a workshop, drop me an email at ruth.egon.art@gmail.com 

 



We bring together aspiring artists to become their most authentic, vibrant and purposeful selves. We share inspiration, champion each other's creative journeys and grow together through learning, practice and discussion. Together, we become confident, connected and committed artists.

An online membership for aspiring artists, accessible 24-7, go at your pace and develop your unique creative voice in a supportive environment.

Imagine what it would look like to..

Connect to yourself and express this through your art without fear

Trust your own intuition and use yourself as a guide to making authentic art

Be brave about taking creative risks and trying new things

Finish paintings with ease, and enjoy more of the flow state

Overcome blocks and allow yourself to shine

Be surrounded by a supportive like-minded community of artists

Confidently move forward with your art and get inner clarity on your next steps

All for just £20 per month

Yes, sign me up!

Why Art Hub?

Are you craving to make art that's more you? Maybe you're stuck in overwhelm, not knowing where or how to start. Or distracted by other people's opinions of what you 'should' be doing? Are you feeling like hiding just at the thought of creating authentic art that takes you out your comfort zone?

Art Hub is the solution!

We will build your creative confidence, to express your own artistic voice. This is what makes an enjoyable, successful and sustainable art practice.

You will have access to a community of artists, resources, information and interactive activities, all designed to find and support your authentic artist's voice. All this is available online through The Art Hub app - a friendly space (outside the noise of social media).

Become more you, build your own vision of success and create art you love!

How will Art Hub help me?

An online art membership

Accessible 24/7

Interact with an online community of artists

Watch back videos at your pace

Upload your photos and get feedback & support

Be inspired on the go (through your phone)

Benefits of Art Hub

Trust your intuition

Your intuition is the path to finding your unique artistic voice, and the compass for what 'success' looks like for you. Learning how to trust your intuition is key to being an authentic version of yourself.

Build your confidence

Having structured live workshops, chat forums to gain support and resources to build your confidence means Art Hub is a nurturing and supportive space

Meet your art community

There's nothing like being surrounded by like minded artists that are keen to share knowledge and support your development. As artists it's vital we have creative people around us to grow.

Create art with ease

With follow along workshops, challenges and more you'll have the perfect variety of activities to get you creating. As you find out more about your artistic voice and personal creative process, your art making becomes enjoyable, with more ease and clarity.

What Art Hub members say..

"I have thoroughly enjoyed the Art Hub, a lot of inspiration, that I didn't realise how much I had missed! I felt excited about art again. And found myself looking how I could use things that I came across whilst away on holiday or on visits! Inspired.” Lynn

”The passion the two of you have is great and shines through” Lisanne

”The app is great and I found it so intuitive” Lisanne

“I think all art lovers can benefit from a membership the knowledge and community it brings” Shell

Become a member of Art Hub - £20 per month
  • Live workshops

    Join us for a monthly live workshop, a follow along session to get you trying something new and connecting with other artists. You can also watch this back at your own leisure.

  • Artists Inspiration

    Get inspired by a monthly article, where you'll learn about artists (past and present), art movements and genres.

  • Mindset Magic

    Once a month we dive into a topic on mindset. We explore creative blocks, exercises to help you discover your authentic artist and ponder on the creative mind.

  • Art in Practice

    Each month we release a technical art tutorial for you to practice at home, in your own time.

  • Challenge

    We kick off the month with a challenge to gently stir your creative juices. Post your progress, see what others are doing and support each other whilst pushing your creativity.

  • Art & Chat

    A relaxed live chit chat you can join in on. There's no agenda, but it's a lovely space to catch up, work on your art, and ask any questions regarding your creative development.

Ruth's experience

I love to inspire other artists and help them uncover their authentic artist's voice.

I will share my experience with you throughout your membership:

Exhibited throughout Europe and USA

Participated and sold art through Art Fairs

I am a full-time professional (self-made) artist

Created and sold multiple commissions

Host of art podcast, Art Alchemy

Workshop host 'Art in the Park'

All my failings along the way have taught me much more than my successes!

Where it all started, my personal story

The calling to create art started very early for me, in fact, my earliest memories I remember creating, drawing, and crafting in all forms, and I even formed my own artist community ‘Ruth’s Art Club’ at primary school. Every birthday and Christmas had a long list of crafting supplies, and I was lucky enough that my father encouraged my passions. The first artwork I saw that viscerally moved me was Van Gogh, Cafe Terrace at night (1888). 

Growing up in an unconventional family, with a single-parent father raising me and my brother, I experienced feeling left out of normal family life and society’s expectations. This life experience since led me to always lean into empathy, and being comfortable with unconventional ideas and celebrate differences. But as a child it was challenging having to navigate growing up without a mother. I had to become very independent sooner than I should, and also became a people pleaser.

I was lucky enough at school to have a very supportive art teacher, and my dad always encouraged me to create. But even as I was pursuing art at college, I had a wobble. Can you believe I considered going to university to study law? I enjoyed the subject and got good grades in my final A Level exams. Looking back it was a crisis of confidence, that I couldn't possibly follow my dreams AND have that as a sustainable career.

Having been selected to a top university at Winchester School of Art I couldn't believe my luck. But I was about to be in for a big culture shock. Having grown up in Walsall, in the West Midlands, a working class town moving to Winchester surrounded by affluence, different ideals and honestly people who had no understanding of how their financial heritage gave them an unfair advantage. Whilst I was watching every penny to ensure I could do the basic things, my flatmates ate sushi and went to yoga class. This is honestly no joke! Once again I felt alienated and less than.

Once graduating in 2008, I felt lucky to have got through 3 years of university on a small budget and came away with a small group of good friends. The next step was gaining work experience in textile design, but soon found again, to be pushed out. Design houses expect you to do unpaid work experience in London, something I couldn't afford. So I worked my way up in the retail world, starting in coffee shops, and eventually becoming a shop manager. Ambition and hard work was never lacking for me, but I have faced challenges.

I spent several years trying to get into the design world, but found it to be a case of who you know rather than talent leading the way. After years of trying I became depressed, hopeless and frustrated. That's when I decided to go back to what I love, painting, and just do it for the enjoyment. I had no idea it would lead me to becoming a full-time professional artist and co-leader of an Art Community.

So looking back if I could give that insecure, passionate, talented, confused young woman some advice it would be..

  • Follow your passion and heart, you don't need to have it all figured out
  • Your challenges and hurts will lead to purpose
  • Trust your intuition
  • ‘Normal’ people are boring (lol)
  • Be proud of who you are and your background
  • Mindset is the most powerful tool you can leverage

It’s all too easy to think (as an artist) of all the reasons it won’t work, and label yourself as a dreamer for wanting to follow your passion as a career. Our economical system that’s driven by ‘hard work’, we are conditioned to believe as a working class adult the best we can hope for is enough money for a holiday once a year when we can finally relax and enjoy ourselves. You can however, choose to step out this paradigm like I have and follow a purpose driven by making the world a better place, through art.

I’m really passionate about inspiring and supporting other artists to unleash their creativity and believe it’s never been a better time to be an artist. I’m living proof, as a working class female, that it’s achievable and also necessary that our voices are heard more in the art world, as our experience yields important truths. 

FAQs

How much time does this take up?

We recommend you spend 2 hours a week to get the most out of Art Hub. Throughout the month we drip feed content into The Art Hub, to pace you accordingly. All content is also recorded to watch back at your own pace.

Where is Art Hub?

Art Hub is an online community, and accessed through an app called Heart Beat. This is not on social media, so will be a personal private space for artists. You will access it through a phone, tablet or laptop.

How much is Art Hub?

Our membership is £20 per month. This includes all the activities, access to chat forums, and past content.

What experience do I need to take part?

Art Hub is for artists who have foundation skills and knowledge but want to take their art to the next level. If you're a beginner but have the ambition and confidence to try new things you're also welcome.

What if I can't make the live workshops?

All our workshops are recorded to watch back at your own leisure

What materials and equipment will I need?

You will need a sketchbook, basic drawing and painting materials to take part in all the activities. For the live workshops we release the equipment list in advance for you to prepare.

Who is Art Hub for?

Visual artists (predominately painters) who are looking to find their authentic voice, develop their art, connect with other artists and stretch themselves.

Not ready just yet?

If you'd like more time to see whether this is the right art membership for you, sign up below to get more info delivered to your inbox.

If you have any specific questions on Art Hub drop me an email: ruth.egon.art@gmail.com