Thursday, June 26, 2008

Ruth Tuck

My Grandma, Sal, is a beautiful artist. When she was younger she was selected for an art scholarship, but she was unable to attend as there was a polio outbreak. Although the schools were finally allowed to re-open and she would have still been permitted to attend, she had found herself a job in the meantime and was reluctant to give up her wage as she felt she was helping her family. The judge who awarded her the prize was Ruth Tuck.
Ruth Tuck was born in 1914 in Cowell and in the most productive period of her career concentrated on flower paintings, portraits and landscapes. She founded an art school and there is a scholarship which provides funds for artists' further study that is in her name. There is an auction of her watercolours and drawings, this Sunday, at Small and Whitfield in Parkside and I think I am going to have to send someone down to bid for me.

I would like to bid for the cornflowers for Sal or the Sturt Desert Pea as it was my late grandfather's favourite flower and perhaps a pair of the musos for me (the others are all a bit out of my price range, otherwise the flowers overlooking the bluff would be mine). I love the portrait of the wrinkly old man as well - so much character. I am going to check them out tomorrow, so hopefully I can make a better decision in the flesh.

3 comments:

Brown Button Trading said...

Oh, I would be bidding for the cornflowers as well. And the sketches of the musicians are beautiful - kind of go with the sketchy thing i bought at tangent years ago - remember (of course you do, you remember everything) - god i love your blog pip x

Anonymous said...

I bought the Cornflowers and another called Roses at that auction. I already had one called The Lace Curtain which I bought 20 years ago at Greeenhill Galleries.
My mother was an artist and I can do watercolours too.

Unfortunately I have had a problem with reframing The Lace Curtain to match the others. Can you help with a reputable framer? The Print Bin on King William Rd have done a dismal job (it is skewed left) and the measurements for the mount board are all wrong.

The paintings have gone to a loving home anyway and will become family heir looms.
Katie

Pippa said...

Hi Katie,

I would love to be able to do watercolours - it is a real talent.

That auction was amazing. I am a bit jealous about the cornflowers- they went a bit out of my price range, but I'm glad someone who loved her work got them. I ended up getting a pair of musician sketches (both piano ones), but I could have gone crazy and bought a lot more. I have not got mine framed yet, but as I live in Stepney, just off Magill Rd, I was going to go to one of the framers here. I usually go to Pimlotts on Torrens Rd as it is next door to my grandmother's, but I find a lot of their work to be a bit too old fashioned.
My boss collects a fair bit of art, so I asked her where she went and she also goes to Print Bin, so sorry I cannot be of more help.

You've kicked me into gear - I will try and get my pictures framed this week. I'll let you know how they go by posting a photo here.

Pip