Ruth Root is known for the ways she plays with shapes, color, and materials in her work to create interesting patterns. Watch this video for a quick introduction to her style!
Dig Deeper with These Questions:
- Ruth Root describes her work as an experiment. What does that mean to you? In what ways do you experiment? Why might Ruth Root call her artworks experiments?
- Choose one of the paintings. Pause the video and look closely. What do you notice?
- Choose another painting. Compare it to the first one you selected. What is similar? What is different?
Create a Ruth Root–Inspired Artwork
- Look around your house at the shapes of doors, furniture, kitchen items, things that you like. Draw them on your paper/cardboard. Draw them in different sizes.
- Draw, color, or paint patterns on your shapes inspired by your thoughts and objects.
- Cut out your shapes.
- Arrange them together and overlap the pieces. Rearrange them. Which arrangement do you find most interesting. Why?
- When you have determined the best arrangement, glue your pieces together.
Remember, Ruth Root’s work is typically never square or rectangular. What shape is your final work?