Muddy Creek Artist: Q&A with Ruth Ostrander

As part of a monthly series on local artists, Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch has teamed up with the Muddy Creek Artists Guild to focus on the arts scene in the area. The guild currently consists of about 100 local artists in mediums including photography, painting, textiles, jewelry, woodwork, metalwork and more. For information on upcoming shows, visit the Muddy Creek Artists Guild website. The guild has two"musts" for their artists: they must live south of the South River, and their art must be original.

This month we interviewed Deale watercolor and pastel artist Ruth Ostrander. Her signature pieces are paintings of water scenes in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

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How long have you been an artist working in the medium: 15years

What was your earliest recognition of your talent/skill: In second grade when I won first place in an art contest at the Canadian Academy I attended in Kobe (Japan). The principal of the school awarded me with a watercolor paint set.

How did you get started: About 15 years ago, my husband and I moved to Virginia from the west coast on a temporary assignment.  I decided not to look for a job but instead enroll in art classes at the Torpedo Factory [in Alexandria]. Once I got involved in the art scene, I was hooked.  My husband’s assignment was extended and we are still here and I haven’t stopped painting!

Who inspires you: I mainly draw my inspiration from nature and all that I see around me rather than a particular artist.

How do you approach a new piece: My approach to painting is determined by the medium that I feel best lends itself to the scene.  I like to use watercolor to retain the transparency of the sky and water.  To paint earth and objects, I find that the opaque quality of soft pastels gives it solidity.  Therefore I often use them together as a mixed medium when doing landscapes.

What is the range in price for your work:  It is important to me that my art be affordable to everyone. So, in addition to selling original works I offer framed and unframed prints as well as small originals and blank greeting cards.  The prices range from a few dollars to several hundred for larger originals. 

Why do you do what you do?  I love nature and being out doors. Once I began to express the talents that God created in me I found that I’m compelled to paint – It’s hard for me to look at a scene of beauty without wanting to enter into it, experience it and capture it on paper. 

Is there anything about this area that you regularly incorporate into your work? Yes, all aspects of the Chesapeake Bay—water, marshes, wildlife, boats and the beautiful skies.

If you could be another artist for a day, who would it be and why?  I would be Takehisa Yumeji. He was a Japanese artist that lived at the turn of the century. I would have liked to be him the day he designed the post card “Umbrellas Viewed from Above.”  It brings me back to happy childhood memories of Japanese summer festivals.  I love the composition and simplicity of his wood block prints.  I like the fact that he was popular among the ordinary people although he did not have any formal art education.

What is most rewarding about being an artist? Watching people enjoy my art. I am selling my work at the Market Place in Annapolis through Wimsey Cove Mats and Art and it is so much fun to listen to people comment and personally relate to my art without them knowing I’m listening.

What is most frustrating about being an artist? When people ask me how long it took to do one of my paintings. I can not measure the time it took to find a particular scene (I am always on the lookout for one).  If I am doing it plein aire (painting on location) I must wait for the optimal time of day when the sun is in the right position to cast the shadows correctly. Then, there’s the time it takes to go back to the location and set up and paint. If I can not finish there I take a picture and finish it in my studio. I always sleep on it and come to it another day with a fresh set of eyes before I put the final touches on it.  Beside, how can one measure the many hours and years of practice that brought me to the skill level to be able to produce the works I now paint?  That’s why it frustrates me when someone asks me, “How long did it take you to paint that painting?”

Visit Ruth Ostrander online here.

Nearly all of Ostrander's paintings are available in any of these three print sizes:

• 11 x 14 Unframed Giclee Prints of any image are $50
• 13 x 19 Unframed Giclee Prints of any image are $75
• 19 x 22 Unframed Giclee Prints of any image are $99