Ruth Sack Artist

I Love All Colors 

I slid down the tongue of a giant monster and emerged exultant. The monster was a play structure by Niki de Sainte Phalle called “Golem”. I have since created my own whimsical artworks in order to spark that same thrill. The sculptures in this exhibit are inspired by Saint Phalle in pursuit of that excitement. I am as thrilled moving through a gigantic sculpture as I am when making a piece of art that delights me. These are the sort of feelings that have been quashed by the pandemic. These are the sort of feelings that art can restore.

These works are part of a series called “Phantasmagoria.” They have evolved from earlier coiled sculptures that evoked letterforms and primitive symbols. With the addition of organic shapes and detailed patterns, and bright color these pieces started to resemble lifelike characters. Each sculpture appears to be transitioning from an abstract form into an animated figure. This metamorphosis can summon thoughts of mythology and contemporary tales.

The forms and patterns could only be created in encaustic wax, a versatile medium that has enchanted me for over a dozen years. It’s a very process-driven medium, like cooking but better. The sculptures are made almost entirely of this beeswax and resin material, although some pieces contain clay and wire armatures. The colorful patterns are made from encaustic paint which is a pigmented version of this medium. All elements are combined with heat. I am pushing the limits of the materials I use to give an identity to my constructions.

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​Biography 

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She has always been an artist. She always made things, either of her own imagination or from inspiration of the work of others. She delight in “processs”, which attracted her to sculpture, encaustic painting and assemblage. At first she regarded art as a thing to make. Now, after living through a few of life’s challenges, She sees art as a physical manifestation of her outlook and experiences.

She received a BA from Brandeis University in art in 1975. She then spent a year learning how to draw and think like an artist at the New York Studio School. In 1979 she received her MFA in sculpture from City University of New York, Queens College. She learned graphic design at the California College of Arts and Crafts and continued to create art while running her own graphic design studio for over 30 years. Her understanding of graphic design as a visual reduction of ideas has become an important part of her artistic process.

She lives in Cheshire Connecticut with her husband David. She enjoys the artistic environment of New Haven and regularly teaches and exhibits her work there. Her 2014 acceptance to New England Wax, a professional organization of artists who work in encaustic has provided great opportunities to exhibit my work and share ideas. Her presidency of this group begins January 2025. She is  also a member of New Haven Paint and Clay Club. 2022 will mark her first year as part of the Atlantic Gallery in New York City.