Ruth Sanderson

Genre: Fantasy art

Artist's website: www.ruthsanderson.com

About the artist:

"My two favorite places when I was growing up were the woods and the local library. One of my most treasured possessions was a battered copy of Grimm’s Fairytales given to me by my grandmother, Ruth, whom I was named after. She was a librarian for over 40 years and read to me a great deal when I was small. My sister, brother and I spent hours in the library with her in the town next to ours. When I was older I walked to the library near our house and wrestled Black Stallion books out of the hands of my best friend. (Sometimes she won.) Later we would gallop through the woods on our imaginary stallions.

"My love for horses fed into another passion - drawing. From the time paper and pencils were available I drew the object of my dreams - the horse. I even conducted a Saturday morning art class in 4th grade and attempted to teach my friends how to draw horses as well. Finally, after years of begging and cajoling, my parents bought me a horse which I kept at my best friends house. The happiest times in my teenage years were spent trail riding with my friends. Sadly, when I was a Senior in high school a drunken hunter shot and killed my beloved horse. I found solace in drawing and painting.

"I have always enjoyed a challenge and decided to teach myself oil painting. For my Senior Art History project I copied a Manet painting, The Bar at The Folies-Bergeres in its original size- almost five feet wide. I decided I wanted to make a career out of art and after spending a year at a liberal arts college I transferred to an art school so I could take a combination of traditional drawing and painting courses and commercial courses as well. I wanted to make a living and decided that illustration was the way to go. The artists whom I admired the most were the illustrators Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, and Norman Rockwell. The English Pre-Raphaelites and the Hudson River School were also strong influences and still are at the present."

Ecards on Wicked Moon:

Cats
Fantasy
Fantasy Women
Knights and Warriors
Unicorns