Ruth Major
Bio
Ruth Major (St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1964) is an artist based in Vancouver. She studied visual arts at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College at Memorial University and is resuming her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Emily Carr in September. Her interest is multidisciplinary and encompasses subjects that relate to representations of memory and body.
Ruth Major (St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1964) is an artist based in Vancouver. She studied visual arts at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College at Memorial University and is resuming her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at Emily Carr in September. Her interest is multidisciplinary and encompasses subjects that relate to representations of memory and body.
Damaged Brain, Damaged Print, Damaged…
44"x44”
Digital archival pigment print.
$1,000.
44"x44”
Digital archival pigment print.
$1,000.
Artist Statement
Art has always been an integral part of my life. I can't look at an object without thinking about what I could do with it! I come from a creative family. My mother quilts and her father used to build these amazing miniature ships with his very, very large hands. When I was a child I lived in Antigua and Trinidad, which are islands in the West Indies. It was a wonderful childhood and it made me look at things in an unusual way. I am currently a printmaker creating and producing prints at Malaspina Printmakers on Granville Island. Malaspina has been my saving grace since my diagnosis with MS.
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2001 and, when I got my first two MRIs on a disk, all I could think of was using them as part of my artwork! After several rounds of MRIs, I decided to merge some childhood photos with the images. When I was told about Picassa (an image organizer and image viewing software), I decided to try it and I love it. I was looking at some of my over 900 MRI brain images and I guess I pressed a button and suddenly I had an image of all of my MRI brain images on my screen. I decided I wanted to see the image printed large, for greater impact.
I also discovered a few years ago that when I take photos of fireworks my hands shake. So I end up with very unique fireworks photos. For the ‘Damaged Print, Damaged Brain, Damaged…’ print, the part that is torn/ripped was done so deliberately by me. The damaging of the pristine print is a parallel to the damaging of my precious brain by MS, both of which seem senseless and random.
Before I was diagnosed with MS, I just took my brain and the creativity it gave me for granted. The artistic process was to me something mystical or magical. Now, since having had the opportunity to actually see inside my brain, the reality of it looks beautiful to me, and I am able to see it literally as a source of my artwork.
Art has always been an integral part of my life. I can't look at an object without thinking about what I could do with it! I come from a creative family. My mother quilts and her father used to build these amazing miniature ships with his very, very large hands. When I was a child I lived in Antigua and Trinidad, which are islands in the West Indies. It was a wonderful childhood and it made me look at things in an unusual way. I am currently a printmaker creating and producing prints at Malaspina Printmakers on Granville Island. Malaspina has been my saving grace since my diagnosis with MS.
I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2001 and, when I got my first two MRIs on a disk, all I could think of was using them as part of my artwork! After several rounds of MRIs, I decided to merge some childhood photos with the images. When I was told about Picassa (an image organizer and image viewing software), I decided to try it and I love it. I was looking at some of my over 900 MRI brain images and I guess I pressed a button and suddenly I had an image of all of my MRI brain images on my screen. I decided I wanted to see the image printed large, for greater impact.
I also discovered a few years ago that when I take photos of fireworks my hands shake. So I end up with very unique fireworks photos. For the ‘Damaged Print, Damaged Brain, Damaged…’ print, the part that is torn/ripped was done so deliberately by me. The damaging of the pristine print is a parallel to the damaging of my precious brain by MS, both of which seem senseless and random.
Before I was diagnosed with MS, I just took my brain and the creativity it gave me for granted. The artistic process was to me something mystical or magical. Now, since having had the opportunity to actually see inside my brain, the reality of it looks beautiful to me, and I am able to see it literally as a source of my artwork.
MS Fireworks
32"x18"
Digital archival pigment print.
$500
32"x18"
Digital archival pigment print.
$500
The Boys & I & MS I, Bathtub fun & MS, My crib & I & MS, My Dress & MS
4 frames, prints 5X7
Digital archival pigment print.
$250 for the set.
(The Boys & I & MS)
4 frames, prints 5X7
Digital archival pigment print.
$250 for the set.
(The Boys & I & MS)
(Bathtub Fun & MS)
(My Crib and I & MS)
(My Dress & MS)
Photos by Ruth Major, Bernadine Fox, and Rachel Warwick
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