Ruth Kneass

Artist Statement

I am a cross-disciplinary artist and designer living in Oakland, California. I come from a San Francisco family that built handmade wood boats for over 100 years beginning in the 1850's. When I wasn't glued to my artist mother's side, as a youngster, watching learning and assisting, I remember fondly the days that I spent with my boat builder father at the Kneass Boat Shop on the San Francisco waterfront in Dogpatch. From my family, I inherited a passion for making things.

While I am known mostly for my kinetic sculpture; mobiles, my artist practice also includes painting, jewelry making, textile design, photo collage, building furniture and lighting, graphic and fashion design.

Using a myriad of mediums: driftwood, marble, basalt, clay, steel, paper, bamboo, rope, textiles, each work reveals my fascination with the heavenly bodies, nature’s sublime forms and classical geometric motifs.

Ever since I was a child, I have truly seen artistic opportunity everywhere, from the ocean to the desert and onto the universe.

I create because I wake up each day compelled to draw, design, learn and problem solve. If there is something that I want to make and don’t know exactly how, I seek out expert help. I am willing to invest all my time and resources into my art work. That has always been my story and the life for me.

In my art practice I seek to ignite people’s imaginations, create meaningful engagement and rejoice in the wonder and beauty in the far out and the familiar.

Over the last 10 years, I have had the great privilege of exhibiting my art in Japan, five exhibitions to date. I am delighted to declare that Japan has adopted me and I know that I will always keep this beloved connection to Japan, always debuting my new works there.