The Winner of the Raw Umber Studios Paint Off is Ruth Fitton
Monday 9 September, 2024
Ruth is a self-taught artist from Leeds, now based in London. Her practice focusses on working from life and her rigorous approach to developing her skills comes from the importance of practice instilled in her during her years as a music student.
She draws on inspiration from classical to contemporary artists, both figurative and abstract – among them Emile Friant, Frank Bramley, Michael Klein and Denys Gorodnychyi. She is constantly using these influences to push her understanding of composition, paint application, colour and values.
The painting that Ruth submitted in her paint off application, an alla prima portrait of Andrew, had previously been highly commended by the de Laszlo Foundation at the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Exhibition.
Her winning portrait of Arnie from the Paint Off is not just an excellent likeness but also shows off her incredible paint handling skills. And as judge Stephen Bauman said on the day, it seemed like there was a definite plan, from the imprimatura to the last stroke of the painting. Ruth wins £2,500 and a feature in the forthcoming issue of Artist and Illustrators Magazine - there is a further £1,000 prize available for the winner of the public vote.
Ruth combines working on traditional portrait commissions with her own body of work, comprising figures in the landscape and narrative paintings that ask questions of the viewer and draw them in.
Of her recent solo exhibition ‘Otherwhere’ at Panter and Hall in London she said ‘Otherwhere zeros in on moments of fundamental decision–faith or fear, stay or go, accept or reject. These moments are set within a somewhat allegorical landscape world–Otherwhere–which references the journey of all our lives.’
National Portrait Gallery
She is currently exhibiting her self portrait, 'Onward', at the inaugural Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery. She is a member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and has Signature Status with the Portrait Society of America.
For information about Ruth and upcoming work visit her website – www.ruthfitton.com
Works from her Solo Exhibition ‘Otherwhere’ are here - https://www.panterandhall.com/collections/ruth-fitton-otherwhere
And follow her on instragram @ruthfittonportraits
To vote for your favourite painting for the People’s Choice Award go here – https://rawumberstudios.com/n/paint-off-2024/public-vote
Subscribers can watch a a full film of the day here - https://rawumberstudios.com/n/videos/paint-off-2024-the-movie
Or there is an abridged version available on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMy3drvwX8k
The Paint Off was supported by the CBPP, Artists and Illustrators Magazine, The Mall Galleries and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters.
We’re already planning next year's Paint Off and will let you know how to enter in the New Year.
