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Sitting Pretty with Picture Perfect Portraits by Ruth Maystead
By Heather Gaghan
It seems that drive, in more ways than one, has shaped the
artistic path of this month’s Artist, Ruth Maystead. Ruth was a student at UC Berkley
studying chemical engineering when a drive along a highway in California
changed the course of her life. A horrible high speed accident with an 18
wheeler left Ruth with three herniated discs in her neck and a recovery period of almost
five years.
During her long recovery from the accident, Ruth passed some
of her time walking around the sunny streets of suburban L.A. She began to
take notice of the many artists showcasing their work on street corners
throughout the city and started thinking, “I could do that myself!” So with the
help of some local artists she picked up brushes and canvas, and at the age of
30 found herself making money after only her third painting!
This was not the only time personal tragedy played an
influential role in Ruth’s artistic career. As a child she was stricken with
polio and found “drawing on anything she could find” a way to find solace
during those seemingly endless days confined to her room.
Ruth recalls the exact moment she knew she had officially rekindled
her love affair with painting. She walked out to the garage to get something
from her freezer, glanced at a painting she had been working on, and completely
forgot about the Thanksgiving dinner she was preparing—for three hours!
Animals became part of Ruth’s artistic landscape when a girlfriend
approached her about commissioning her to paint her horse. Ruth recalls the process
of working with her first animal subject as quite…exhilarating. It turned out
the horse’s idea of fun was galloping full speed at her at the exact moment she
would snap his picture, scaring her half to death in the process! Even more
shocking to Ruth was that the horse’s portrait took first prize at a local
club’s art show she had entered.
Speed, along with drive, seems to be another factor in
Ruth’s success. In 1975, with three children to take care from a recent
divorce, Ruth put her work into overdrive. She began displaying her work in art
shows in local shopping malls. Once again, she was approached by a gentleman
requesting a portrait of his horses and also his dogs. This time, fate stepped
in once more and put her back on the road to marriage as this gentleman wound
up becoming her husband.
She continued to paint driven by the desire to maintain a
comfortable living for her and her children, and attended all kinds of animal
shows from cats to horses—selling her paintings at almost 50 shows a year! The
commissions continued to roll in as she set up her booth, show after show and as
her popularity grew she decided to number and sign prints of her work.
Ruth remembers “letting out a WHEW!” when her last child
graduated from UCLA. She decided it was her turn and focused her attention on
creating a product line to accompany her increasingly popular portraits. She
began with note cards that matched the breed portraits she had displayed at her
booths in dog shows across the country. She then made the smart decision to
enter the world of trade shows and it was here that she found her cruising
speed. Her work was an instant hit and it inspired Ruth to expand her product
line to include list pads and magnets with 12 new designs that nearly doubled
her business!
Working out of her garage was no longer an option. Products
continued to pile up around the house including her studio, thus Ruth knew it
was time to expand. Now her space for all her products requires an expansive
storage facility to keep up with a retail store list that is 2500 names long! At
last count she had 150 designs in list pads with magnets and 400 different note cards.
Her work has been exhibited in the AKC Museum of the Dog in
St. Louis and in the Art Show held in conjunction with Westminster Dog Show in
Manhattan. The museum remains a faithful client and continues to sell her work
in their store and during the Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden in New
York.
Through the years and the many roads she has traveled both
personally and professionally, Ruth says that “Painting is my life…and I have
an overwhelming desire to paint new designs whenever I see an inspiring
animal.” When that animal catches her eye, it is their expression that makes
her reach for her brushes. She says, “Their look that captures their unique
personality is always my goal and I work hard to achieve it. Each wrinkle and
hair has to be perfect,” providing the dogs she paints with the personality she
has captured with every stroke of her brush. She paints exclusively in oils and
very small brushes. She even cuts some of the brushes to really capture each of
her subject’s sparkling personalities! Each year finds Ruth discovering new
roads of creativity and last year she added a Lab Choir Christmas Card to her
ever-expanding product line.
Ruth’s pictures and products of these sparkling four legged
personalities can be found in the All Labs store as we proudly offer her three
styles of Lab Christmas Cards and Gift Wrap, Gift Bags, Roller Pens, Magnetic Note Pads, and Silk Ties all perfect gifts to share with the dog lover in your
life during this Holiday Season!
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