Ruth Castle New Zealand, 1928-2016
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About Ruth Castle
Ruth Castle was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1928 and studied art at Canterbury University College. After graduating, she worked as a teacher and a textile designer. In 1967, she travelled to Asia to study traditional weaving techniques. This trip had a profound impact on her work and she began to experiment with new materials and techniques. In the 1970s, Castle began to exhibit her work in galleries and museums around New Zealand. She was awarded a number of grants and fellowships, which allowed her to travel and study further. In 1981, she was awarded a QEII Arts Council grant to travel to California and Mexico to study Native American weaving techniques. Castle's work is characterized by its use of natural materials, such as rattan, flax, and wool. She often used these materials in unexpected ways, creating intricate and delicate patterns. Her work is also known for its bold colors and geometric designs. Castle's work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums around New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. She is represented in the collections of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o T?maki, and the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu. Castle was a highly influential figure in the New Zealand textile art community. She was a mentor to many young artists and her work continues to inspire and challenge contemporary textile artists. Ruth Castle died in 2016.
The earliest auction listing we have for Ruth Castle is in 2007 and in total 27 works by the artist have been offered for sale, of which 21 (78%) were sold. The highest price recorded for the artist is $1,032 for Onion Baskets - a Pair sold by International Art Centre in September 2020. No works have been offered for sale this year, and the last sale we have recorded for the artist was in 2023. Works by Ruth Castle are held by the Christchurch Art Gallery.
Ruth Castle is listed in the following standard biographical references:
- The Find New Zealand Artists web site: a database of artist names that directs researchers to the rich resources found in New Zealand's libraries, art society exhibition histories and published sources.
The Australian Art Sales Digest is a database of over 610,000 works by more than 12,000 artists who are listed as having either lived or worked in Australia or New Zealand, and an additional 36,000 foreign and other artists, offered for sale by auction in Australia and New Zealand from the early 1970s to the present day.
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