About the Artist
Ruth Osborne
Northern Irish Artist specialising in nature inspired textile artwork
About Ruth Osborne Artist
I am a Northern Irish Textile Artist and Printmaker based in rural County Down. My work is linked to place, seasonal transitions, and heritage. I use a range of printmaking processes, in particular the historic process of Nature Printing, and the Heritage Crafts of natural dyeing and pigment making to create original artworks on Irish Linen.
Image: Gorse blossom dyed Irish Linen with hand-printed Imbolc (Spring) Wreath Motif
My work references the landscape through the creation of site-responsive artwork that often draws upon materials that can be found naturally occurring in nature: from flora for printing and natural dyeing to the use of earth and clay for pigment making.
My studio is based by the shores of Strangford Lough; the largest sea lough in the British Isles and is one of only three designated Marine Nature Reserves in the United Kingdom.
The wealth of wildlife found in the area, its rich heritage, and diversity of flora and habitats directly impact my creative process. It is from the surrounding areas of Strangford Lough that I gather and responsibly forage windfallen plant materials for the purposes of mark-making, nature printing, natural dyeing and making botanical pigments.
You can read more about my Creative Process and current and past projects in the BLOG section.
Image: Strangford Lough in Winter, near Mahee Island in County Down
Alongside original works of art I produce a small selection of Giclee Prints and Cards. My work is stocked in a number of galleries and independent shops, including:
Creative Workshops and Teaching
I regularly facilitate creative workshops and have over 15 years experience of arts education in the heritage, arts and community sectors. I am an Artist in Residence across the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust with the Charity, Arts Care.
My teaching practice ranges from art history, printmaking, natural dye and pigment making to developing projects developed to support health and wellbeing through engagement with art and nature.
The workshops I facilitate range in theme, content, skill level and duration. Current workshops include:
- Nature Printing
- Botanical Gel Plate Printing and Collage
- Introduction to Cyanotype
- Mark Making and Monoprint Techniques using botanical inks
- Block Printing with Natural Dyes
- Natural Dye workshops
- 6 week courses: Impressions of Nature Print-Making Course and Creating with Nature Course
Workshops are relaxed and informal, encouraging you to explore your own creativity. My mark-making workshops incorporate a range of mindfulness techniques to add to the escapism that comes with creativity.
You can find out about forthcoming workshops here.
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