"My paintings relate themes of endurance, joy, song, determination, and mystery. I exaggerate color and shape to express a personal connection with the figures in my work. Some are quirky, some sad, some are happy, some strong, each is unique. By painting semi-abstracted figures, I hope to allow the viewer room to feel a kind of ownership for my people.  I am attracted to watercolor because of the flexibility of the medium. Recently my work has incorporated collage, watercolor pencil, gold leaf, and occasionally acrylic along with watercolor. However, watercolor remains the dominant element. My art helps me to reconcile the past with the present. I hope to express family connections through humor, ambiguous settings, and above all, color." 

- Ruth Armitage, 2003

Ruth Armitage is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, and holds memberships in the Watercolor Society of Oregon and the Northwest Watercolor Society. She has been painting since 1988 with various instructors including Katherine Chang Liu, Judy Morris, Arne Westerman, Serge Hollerbach, Alex Powers and Skip Lawrence. Her work has been included in local and national shows, including: National Watercolor Society's 2000 exhibition (Merchandise Award), Northwest Watercolor Society's 1997 open exhibition, the Watercolor Society of Oregon's Transparent and Aqueous exhibitions in April 1996, October 1996 (First Place Award), October 1998, October 1999 (First Place Award), and April 2000 (Fifth Place Award) and the Kentucky Watercolor Society's Aqueous USA in 1998 where her work, "Solitary Evening", garnered the Brown-Forman purchase award. Ruth teaches beginning watercolor locally.