Summer 2023 Artist of The Season
Each season, we choose an artist who inspires the visual energy of Shoppe Object. This summer, we are so happy to have Ruby Bateman joining us as our Artist of the Season. Working from England’s southwest countryside, Ruby creates romantic, classical-inspired work in delicious color palettes. Keep an eye out for Ruby’s booth at the summer show, August 13-15, to meet the artist and shop her pieces in person.
NAME: Ruby Bateman
PLACE OF BIRTH: London, United Kingdom
CURRENTLY RESIDE: In the Devon Countryside
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Scorpio Sun, Taurus Rising and Aries Moon
MOST USED EMOJI: 🎀
COFFEE OR TEA: Tea, forever and always
IF YOU WERE A COLOR, YOU’D BE: An earthy red or green
Your work is so beautiful! Have you always been an artist? What has your artistic journey been like?
Thank you so much, and yes, I think so! When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I remember saying ‘An artist and a mummy’ – something I still stand by, which is quite nice.
You also teach drawing workshops. How does your teaching influence your art, or vice versa?
Like with cooking, art is about confidence. Often we limit our creativity to just one type of ‘good’ image, and forget to embrace all the many forms and possibilities art can take. Good art happens when you can see the artist’s pleasure and authenticity shine through. I think it’s practicing this philosophy in my classes that gives me confidence and inspiration in my own work, over any particular technique or discipline.
You recently had a show called PASSAGE – congratulations! Tell us a bit about it.
Thanks so much; I’m overjoyed I got to create this exhibition with Haricot Gallery, in Shoreditch, London. The show is about Pilgrimage, my personal call to it as well as our collective urgency to ‘walk’ more respectively as pilgrims on this Earth. The pilgrimage I am manifesting for my 30th birthday, depicted in the paintings of this show, is a pilgrimage around England’s standing stones, cathedrals and holy wells.
Is there a particular feeling or message you hope your work conveys?
Yearning romance!
What is your process like, if you don’t mind sharing?
To tell you the truth, there’s no perfect formula to how I make my work. Sometimes I can just show up to my home studio and work prolifically all day. Other times a day goes by and all I’ve done is stare out the window. The one constant is that any idea of mine always starts with a pencil drawing on paper. From then onwards it can expand into an ink drawing or large scale painting on canvas, and often I will keep the original drafts, as I usually feel quite sentimental about them.
Dream brand collaboration?
There are so many brands I’d love to work with, but more generally I’d love to collaborate on a limited edition series of printed wallpaper, or fabric for soft furnishings and upholstery. Going into the interiors world excites me a lot; I’d like to see a room covered from wall to floor in my work! I think artists like Luke Edward Hall do that so well.
Do you listen to anything while you work? What have you been listening to lately?
I’m always listening to something when I’m making art. I love a lot of world music like Ethiopian jazz, kora, and Irish folk music, which I like to switch up with classic 70s singer/songwriter, gospel and rock. If I need to really zen out, I’ll put on my Baroque playlist which has my favourite composers in like Handel, Purcell and Bach.
Your perfect day:
Waking up and doing yoga (either at home or a class in town), then out with friends in nature foraging in the sunshine. If there’s time, a trip to a historical house or gallery never fails to make me feel inspired! Then, home for a beautiful cooked dinner including all the flora and fauna we picked earlier over a glass of wine with my partner. Simple pleasures!
You’re coming to the August edition of Shoppe Object in NYC! (We can’t wait to have you.) Any new work people should be on the lookout for at the show?
I’m so excited to be there! I’ll be sure to bring a few new works which I’m currently making, and perhaps a couple of favourites from my recent solo show too…
Thank you, Ruby! We’re so excited to have you as our Artist of the Season.
Come meet Ruby and shop her work at Shoppe Object in NYC, August 13-15 at Pier 36.
