Ruth Yang is currently working on her MFA degree concentration in Painting in the University of Miami FL United States. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Art concentration in Painting in West Virginia University. Ruth was born to a poor family in rural China. She did not have the access or resources to study painting in her earlier years. However, at the age of 28, she was finally able to learn basic painting skills with a professional Chinese painter and was immediately drawn to the discipline. In 2007, she heard a voice telling her that she was meant to be a painter. Ruth’s portraits exhibited in University of Miami FL, West Virginia State Museum, University of West Virginia Watts Museum, Marshall University, Slippery Rock University and University of West Virginia School of Arts And Design. She received many art awards in the University of West Virginia School of Art And Design and Top Governor’s Award and D. Gene Jordon Memorial Award in West Virginia State Museum 23rd Biennial Juried Exhibition Cydney with a Chinese Traditional Garment Han Fu in 2023. West Virginia State Museum officially collected her painting to the museum's art collection. Also Ruth’s artworks won many awards from numerous galleries in the juried exhibitions including, Awards Best of Show, First Place, Second Place and People’s Choice. Ruth’s painting won an Award FINALIST published in Issue 155 February/March 2024 in International Artist Magazine Art Prize Challenge No. 139 People & Figures.
I am portraiture work in oils and valuing the traditional painting skills developed by European masters. I explore contemporary notions of individual humanism and personal subjectivity through multiple layering techniques. My artworks are greatly impacted by the OldMaster Raphael’s paintings triangle composition and softness in human’s skin tones are historically meant to produce the effect of steam rising and mist dispersing in the air between the objects in a painting. I also research contemporary painters examining and crossing cultures and painting methods such as Kehinde Wiley and Kurt Kauper to inform my subject matter. My artworks present the beauty of multiple races and combined with Asain culture engaging with large audiences. I have handmade my own linen canvas and wood frames as OldMesters in art history. I am interested in painting the stories of my childhood, motherhood and biblical stories. My newest painting Cydney Put on Make-up is a story of my childhood, when I was age 5 -7 and I always stole my mom’s white makeup powder put on my face, when she was not at home. Then I cut my old clothes to make them look like flowers to put them on my hair. Then I went to Rich Neighbor's house to watch a TV show. More specifically, my work uses traditional techniques and geometrical compositional devices to re-present Christian Icons, and Symbolism in contemporary painting. Replacing historical figures with contemporary subjects, I create connections between past and contemporary art theory while speaking to my multicultural experience as a Aaian-American.
2023 West Virginia State Museum/Department of Art, Culture and History Center 23rd Biennial Juried Exhibition. ''Cydney with a Chinese Traditional Garment Han Fu''Top Governor’s Award and D. Gene Jordon Memorial Award. West Virginia State Museum officially collected the painting to their museum’s art collection.