What do you get when you cross a tattoo artist with a Victorian art fanatic? Ruth Marten. Ruth combines the precise drawing skills she’s honed for years as a tattoo artist with a passion for 18th century engravings to create magnificent paintings and sculptures. Ruth’s work contains surreal and subversive narratives – like an altered copper engraving of man with humongous stones on his head entitled “Headache” – that would make anyone smile. Get inspired by her 10 ANSWERS below.
1. How would you describe your work in three words?
Complex, humorous, proper.
2. Who is your creative role model?
Charles Adams, Edward Gorey, Franz Messerschmidt, Rembrandt, Paul Klee, Georg Grosz, Dagobert Peche, Yayoi Kusama, Ed Kienholz, Alfred Kubin, Fayoum paintings, Japanese art, Tomi Ungerer, Will Eisner, Sine, Raoul Dufy, H.C.Westerma, Tadanoro Yokoo, Folk art, Mad Men’s art, Victorian printed matter, American 1950′s commercial art, etc.
3. If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
Develop a hobby.
4. What place in the world most inspires you and why?
Diminished as it’s become, I still love New York.
5. If you could do a different job for a day what would it be and why?
Mother for a day.
6. What is your favorite homemade gift to give?
I like to find something at the Flea that’s a perfect fit for a friend’s gift.
7. What is your favorite object in your home?
My Hair Art.
8. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Not too good at taking advice.
9. What websites do you use for inspiration?
I’m a Luddite who loves film.
10. When do you consider a piece of your work complete?
I admire Picasso for stopping before a work of art was finished, but I like to beat it to death.
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