April 12 – July 30, 2023
A closing reception (Aug. 1, 6 – 8 p.m.) in the Rubin Gallery of the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art will feature remarks by the artist.
This thought-provoking and stunning series was created by artist, activist and philanthropist Ruth Westreich.
Her work engages and unites multigenerational audiences over challenging topics such as the climate crisis, health creation through self-responsibility, and the pharmaceutical industrial complex; and business ethics, integrity and social responsibility. Her body of work brings front and center the environmental toxicity that is so much a part of our daily lives and the impact on every living creature on the planet. Using her art to touch, move and inspire people to action, she provides an educational platform that challenges observers to work in solidarity and community to create a safe, just and healthy ecosystem we call planet Earth.
“Creating Conscious Conversations of Consequence” shows how personal and planetary health are inextricably interconnected. She moves the observer through her body of work, creates hopeful scenarios for the future, and leaves us understanding that we have no PLANET B.
Artist’s Statement
AS A LIFE-LONG ARTIST, I have strived to paint beautiful things, and to create beauty in my life when there was none. Being in nature is where I find peace and tranquility; tree-tops swaying in the breeze and the beautiful white cumulus clouds are my inspiration. Something stirs in me that I can’t explain. All my senses are heightened, and I know at my core that I am a part of the wonder of Mother Nature – we are not separate. I look with my eyes at her beauty. I breathe in the smells that are life-giving and life affirming. I walk upon the earth and touch the trunks, branches and leaves of the trees and bushes. I hear the birds calling and singing, the small creatures rustling in the brush, the water bubbling, and washing over rocks as the water moves along the stream. All of my life I have found solace, serenity and peace in nature.