Ruth A. Keitz, Mixed Media Artist

My consistent use of found materials from the common everyday world of the man-made and the natural permeates and defines all my work. My mixed media collages and constructions reflect my interest in the physicality of objects, their “thing-ness": textures, shapes, colors. In the tradition of Picasso’s collages and Duchamp’s found objects, the stuff of my art is likely to be ropa usada or other man-made discards or the discards of nature.

I enjoy the uncommon and unexpected beauty found in materials that are used for packaging--and usually thrown away after a single use. These materials may be in their pristine manufactured state or aged by the elements of nature or transformed by my hand.


Damaged Door with Sky View

Window envelope, envelope fragment, acrylic, digital photo, ribbons, mat board, graphite

24 x 18 x .5”

The damaged door allows, through its window, a view of the sky outside. The sky view spills onto the drab floor and drenches the room with various tints and shades of blue in a range of textures.