Painting
Ruby Bovill
Ruby Bovill is an emerging Artist and qualified Art Therapist based on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people in Melbourne / Naarm. Bovill's paintings are an abstraction of her environment and identity. Bovill uses painting as a tool to connect with her creative, her unconscious self and with nature.
Artist Profile
Ruby Bovill is an emerging Artist and qualified Art Therapist based on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people in Melbourne / Naarm. Bovill’s paintings are an abstraction of her environment and identity. Bovill uses painting as a tool to connect with her creative, her unconscious self and with nature.
Bovill playfully explores foreground and background – creating illusions of landscapes extending deep within and beyond the edges of the canvas. Bovill’s paintings embody a childlike and playful style that lead the viewer to imagine an other worldly place where stars dance and dragonflies are the size of birds.
Growing up in Melbourne and regularly visiting the Great Ocean Road and Murray River, Bovill’s childhood provided her with a connection to nature. Art Therapy transformed her art making practice resulting in work that makes internal discoveries, heals and contributes to her sense of self. Bovill’s work provides viewers an opportunity to connect to nature themselves within the context of urban environments.
Bovill would like to acknowledge the traditional and true owners of the land she lives and works on, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Bovill acknowledges that sovereignty was never ceded. Bovill pays respect to Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung ancestors, elders, and future leaders in the community. Bovill would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land her work is inspired by across the colony of so called ‘Australia’.
Whilst Bovill feels a connection to nature and explores this in relation to her personal journey – Bovill would like to make clear that the connection to Country for First Nations communities exceeds her own and is of far greater cultural significance. As a white settler this dichotomy has been a challenge for Bovill to overcome. Through a journey of self-acceptance and personal growth via Art Therapy – Bovill has been able to accept her own connection to nature alongside acknowledging First Nations communities’ connection to Country as two very different experiences existing simultaneously.
Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
Artist Interview
What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?
I work with acrylic paint on canvas. I have chosen to work with acrylic because I like to work quickly and use lots of layering in my paintings. An alternative medium like oil paint takes much longer to dry – meaning that I'd have to wait a lot longer in between layers and wouldn't be able to finish pieces as quickly. Therefore acrylic works really well for me for what I'm trying to achieve currently.
How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?
I usually take photos of plants, flowers or other shapes in nature on a walk or when I'm out an about. Then I'll use these images as references to create abstracted shapes and motif's. I'll then sketch up a composition of these abstract shapes to create a complete image. Sometimes I'll sketch the image onto the canvas and sometimes I just start painting without drawing – it usually depends on how detailed I'd like the final image to be. Once the painting is complete I paint the edges very clean, trying to imitate the impact of a frame. Then I will varnish, add a hanging wire and sign the back of the canvas. Then it's ready to head to the gallery!
Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?
I have a small studio in my home in Brunswick. I share the space with my partner so it can get a little cramped but we make do! I'd love one day to have a large artist studio in a warehouse where I can get messy and stand really far back from my work…. but for now my modest home studio does the job.
Artist Quote
– Solo exhibition at No Vacancy Gallery, 2024– Solo exhibition at Brunswick Street Gallery, 2023
– Artist collaboration for Kuwaii’s ‘Odyssey’ collection, 2023
