Ruth Abernethy
Ruth Abernethy is a Canadian sculptor born in Lindsay, Ontario, 1960.
Author of Life and Bronze: A Sculptor's Journal, 2016.
Hired for professional theatre at age 17, she subsequently studied at Malaspina College (University) in Nanaimo, British Columbia. At age 21, Abernethy was Head of Props at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and joined the Stratford Festival where she received an unsolicited Guthrie Award in 1981. Abernethy has worked with most of Canada's regional theatres, the Louisville Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada, executing and managing work for renowned international designers. She received Canada Council support for pursuing arts explorations in Japan and Europe in 1985.
The following are among her most recognizable works:
- The statue of jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II and situated in front of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.[1][2]
- The statue of classical pianist Glenn Gould installed outside the Glenn Gould Studio at CBC Headquarters, Toronto. Inspired by a photograph by Columbia Records photographer Don Hunstein.[3]
Abernethy created two different portraits of John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister in Picton, Ontario (Holding Court, 2015) and Baden, Ontario (A Canadian Conversation, 2016). Abernethy's portrait of John A. Macdonald was the first figure of The Prime Ministers Path installed on the grounds of Castle Kilbride, Baden, Ontario.
Abernethy's portrait of James Till and Ernest McCulloch installed at Science World Vancouver, 2016. A duplicate portrait is slated to install at MaRS, Toronto in 2017.
She developed a method of figurative mapping to create 3D portraits.
Abernethy was the first Canadian exhibitor with Sculpture-by-the-Sea, Sydney, Australia (2004) and Sculpture in Context, Dublin, Ireland (2007). In 2016, Abernethy was the first Canadian to sculpt Abraham Lincoln for Pittsfield, Illinois.
Abernethy is the first woman to design a bronze for Queen's Park in Toronto. Abernethy is working on a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, to install in Queen's Park, Toronto, for the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Queen’s accession and the 150th anniversary of Canada.[3] Abernethy is the first woman to design a bronze for Queen's Park in Toronto.
External links
References
- ↑ "Peterson statue set for National Arts Centre". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
- ↑ "Oscar Peterson sculpture captures legend's joy". CTVNews. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
- 1 2 "A gift for a Queen and Canada - Macleans.ca". Macleans.ca. 2016-09-06. Retrieved 2016-12-07.