MARY RUDEN, SCULPTOR AND MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST
In this gallery we explore images of orchids across a variety of art media through the eyes of Mary Ruden. Named the “Wildflower Pilgrimage Artist of the Year” in Gatlinburg, TN in 2017, Mary's work can be found in state parks and government buildings, including the US Botanic Garden, with exhibitions on orchid conservation and education throughout the southeastern United States. Her art may even have appeared in your mail box.
More About Mary:
"I live in southeast Tennessee in a home that truly is my castle, reflecting my Scottish heritage. My adjacent greenhouse is made of ‘green’ architectural materials, filled with orchids and herbs, and often doubles as my studio. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Parks system in 2016, I curated an exhibit and produced a video on the native plants of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and their interpretations in art such as quilts, ceramics, wood, and fine art.
Although most of the orchids I paint are native to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near my home, tropical orchids, especially the Ghost Orchid, are my specialty. I received my Fine Arts degree from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida and have hiked the Fakahatchee Strand for years with botanists from the Marie Selby Botanical Garden. My mentor was Dr. Julia Morton, a famous ethnobotanist, who spent time in Vietnam. She designed a military scarf that paired edible plants on one side and poisonous plants on the other to help soldiers survive in the jungle.
Preservation of the environment where our native orchids live is important to their survival, and that of many other plants, insects, and all life forms. Through my art I try to inspire, entertain, and demonstrate these rare species and their relationship within our world."
For more information about Mary and her work, visit: MaryRuden.com
The Art of Native Plants (video)
Flora of the National Parks - 100th anniversary exhibit (video)
And to learn more about the orchids growing in your area, visit the Go Orchids website.
