Ruthie Whittaker
Acrylic | Pastel / Charcoal
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Biography
I am living a dream . . . Forever, I have had a passion for painting and drawing, with a fondness for all types of animals – especially dogs. A life-long dog owner and lover, creating unique portraits of our four-legged best friends is one of my specialties. I love the feeling of joy that owners experience when they are presented with a completed portrait of their pet.
It was a long road to reach my dream of becoming a full-time fine artist. Originally from Cleveland, I broke away from an environment that did not encourage me to be thoughtful, creative or pursue higher learning. I was formally educated at the Cooper School of Art. Out of school, I worked in publishing, advertising, and commercial art involving small companies to large corporations. When computers changed the world of commercial art, I decided to change careers by earning my BSN and worked as a registered nurse.
Life changed dramatically when my husband passed away at an early age. With my son and two dogs in tow I moved to the desert of Southern California and worked in a variety of nursing jobs, drawing and painting as time allowed. After another life changing event, my gypsy spirit kicked in and I moved to Sarasota on the Gulf Coast of Florida where I landed more jobs in nursing and dreamed of painting full time. When I unexpectedly met a guy who whisked me away to Melbourne on the Atlantic Coast, I decided to leave the nursing profession to pursue my dream. Wally the dog is the other guy in my life. You are welcome to experience immense joy by commissioning me to paint a portrait of your best friend!