about

Ruth Waddy

Education:

1994      BA in Costume Design, Trinity University (San Antonio TX)

 

Statement:

I’ve worked as a costume designer, fabricator, artist, seamstress, receptionist, clerk, cashier, teacher, bilge rat, waitress, fish surveyor, night auditor, house cleaner, and artist’s model;  but my passion is trash.  I started dumpster diving as a kid, and I was amazed by the things that people threw away.

As an adult, I began to incorporate found and recycled materials into my costumes and art.  We are inundated with disposable items, and I want to encourage and inspire people to see the value in things that we habitually throw away.  Plastics, in particular are going to be with us for a long time to come, so it behooves us to avoid using them unnecessarily, find creative ways to reuse them, and support safe and sustainable recycling.

I’ve participated with several local theaters and individual artists and enjoy making unique pieces for performance and life.  Mostly it’s about the experience

 

Collaborations with other artists:

 

2/2009                Live sewing performance in “Alter”(The Understory, Portland OR)

9/2009                 Acted in, designed. and made the Mermaid costume in MK Guth’s video “Allegory of Possible Hopes and Fears – I will see you on                                   the other side ” (Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland OR)

9/2009                Created sculpture for “Live Debris: Waterfront Found”(Waterfront Park,Portland OR)

3/2008                 Designed and created 5 jackets for MK Guth’s ties of Protection and Safe Keeping (Whitney Bienniel, New York NY)

3/2008                 Designed and constructed outfit for MK Guth’s “I still feel the same” (Yerba Beuna Center for the Arts, San Francisco CA)

11/2008               Created two Custom coats for Storm Tharp’s  ARM & ARM (pdx contemporary)

 

Fashion:

2/2011                 Junk to Funk gallery show (Boothster, Portland OR)

9/2010                Presoiled Fashion Show (Disjecta, Portland OR)

2006-2009        Junk to Funk’s annual fashion show (Wonder Ballroom, Portland OR /Crystal Ballroom , Portland OR) 3rd and 2nd place in                                       2008 & 2009

3/2008               Mercury Fashion Show (Wonder Ballroom, Portland OR)

 

Costume Design:

5/2010              ”The Watch”(The Understory, Portland OR)

4/2010             “Radio Golf” (Portland Playhouse, Portland OR)

3/2010              ”How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents”(Milagro Theater, Portland OR)

1/2010               “Rocketman” (Baseroots Theater Co., Portland OR)

4/2009               “El Grito del Bronx” (Milagro Theater, Portland OR)

5/2008               “9 Parts of Desire” (Coho Theater, Portland OR)

9/2007                ”Mariela in the Desert”(Milagro Theater, Porltand OR)

2/2007                ”Sonia Flew” (Milagro Theater, Portland OR)

4/2006                 ” Ardiente Paciencia” (Milagro Theater, Portland OR)

5/2005                 ” El Jardin de  Seunos” (Milagro Theater, Portland OR)

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.mkguth.com/press/7ArtnewsMay.pdf

http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/blogs/culturephile-portland-arts/art-mkguth-leach/