about craig Ruddy (1969 - 2022)
Craig Ruddy was an award-winning contemporary artist who lived and worked in The Pocket, Northern NSW, Australia. His dramatic figurative portraits, often interwoven with richly textured abstract landscapes, have become an integral part of the art world.
Ruddy's art practice explored the space between our real and mythical connections to the land and environment. His deeply personal and ongoing spiritual journey questioned social conscience as well as current environmental issues, with a core theme being the recognition of Australian Indigenous People and Culture.
His inimitable painting style pushed the traditional boundaries of the classic medium, and involved a complex layering of mixed mediums, including paint, charcoal, pencil drawing, varnish, and even glass. Ruddy’s figures became inseparable from the landscapes in which they resided, with his unique use of layering creating an illusion of transparency that reflected the interconnectedness of all things.
Craig Ruddy's work was a tribute to his surroundings, country, and the people that resided within it. His practice was intuitive and organic, and he used free-flowing sensitive lines combined with a vibrant, dynamic color palette to create bold paintings that were both sensual and powerful, aptly reflecting the inspiration he drew from the Australian landscape.
Craig Ruddy's art will continue to inspire and move us, as his legacy lives on in his powerful and thought-provoking work.
early life & career
Craig Ruddy, one of the greatest Australian artists of the 21st century, was born in Forestville in 1968, surrounded by the stunning natural bushland of Ku-ring-gai Chase and Garigal National Parks. Despite facing a life-threatening illness in his childhood, Ruddy's creative talent blossomed as he turned to painting and drawing, fueled by his profound existential questions and deep connection to his natural surroundings.
After studying design and fashion illustration in Sydney, Ruddy settled in Tamarama, where his home became a hub of creativity and artistic inspiration. Encouraged by his friends, Ruddy took a leap of faith in 2001, leaving behind his successful design career to pursue his lifelong passion for art and painting.
Ruddy's exceptional talent was recognized on a national level in 2004 when he won Australia's most prestigious painting prize, the Archibald Prize, for his controversial portrait of Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil. This seminal work became a powerful message for Indigenous recognition and reconciliation, and despite an epic two-year court battle, the painting remains one of the most iconic and recognized works in Australian art history.
Ruddy continued to captivate audiences with his powerful portraits of Indigenous figures, earning the People's Choice award in 2010 for his depiction of acclaimed director Warwick Thornton with 'Prince of Darkness'. His popularity soared, and he sold out many solo shows in Sydney before embarking on a journey to Europe and South America to develop his art practice.
In 2015, Ruddy returned to his roots, settling in the Byron Hinterland where he built a studio surrounded by the natural environment that had so greatly influenced his work. Here, he focused on creating a beautiful home environment with his partner while drawing inspiration from the garden and studio to address important issues such as land regeneration, women's empowerment, and Indigenous Australian rights.
Craig Ruddy's legacy as one of the greatest Australian artists of the 21st century lives on through his powerful and captivating works that explore the interconnectedness between humanity, nature, and spirit.
acknowledgement of country
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.