Born in 1953 in London, the youngest of three children to pianist Mother and engineer Father. Ruth works from her studio in north London where she carries out commissions, works on autonomous panels and creates fused glass pieces for gardens.

Her original studies in sculpture continue to influence her work in glass. Subjects for autonomous panels are connected to a memory of a place or event and recent works have been devoted to creating a modern idiom on the traditional memorial window.  A sense of place remains the most significant factor in her designs, responding to the synergy that exists between glass and its surrounding architecture coupled with a desire to infuse the space with spirituality.

Ruth also teaches art in a primary school and runs workshops and projects in both primary and secondary schools. Children design and make all the work themselves under her guidance: projects in primary school can be from a single one day holiday workshop to a whole term project to commemorate a special event in the life of a school.  She also runs traditional leaded stained glass workshops in secondary schools, specifically designed to enhance students’ GCSE and A Level course work.

She is married to Town Planner and Garden Designer Stephen Kersley with whom she collaborates on garden glass and they have two daughters.

education

2001                  Elected as Associate Member of the British Society of Master
Glass Painters
1992-1993         Fellowship in Stained Glass, Central St. Martins, London
1990-1992         Diploma Stained Glass studies, Central St. Martins, London
1984                  Introduction to stained glass, Paul san Casciani, Oxford
1975-1976         PGCE Birmingham School of Art Education
1971-1975         BA Hons Fine Art (Sculpture), University Newcastle-upon-Tyne

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2021-2022 BSMGP  Centenary Stained Glass Touring Exhibition to Stained
Glass Museum Ely, Winchester Cathedral, All Saints Church Bristol,
National Waterfront Museum Swansea, Wells and Worcester
Cathedrals, Oxford Cathedral, Lichfield Cathedral, International
Festival of Glass Stourbridge, Manchester Cathedral
2012                  Olympic Games Exhibition of stained glass, Swansea, Wales
2010                  Art for Belsize, Burgh House, Hampstead, London
2008                 40 cm2 BSMGP Summer Exhibition, Cochrane Gallery, London
2004                 30 cm2, BSMGP Summer Exhibition, Cochrane Gallery, London
2004                 IJAYA, Tram Studios, Camden Town, London
2004                 Looking@Glass, Cochrane Gallery, London
2001                  Jewish Artists Awards 2001, Candid Gallery,  London
2001                  Here and Now, Stained Glass Museum, Ely
2001                  Here and Now, Lauderdale House, London
2000                 Judaica 2000: Ceremonial Art, Jewish Museum, London
1999                  Traces of Five Millenia, The Hanover Galleries, Liverpool
1997-2000        Stained Glass Museum, Ely Cathedral (Gedales Song on loan)
1995                  Life Lines, Diorama Gallery, London
1995                  Art in Glass, Sternberg Centre, London
1994                  Of Memories and Birdmen, Bernard Becker Gallery, London
1994                  Ben Uri Art Society Annual Open, London
1993                  Fellowship Exhibition, Cochrane Gallery, London
1993                  Museum of Mankind, London
1992                  Cohn and Wolf Young Artists, London Institute
 

PUBLIC WORKS

2019    ‘Water’ window, The John Rayner Room, Liberal Jewish
Synagogue, London
2017    Chapel Window Trinity Baptist Church, London
2010                  Phoenix Cinema, London
2002                 Jewish Free School Synagogue, London
1993                  V&A Museum, London
 

TEACHING

2011 - 2016        Art teacher (part-time), South Hampstead Junior School, London
1998 - 2013      Art teacher (part-time), Pathways Speech and Language Unit,
Childs Hill School, London
1989 - 1998      Art teacher (part-time) to children with autism, Oak Lodge
School, London
1983 - 1984      Art teacher to physically disabled children Grove Park School,
London
1977 - 1979        Sculpture teacher Brentwood County High School,  Essex
 

SCHOOL PROJECTS + WORKSHOPS

2023    ‘Welcome to Plaistow Primary School’ mosaic Plaistow Primary
School, East London
2018    ‘Forever in Our Hearts’ memorial mosaics to the victims of Grenfell
Tower Fire, Avondale Park Primary School, London
2016    ‘In Memory of Miss Benjamin’, mosaic South Hampstead Junior
School, London
2014                   All Things Bright and Beautiful’, stained glass memorial window,
All Saints Primary School, London
2013                   ‘Welcome to Childs Hill School’ playground mosaics Childs Hill
School
2012                   ‘Women and Sport’, mosaic to celebrate 2012 London Olympic
Games, South Hampstead School, London
2009                  Stained glass weekend workshop, Sherborne Girls School, Dorset
2008                  ‘Welcome to Pathways’ glass mosaic, Pathways Speech &
Language Unit, Childs Hill School, London
2008                  ‘Stormont is a Happy Place’ mosaic Stormont School, Potters Bar,
Hertfordshire
2006                  ‘In the Jungle’ mural, Goldbeaters School, London
2005                  Stained glass weekend workshop, Sherborne Girls School, Dorset
2004                  ‘Goldbeater’s Gardyn’ and ‘Where I Live’ murals Goldbeaters
School, London
2003                  ‘Keep a Green Tree in Your Heart’ stained glass windows, Wessex
Gardens School, London
2003                  ‘Welcome to Goldbeaters School’ mosaic, London
2002                  ‘Insect Maze’ Playground amphitheatre mosaic, Childs Hill School,
London
’00, '03 & '04     Art and glass mosaic workshops, Jewish Museum, London
1999, 2000        Stained glass workshops: Artslink & Sherborne Girls School,
Dorset
1999                   ‘A Victorian Childhood’, Centenary glass mosaic windows,
Childs Hill School, London
1992                  ‘Float and Fly’, Brookland Infant School, London