Yonkers resident Ruth Irving will be showing pieces at The Donald Gallery—exploring fungal relationships in a uniquely tangible way. Just beneath the earth we walk on lays an entangled, fibrous mesh of life. This wood wide web can take credit for the distribution of essential nutrients, communication between plants, and other vital roles, but all you and I would typically see are their fruiting bodies—aka, mushrooms.
Not anymore.
“I create with the intent to fill out the beauty I see in life, or extend past what feels too beautiful to experience and not shy away from it.”
Set to display her work at the Donald Gallery in September, self-taught local artist Ruth Irving takes advantage of fibers and mixed media to tell the story of mycelium from the fungi’s perspective. Glass beads become seed sacks; silk threads become a colorful, undulating surface; fiber is pulled, stuffed, and woven to create textures and surfaces until there is a shift into another realm.
But for Ruth, her work is about so much more than revealing the unseen underground: it’s about the unseen inside. “In biology, cells are repeated and consistent in all life but inherently individual and alive. In my work, the inner and outer spaces become a metaphor…I create the intimacy I seek for myself.”
You can see “Celebrated Cells and Personal Mycelium” starting September 10th through October 22nd at The Donald Gallery at South Presbyterian Church. An opening event will be held at noon on Sunday, September 10th with light refreshments.
Hours of Operation Fall 2023*
Tuesday 12–6:30pm | Wednesday 2–4pm | Thursday 12–4pm | Sunday 9am–1pm
*Other times by appointment. Call Robin at 914.693.0473.
