About the Sculptor
Sculptor Ruth Burink is a full time American artist working in the Abstract Figurative style, primarily in stone and bronze. Her contemporary sculpture is figurative and nature-centered tending toward the abstract, and often spiritual in concept. Her award winning sculpture can be seen in public and private collections, in galleries and in international shows.
She lives and works in Monument, Colorado. She obtained a degree in English Literature with Fine Art support work from the University of Texas and continues to educate her mind and her art.
I love what I do. Carving stone keeps me centered and present. The quarried rock is the past, the sculpture is the future: interacting with the stone is the present. Being in the present allows me to explore the stone and reveal rather than impose a sculpture on the stone. It allows sculpture to develop naturally and gracefully. It means living in the carving process, in the noise and the dust and the possibilities. It’s thrilling and soothing at the same time and I can’t imagine doing anything else.
My goal is always to capture grace and beauty in my sculptures through sensitive design and meticulous finish work. My work is approachable and serene and of the highest quality craftsmanship. I enjoy all kinds of stone and use different types based on the appeal of color and texture and its suitability. I often cast a bronze from my stone originals.
Burink has lived and traveled in Europe and Asia as well the in United States and has seen her art influenced by ideas and styles from throughout the world. She has participated in shows in the United States, Japan, Italy, and Belgium. Her work has merited awards including Best of Show and First Place awards, grants, and purchase awards. Her work is collected internationally by individuals, corporations, and public institutions.
“Ruth Burink’s work literally takes one’s breath away…feel much like poetry, carving a graceful space using her beautiful mind.” Spiritual Continuum, Virginia L. Clark, Tempo Magazine/the Taos News
The Artist’s Resume
Ruth Burink
Monument, CO 80132-9033
USA
Selected Exhibitions
| 2011 | Front Range Open Studios, Regionalstudio tour, Northern El Paso County, CO |
| The Ten, Hayden-Hays Gallery, Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO | |
| Art for the Mountain Community, Evergreen, CO | |
| Feel Free to Touch, Carbondale Center for the Arts, Carbondale, CO | |
| 2010 | Sundance Mountain Sculpture Exhibition, Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO |
| Capturing the Spirit, Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood, CO | |
| Three Dimensional, Hunter-Wolff Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO | |
| Art on the Corner, Grand Junction, CO | |
| Art on the Blue, Breckenridge, CO | |
| 2009 | Art on the Corner, Grand Junction, CO. MainStreet and 5th |
| Art on the Blue, Breckenridge, CO. -Junethrough Sept | |
| Windows on the Divine, Denver, CO.-Sat,Oct 3, Madden Museum, Denver | |
|
2008 |
Pueblo Street Gallery Exhibit,Pueblo, CO |
| Public Art eXperience, Montrose, CO | |
| Art on Parade, Northglenn, CO | |
| SculptureWalk 2008, Sioux Falls, SD | |
| Art on the Corner, Grand Junction, CO. (&2007, 2006, 2005, 2004) | |
| 2007 | Windows on the Divine, Denver, CO. (&2005) |
| Art on the Blue, Breckenridge, CO. (&2006, 2005) | |
| 2006 | Masters of Sacred Art, JHS Gallery, Taos,NM |
| 7th Annual Sculptures in the Streets, Mesa,AZ | |
| 2005 | Small Monuments International Sculpture Exhibition,Gallery Donkersvoort, Beek & Donk, The Netherlands, and GalleryExelmans, Neeroeteren, Belgium |
| Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO. (&2003, 2002) | |
| 2004 | Form/Reform Liturgy and Art for Catholic Worship,Los Angeles, CA (& 2002) |
| International Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture 2004, Miyazaki Airport, Miyazaki, Japan | |
| An Artist’s View, Center for the Arts,Palmer Lake, CO Juried | |
| Associates Showcase, Rocky Mountain Women’sInstitute, Denver University, Denver, CO | |
| Expressions of the Sacred, Iliff Schoolof Theology, Denver, CO | |
| Solo Show, Art at the Airport, ColoradoSprings Airport, Colorado Springs, CO | |
| 2003 | Beinnale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea,Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy. Invitational |
| Stone Sculpture Showcase, Colorado HistoryMuseum, Denver, CO (& 2001) | |
| Northern Colorado Artist Association National,Ft. Collins, CO Juried | |
| 2002 | Colorado Governor’s Invitational,Loveland Art Museum, Loveland, CO |
| 2001 | Ruth Burink Solo Show, Tri-LakesCenter for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO |
| 2000 | Colorado 2000: A Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs, CO |
| 1999 | Fall Festival of Fine Art, Center for theArts, Palmer Lake, CO. JuriedAnnual Invitational,The Art Students League, Colorado Springs, CO (& 1998) |
Selected Commissions
The Kiss marble sculpture, Castle Rock, CO. Sponsored by Brian and Jill Cram, 2008.
Love Song marble sculpture, Monument, CO. Sponsored by Steve Stingley, 2006.
The Holy Family marble sculpture, Eau Claire, WI. Sponsored by Carolyn Johnson, 2006.
Hands of Health bronze award sculpture, Raleigh, NC. Sponsored by John Rex Endowment, 2005.
Compassion marble sculpture, Penrose-St. Francis Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO. Sponsored by the hospital workers and in their honor, 2004.
White Dove II marble sculpture, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia. Sponsored by Sammy Yu, 2003.
Holy Spirit Mediator marble sculpture, Cloister Garden, St. Teresa Catholic Church, Houston, TX. Sponsored by Greg Haas and members of the parish, 2003.
Come Holy Spirit marble on granite sculpture, St. Peter Catholic Church Education Center, Monument, CO. Sponsored by the members of the parish, 2002.
Public Art & Collections
- Renown Health, Reno, NV
- Mercy Hospital, Canton, OH
- Memorial Hospital North, Colorado Springs, CO.
- Penrose Hospital North, Colorado Springs, CO.
- Penrose Hospital, Colorado Springs, CO.
- City of Grand Junction, Grand Junction, CO.
- Art for the Mountain Community, Evergreen, CO.
- St. Joseph Hospital Maternity Wing, Denver, CO.
- City of Loveland, Loveland, CO.
- Divine Redeemer Catholic Church Garden, Colorado Springs, CO.
- St. Teresa Catholic Church, Houston, TX.
Bibliography
Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea, 4th Edition, Arte Studio, Florence, Italy, 2003.
Diana Dietvorst, “Ruth Burink, An American Stone Sculptor in Florence, Italy’s Biennale Internazionale dell’Arte Contemporanea”, Sculptural Pursuit Magazine, Vol 3, No 2.
Lyne Lundquist, “Crowds Line Up for Art Gala”, The Tribune, November 2002.
Guild Sourcebook of Architectural & Interior Art, #18, 19, 20, 21.
Virginia L. Clark, “Spiritual Continuum, Internationally renowned artists explore art and history, Tempo, Arts & Entertainment Magazine of the Taos News, Oct. 5-11, 2006.
Selected Awards & Honors
- Purchase Award. Penrose-St. Francis Exhibit, Colorado Springs, CO, 2006.
- Juror’s Choice Purchase Award. Art on the Corner, Grand Junction, CO, 2006.
- Grant Recipient. Kittredge Educational Fund, 2003.
- Fellowship. Rocky Mountain Women’s Institute Associate Program, Denver, CO, 2003-2004.
- Grant Recipient. Amber Financial, San Diego, CA, 2003.
- Grant Recipient. People’s National Bank, Monument, CO, 2003.
- Best of Show. Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO, 2004.
- Meritorious Award. Colorado State Fair, Pueblo, CO, 2003.
- Best of Show. Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO, 2003.
- Best of ShowAward for body of work. Stone Sculpture Showcase, Denver, CO, 2001.
- Second Place. Fall Festival of Fine Art, Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, CO, 1999.
- Third in Show. The Art Students League of Colorado Springs, Colo Spgs, CO, 1999.
- First Place in Sculpture. Second Place in Sculpture. Annual Show, The Art Students League, Colorado Springs, CO, 1998.
Gallery Representation
- Creator Mundi Gallery, 2910 E. Third Ave, Denver, CO
- Elder Gallery, 1427 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
- Kodner Gallery, 9650 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, MO 63124
- Secret Window Gallery, 47 Third St, Monument, CO 80132
- SOHO MYRIAD Art Consulting, 1250B Menlo Dr., Atlanta, GA 30318
Education & Training
University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, B.A. Literature with Fine Art. 1990, Graduate Study Poetry, 1991
The Art Students League, Colorado Springs, CO, Portrait Study, Advanced Figure Study, Anatomy, Stone Sculpture,
Marble Institute of Colorado, Marble, CO, Symposium for stone carving, 1996, 1999, 2003
Memberships
National Sculpture Society, International Society of Artists, Women’s Caucus for Art, Colorado Stone Sculptors, Texas Society of Sculptors