About the artist
Ruth Schmidt (née Ilonka Ruth), born in 1982 in Transylvania, now lives and works in Budapest.
If asked how long she has been painting, she dates it to 2017, because although she started painting with acrylics earlier and attended several drawing and painting classes, she prefers to call those „experiments.” In 2017, she began learning the secrets of classical oil painting with her master, Kálmán Gasztonyi, which brought about a true change for her.
The years 2017-2021 she calls ‘The Learning Years’ in which she produced vast amount of study paintings in many styles. She particularly likes the works of Piet Mondrian, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Albert Bierstadt, Rembrandt van Rijn, Karoly Marko …. The names bear witness she enjoyed experimenting with different styles and techniques. These can be seen mainly in her eclectic study paintings, where she uses a mixture of features from various ages, styles, and trends. Her admiration for Warhol and Mondrian can be seen in her pop art and Mondrian-inspired geometric figurative paintings. Her search for a way can be seen in her paintings during these days.
In 2020, her style, rich in narrative and depth, began to unfold. She paintsartworks that combine realism with imagination.
In these, she found her unique voice and artistic identity.
His mentor, Kalman Gasztonyi, writes the following about her:
“Ruth Schmidt draws on the knowledge of the masters of past centuries, using their painting techniques to address the people of the 21st century. Her works, painted with the biggest professional shyness and fantastic precision, provide an aesthetic visual experience that is unmistakably unique to her. The paintings are narratives where the bare experience gets enriched with stories and feelings. Ruth’s basic nature is fun, a positive worldview, humour. Unfortunately, humour is having less and less space in contemporary painting, even though it is one of the greatest gifts of our lives. Fortunately, the Creator was generous with this gift to Ruth. The depiction of divine power also appears in her paintings, as her faith is very important to her. Her painting is perhaps best characterized by symbolism, but surrealism also appears occasionally. After all her ‘study paintings’ we will not find in her work a simple still life, or landscape or classically planned compositions. There is always a ‘twist’ by Ruth out there that transcends and makes the realistic painting to art. Ruth’s talent, diligence, and sense of purpose have many, many more excellent paintings in store for us.”
ARTIST STATEMENT
„In my artistic practice, I seek to move beyond mere imitation of the visible world and to convey the complex emotions and thoughts that reside in the unseen aspects of life such as affection, child-like faith, human cooperation, God-to-human relationship, grief, hope, love, loss, pain, humour, social criticism, self-criticism. Through my symbolist pieces, which often venture into surrealism, I strive to portray the unspeakable.
Drawing from personal experiences, my paintings become intimate depictions of my inner world, each piece representing a fragment of my soul. Henry Ward Beecher's thought perfectly reflects my art: “Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” Through my work, I strive to connect with viewers on a deep level, encouraging them to explore and appreciate the richness of their own emotional landscapes.”
SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2026 - Finland (Helsinki) - Helsinki Liszt Institute / David Art Gallery – Symbol
2026 - Latvia (Riga) - Embassy of Hungary in Riga / David Art Gallery - Symbol
2025 - Hungary (Budapest) - David Art Gallery/Y2O Elements - SYMBOL NEXT
2025 - Hungary (Budapest) - David Art Gallery - Symbol
2024 - Hungary (Miskolc) - MÖM - One sees clearly only with the heart
2022 - Romania (Vlăhița) - Aron Gabor Cultural House - The Great Journey
2021 - Hungary (Budapest) - Secret Gallery - Through Different Eyes
2020 - Hungary (Budapest) - Schmidt Ruth Paintings - independent gallery and
studio - permanent exhibition (from March 2020)
GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2026 – Spain (Barcelona) – MEAM European Museum of Modern Art – MEAM Hall 2026
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery/Fine Arts Capital – Open Doors
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – Biennale of the Twelve
2026 – USA (New York) – One Art Space Gallery – Artist Talk
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – Night Creatures
2026 – Hungary (Hévíz) –David Art Gallery/Le Primore Superior – CEO
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – AAAAfter
2026 – Hungary (Budapest Bálna) – David Art Gallery – Art and Antique
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – Sors Gallery – Fingerprints
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery/Fine Arts Capital – Mother Nature-Water
2026 – Hungary (Budapest) – Golden Duck Gallery – Fingerprints
2025 – Hungary (Budapest) – Breitling Budapest/David Art Gallery – Forever Time
2025 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – Construct Nature
2025 – Hungary (Budapest) Kincsem Kult/David Art Gallery – My Broken Renaissance
2025 – Hungary (Budapest) – Istvan Takacs Gallery – 34th Hungarian Independent Salon.
2025 – Spain (Damien) – Cultural Center – Target La Mancha
2025 – Belgium (Turnhout) – Art UP Contemporary – Mother Nature/ Water
2025 – Spain (Madrid) – Ateneo de Madrid – Target
2025 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – Elements
2025 – Hungary (Salgotarjan) – Salgotarjan Cultural Center / David Art Gallery – The
Colors of Rebirth
2025 – Hungary (Budapest) – Istvan Takacs Gallery – 33rd Hungarian Independent Salon.
national exhibition
2024 – Austria (Vienna) – CITYgalleryVIENNA and Golden Duck Gallery – Christmas is
at the Opera House
2024 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – 100 paintings, 100 thoughts
2024 – Hungary (Budapest) – K Gallery – Artist's Room
2024 – Monaco – International Contemporary Art Fair
2024 – Greece (Athens) – Art Number 23 Gallery – Athens Open Art
2024 – Japan (Tokyo) – Design Festa Gallery – Tokyo Open Art
2024 – USA (New York) – Artexpo New York
2024 – Italy (Lavagna) – Con-Temporary Art Observatorium – Freedom of Art 2.
2024 – USA (St Petersburg) – Florida's Poynter Park – Accepting Our Differences 2.
2024 – Hungary (Budapest) – David Art Gallery – Papillon Carnevale
2024 – USA (Sarasota) – Florida’s Bayfront Park – Embracing Our Differences 1.
2023 – France (Paris) – Salon International d'Art Contemporain at Carrousel du Louvre Paris
2023 – United Kingdom (London) – the 6th The London Art Biennale
2023 – United Kingdom (London) – Holy Art Gallery
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – Teravarna Gallery (Los Angeles, USA) and Golden Duck Gallery (Budapest) – artBIAS
2023 – Spain (Madrid) – Gaudi Arte Gallery – Brushstrokes of Freshness
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – Golden Duck Gallery – The First Catalog
2023 – France (Nice) – Nice International Art Expo
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – Golden Duck Gallery – Art for Peace
2022 – United Kingdom (London) – New Artist Fair – The Truman Brewery
2022 – Hungary (Budapest) – Simple Garden (Jancso Art Gallery) – Spring in the City
2022 – United Kingdom (Newark) – Thoresby Gallery – Universal Human Values
2019 – Hungary (Budapest) – Zsilip Art Center – Flora and Fauna
MEDIA APPEARANCES:
2026 – Finland (Helsinki) – Helsinki Liszt Institute / Paprika&Sauna Cultural Podcast
2025 – United Kingdom – Art Seen Magazine – Issue 18, interview
2025 – Canada (Toronto) – Divide Magazine – Issue 15, interview
2025 – United Kingdom – Artist Talk Magazine – Issue 40
2025 – France (Lyon) – Circle Quarterly Art Review – Issue 11
2024 – Canada (Toronto) – Divide Magazine – 11th Issue
2024 – United Kingdom – Art Seen Magazine – Fall Issue 2024
2024 – USA (Los Angeles) – Teravarna Gallery – Art Talks – video interview
2024 – Netherlands – Visual Art Journal Magazine – Issue 2, interview
2024 – USA (Sarasota) – Herald-Tribune – 2024 EOD Audience Award (May 24)
2024 – Hungary (Miskolc) – Miskolc Journal – Volume XXI, Issue 4 (January 27)
2024 – Hungary – BOON (Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County News Portal) (January 27)
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – RTL TV / „Tartget” – report (November 26 broadcast)
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – Artist Today, Cultural and Art Magazine, online (July 29)
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – ARTsCAP Contemporary Art Magazine, Issue 2023/2/XI (Art for Peace exhibition)
2022 – Hungary (Budapest) – Contemporary Art Magazine titled ARTsCAP 2022/1/X
2021 – Hungary (Budapest) – Karc FM 105.9 Radio / Páholy
2020 – USA (Newfields, New Hampshire) – Creativ Guts Zine – Spring Edition
AWARDS:
2025 – Spain (Madrid) – Ateneo de Madrid (Target Prize) – Michael Harding Award
2024 – Austria (Vienna) – CITYgalleryVIENNA – Concept Award
2024 – USA (New York) – ArtJobs – Artist of the Month Award
2024 – France (Lyon) – Circle Foundation for the Arts – Mastermind Award
2024 – USA (Sarasota, California) – Embracing Our Differences 2024 – Audience Award
2023 – France (Lyon) – Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine Contest – Artistic Excellence Award
2023 – USA (Santa Barbara) – World Wide Art/Artavita Competition – First Place
2023 – United Kingdom (London), selected as one of the artists for the 6th London Art Biennale
2023 – Hungary (Budapest) – Teravarna Gallery (Los Angeles, USA) and Golden Duck Gallery (Budapest) – artBIAS – First International Art Show – Special Jury Award
2021 – USA (New York) – People and Paintings Gallery/Vulnerable – Audience Award
2019 – Hungary (Budapest) – Flora and Fauna – Zsilip Art Center Painting Competition, Audience Award (Professional Category)
2019 – Hungary (Budapest) – Flora and Fauna – Zsilip Art Center Painting Competition
(professional category) 2nd place