Ruby Williams was born in 1930 in Florida. She married and then separated from her husband David. After the separation she went to New Jersey to be with her sister. She intended to stay only a little while but ended up being there for 28 years. She founded a mission and became an evangelist. In 1983 she returned to Florida and opened a fruit and vegetable stand. Her colorful, bold signs were what first attracted Rodney Hardee. He wanted to know if she painted pictures, too. She hadn't for a long time but decided to give it a try. using paint left over from her sign making, Ruby painted on old table top. Since then she has developed a very personal art vocabulary. Using acrylic paint straight out of a can or tube, Ruby creates areas of flat color. She then applies a black outline that delineates figures and gives them the same poster quality as her signs. She also uses an expressive dotting technique. She paints on canvas board, plywood, and unstretched canvas. Her early works contain animal imagery, real and imaginary. Now there are more figures of people. Most have messages included. Ruby paints images that come to her mind, recurring ones have developed names and personalities. In 1997, there was a one person exhibition of her work at the Polk Museum of Art and she was also included in the exhibit "Outsider Art: An Exploration of Chicago Collections" at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Piano Playing Cow 48 x 36 unframed paint on board $750 Woo Mule 48 x 48 unframed paint on plywood $675 Kids at Play 48 x 48 unframed paint on plywood $675 SOLD I Need A Drink 24 x 17 unframed paint on plywood $325
