“I want my art to capture the soul rather than the surface. Pleasantly skillful work does not interest me—it doesn’t ask enough of the viewer or reveal enough of the creator. I value authenticity, intensity, even awkwardness. Risk is essential.”
- Joanne Ruggles

Joanne Ruggles

For more than five decades, Joanne Beaule Ruggles has devoted herself to an unflinching exploration of the human figure—its structure, its spirit, and its stories. Her work, deeply informed by her reading of Zen in the Art of Archery, blends disciplined practice with spontaneous, intuitive mark-making. Ruggles’ process is both ritual and risk: she often begins with bold, abstract environments of acrylic color, layered marks, and textures before discovering and coaxing figures from within.

Her figure studies—executed with humble twigs or sticks dipped in India ink—are wild, free, and exuberant, capturing the energy of a pose rather than its photographic likeness. By embracing imperfection and letting the “stick do its dance,” Ruggles resists preciousness in favor of authenticity.

Once a Professor of Art at Cal Poly State University (1973–2004), Ruggles has exhibited internationally, received numerous grants and honors, and is represented in collections from California to Austria. Yet her commitment remains unchanged: to portray the human form with knowledge, skill, and deep empathy.

In her work, chaotic beginnings yield to moments of connection—between figure and field, artist and subject, artwork and viewer. Each painting becomes a mirror, reflecting our shared humanity.