Ruth Dennis Grover (1912–2003) was a painter and educator from Oregon known for her landscapes and her abstract art.

Biography

Ruth Grover, a fifth-generation Oregonian, was born in 1912 in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...

. She was raised by her father in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

, spending the summers with her mother in Oregon. She studied art at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

. After graduating with honors, Grover found work as a freelance commercial artist while working as a bookkeeper for her father's

pneumatic tube Pneumatic tubes (or capsule pipelines, also known as pneumatic tube transport or PTT) are systems that propel cylindrical containers through networks of tubes by compressed air or by partial vacuum. They are used for transporting solid objects, a ...

manufacturing company in Detroit. In 1940, she moved to Wecoma, Oregon, and to Roads End, Oregon in 1944. Grover remained at Roads End for the rest of her life. Grover lived with her partner, the writer

M. K. Wren Martha Kay Renfroe () was an American writer of mystery and science fiction. Renfroe, who published her works under the pseudonym M.K. Wren, was best known for her mystery series featuring the character Conan Flagg. Early life Renfroe was born ...

(Martha Kay Renfroe), from the 1960s until her death in 2003.

Career

At the beginning of her career in Oregon, Grover focused on watercolor landscapes of the

Oregon Coast The Oregon Coast is a coastal region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Oregon Coast Range to the east, and stretches approximately from the California state border in the south to the Columbia ...

and landscapes of

Eastern Oregon Eastern Oregon is the eastern part of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is not an officially recognized geographic entity; thus, the boundaries of the region vary according to context. It is sometimes understood to include only the eight easternmost ...

. In 1956, she discovered the technique of

encaustic painting Encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, is a form of painting that involves a heated wax medium to which colored pigments have been added. The molten mix is applied to a surface—usually prepared wood, though canvas and other mat ...

. Her encaustic works are abstract, but remain rooted in nature's patterns. Grover was active in the Oregon artistic community. She helped establish the Lincoln County Art Center, where she taught classes, as well as the Cascade Artists where she served as director for a time. Grover has artworks in the collections of the

Oregon Historical Society The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the Oregon Country, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, preser ...

Coos Art Museum Coos Art Museum is a museum in Coos Bay, operating on the southern coast of the U.S. state of Oregon since 1966. It offers exhibitions, art classes, lectures, and community events. Coos Art Museum is housed in a 1936 Art Deco former U.S. Post Offi ...

Erb Memorial Union The Erb Memorial Union (EMU) is the student union building of the University of Oregon (UO) in Eugene, Oregon, United States. History The building was constructed in 1950. It was named for Donald M. Erb. Two subsequent additions were built in ...

(

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

), and the

Hallie Ford Museum of Art The Hallie Ford Museum of Art (HFMA) is the museum of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is the third largest art museum in Oregon. Opened in 1998, the facility is across the street from the Oregon State Capital in downtow ...

Willamette University Willamette University is a private liberal arts college with locations in Salem and Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States. Originally named the Oregon Institute, the school was an unaffiliated ...

References

External links

Ruth Grover interview
from

Oregon Art Beat Oregon Art Beat is a weekly television show that airs on Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB). Oregon Art Beat features Oregon musicians, artists, and cultural events. Oregon Art Beat was created in 1999 by Jeff Douglas, a longtime radio broadcaster i ...

Season 4, Episode 42, August 27, 2003 {{DEFAULTSORT:Grover, Ruth Dennis 1912 births 2003 deaths 20th-century American women artists 20th-century American artists Artists from Portland, Oregon Painters from Oregon Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design alumni People from Lincoln City, Oregon 20th-century American LGBT people 21st-century American women American lesbian artists