Ruth Grinstead was born in Woking, Surrey in 1958 and lived in the south until moving to Norfolk in 1989; she now lives and works in Norwich.

After leaving school, work and family commitments meant her interest in art had to wait. When time became available her interest rekindled and without any formal training she embarked upon an ongoing course of self directed study. Initially working solely in watercolours, she has progressed to include graphite and soft pastels, which she loves for their immediacy and their ability to capture light.

From her first encounter with a steam locomotive she felt an affinity with the railways, she said ‘even at home in front of the easel I can smell the smoke and coal, I can hear the whistles and toots and the sound of the wheels on the rails, I can taste the smoke on my tongue, I can see them moving through stations and feel the platform shake beneath my feet and I continually try to capture my passion for this experience in all my paintings’.

Group Exhibitions

2005

The Bluebell Railway

2007

NOS Taster at the Assembly Rooms Norwich

Solo Exhibition

2007

Norfolk Open Studios

Ruth Grinstead © 2002-2008 All rights reserved