Sitting Pretty with Picture Perfect Portraits by Ruth Maystead
By Heather Gaghan

It seems that drive, in more ways than one, has shaped the artistic path of this month’s Artist, Ruth Maystead. Ruth was a student at UC Berkley studying chemical engineering when a drive along a highway in California changed the course of her life. A horrible high speed accident with an 18 wheeler left Ruth with three herniated discs in her neck and a recovery period of almost five years.

During her long recovery from the accident, Ruth passed some of her time walking around the sunny streets of suburban L.A. She began to take notice of the many artists showcasing their work on street corners throughout the city and started thinking, “I could do that myself!” So with the help of some local artists she picked up brushes and canvas, and at the age of 30 found herself making money after only her third painting!

This was not the only time personal tragedy played an influential role in Ruth’s artistic career. As a child she was stricken with polio and found “drawing on anything she could find” a way to find solace during those seemingly endless days confined to her room.

Ruth recalls the exact moment she knew she had officially rekindled her love affair with painting. She walked out to the garage to get something from her freezer, glanced at a painting she had been working on, and completely forgot about the Thanksgiving dinner she was preparing—for three hours!

Animals became part of Ruth’s artistic landscape when a girlfriend approached her about commissioning her to paint her horse. Ruth recalls the process of working with her first animal subject as quite…exhilarating. It turned out the horse’s idea of fun was galloping full speed at her at the exact moment she would snap his picture, scaring her half to death in the process! Even more shocking to Ruth was that the horse’s portrait took first prize at a local club’s art show she had entered.

Speed, along with drive, seems to be another factor in Ruth’s success. In 1975, with three children to take care from a recent divorce, Ruth put her work into overdrive. She began displaying her work in art shows in local shopping malls. Once again, she was approached by a gentleman requesting a portrait of his horses and also his dogs. This time, fate stepped in once more and put her back on the road to marriage as this gentleman wound up becoming her husband.

She continued to paint driven by the desire to maintain a comfortable living for her and her children, and attended all kinds of animal shows from cats to horses—selling her paintings at almost 50 shows a year! The commissions continued to roll in as she set up her booth, show after show and as her popularity grew she decided to number and sign prints of her work.

Ruth remembers “letting out a WHEW!” when her last child graduated from UCLA. She decided it was her turn and focused her attention on creating a product line to accompany her increasingly popular portraits. She began with note cards that matched the breed portraits she had displayed at her booths in dog shows across the country. She then made the smart decision to enter the world of trade shows and it was here that she found her cruising speed. Her work was an instant hit and it inspired Ruth to expand her product line to include list pads and magnets with 12 new designs that nearly doubled her business!

Working out of her garage was no longer an option. Products continued to pile up around the house including her studio, thus Ruth knew it was time to expand. Now her space for all her products requires an expansive storage facility to keep up with a retail store list that is 2500 names long! At last count she had 150 designs in list pads with magnets and 400 different note cards.

Her work has been exhibited in the AKC Museum of the Dog in St. Louis and in the Art Show held in conjunction with Westminster Dog Show in Manhattan. The museum remains a faithful client and continues to sell her work in their store and during the Westminster Dog Show in Madison Square Garden in New York.

Through the years and the many roads she has traveled both personally and professionally, Ruth says that “Painting is my life…and I have an overwhelming desire to paint new designs whenever I see an inspiring animal.” When that animal catches her eye, it is their expression that makes her reach for her brushes. She says, “Their look that captures their unique personality is always my goal and I work hard to achieve it. Each wrinkle and hair has to be perfect,” providing the dogs she paints with the personality she has captured with every stroke of her brush. She paints exclusively in oils and very small brushes. She even cuts some of the brushes to really capture each of her subject’s sparkling personalities! Each year finds Ruth discovering new roads of creativity and last year she added a Lab Choir Christmas Card to her ever-expanding product line.



Ruth’s pictures and products of these sparkling four legged personalities can be found in the All Labs store as we proudly offer her three styles of Lab Christmas Cards and Gift Wrap, Gift Bags, Roller Pens, Magnetic Note Pads, and Silk Ties all perfect gifts to share with the dog lover in your life during this Holiday Season!