I was asked by my daughter Krista, to be interviewed by answering seventeen questions since the Girl Scout troop is working on their badge for the arts for the next few weeks. I will do this for their troop and maybe someday some of the girls will decide to be artists later in life.  This is a priviledge and it lets me tell all about how I got started in art, what was my favorite art work that I completed, and about my tools as well as other related questions.  I enjoyed doing this for them since my daughter is a troop leader.

This is an original oil painting by Ruth Housley.  I finished the painting of the old Alton Bridge that is on old Alton Road south of Denton near Copper Canyon.  The bridge is an iron through-truss  that was originally built in 1884 by King Iron Bridge  Manufacturing Company to carry horses and the automobiles of the time, which were more narrower than today's vehicles.  The bridge was in constant use until circa 2001, when it was replaced with a concrete-and-steel bridge.  This road is heavily traveled by commuters, and it was decided that a newer multi lane bridge should be  put in its place.  The new bridge straightens out a sharp curve which still exists on  both ends of the old bridge.  It was previously necessary to honk your car's horn to see if anyone was coming, which is a less-than-optimal solution for everyday use.

The Old Alton Bridge was included in the National  Register of Historic Places, July 9, 1988.  The bridge is in Denton County.

I have been wanting to do this for a long time and took several photos of this bridge and decided to paint the old bridge.  This bridge is not used any longer and it is a landmark for the City of Denton.  People have fished from the stream and also there is a trail near the water.  The color of the water is muddy because of all the rain we had in the spring.  This area was closed off for a period of time because of the high water.

This painting was done in oil medium and original.

I enjoy being an artist because of the love I have for nature and how it renews with each season.  The inspiration I get from the subjects I choose allows me to create beauty, simplicity and serenity in this changing world through my paintings.  Nature definitely inspires me.  I gain inspiration from viewing other artist's work, reading and hearing about their accomplishments as artists, and studying their techniques. 

My goals are to continue striving to do my best work with each subject that I endeavor to undertake.
I feel I have succeeded if the viewer is able to connect with my painting and can view it with a pure sense of apprciation, calm, contentment, and perhaps a little longing to be a part of the scene depicted.  I feel that my works are realistically representative of the subjects I choose to paint.  I feel that my passion for painting shows in the finished products.

The time it takes to prepare and the careful sketches of my subject leads to a good compositon.  The selection of colors and tools to bring to life the masterpiece in my mind.  The passionate creativity that fuels each stroke on the canvas.  The care with which I paint my subject as well as the color and texture that I create.

I use pre-stretched canvases but have used panels to do works of art also.  I use Winsor & Newton oil paints as well as Grumbacher and recently Gamblin paints.  
 
I enjoy nature and capturing its colors and textures on canvas is a challenge I love to tackle.