The Life of Ruth Jensen Miller

                                             Ruth Jensen Miller 1899-1979

Portrait by J. Laurie Wallace

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska Ruth was a wonderful artist who was also involved in artist groups and councils. Being very active in the art community was very important to her. She was an actress as well, being the understudy to Mary Pickford and prominent actor in her era. Her paintings are simply gorgeous. Her style was definitely realistic, and as for her process she started multiple things at a time.  Convenient for oils, because they take awhile to dry. 

No Title
1960
18 x 24"
Oils

                                                      

Her way of perfectly portraying what she painted is almost unfathomable. The realism in her work is spectacular and on a whole other level technique.            

No Title
No Date
18 x 25"
Oils

She worked on mostly larger pieces of paper or canvas and most of her work is in oils or watercolors.

No title
No Date
17 x 23"
Watercolor

Here is one of her stunning watercolor pieces that is so beautiful to look at. Her use of color and the mostly complimentary color scheme brings the piece together. 

"The Untamed"
No Date
25 x 30"
Oils

This is her spectacular painting of a wave crashing against seaside rocks that won the Governor's Arts Award for best of the show. 

For someone who was from Omaha, she painted wonderful oceans. She did so whenever she was on vacation.

The Nebraska Arts Council gives out Governor's Arts Awards to this day. For information on current nominees here is the link: 

http://www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/

No Title
No Date
22 x 28
Oils

Her paintings of oceans never cease to amaze, and almost makes the viewer want to visit where this was painted to see what it looks like today. 

Water is definitely not easy to paint, and just looking at her astonishing realism with the ocean is simply breathtaking. 

Not only was Ruth a wonderful painter, but she was also a mother to her only child, Marilynn. 

Marilynn
14 x 16
1945
Oils

 

Marilynn at 16
1943
8 x10"
Colored Pencil or Pastel

These are two portraits she did of her daughter Marilynn. One when she was 16 and the other when she was older.

She was a wonderful portrait artist who could easily capture the beauty of any person she painted. 

Her daughter even inherited some of her artistic talents, although wasn't a professional artist like her mother was.

No Title
1953
9 x 12"
Oils

Her work was simply stunning, like in her painting above. Her use of color, composition and in this piece use of reflections is what makes her paintings so lifelike. 

A fun fact about this painting, the table in the still life is to this day still with one of her grandchildren. It was passed down through the family from her, to her daughter, to her grandson. 

This is a photograph of her paint pallet from the last time she painted. When she last painted was a bit unclear, but she died in 1979. This is also in her grandson's possession. 

There is just something so beautiful and unspoken about the paint pallet when it is bursting with creativity 38 years after the artist's death. 

This is an article, with a picture of Ruth about an art event that she was helping to put on.

Being able to see articles like these is incredible, especially since they are so old. 

This is the notice that a local Omaha artist had won the Governor's Award for the best single painting. That artist was Ruth Jensen Miller.

This is a picture of her when she was younger, in her acting days. She often went by Ruth Maurice as well as several other names including, 

R. E. Miller

E. R. Miller

Ruth J. Miller

Although she was known by many different names in her time, she was a unique person living through many different eras like the Roaring 20's.

This is another paper clipping of her and her art club painting in her backyard. It was published, July 23, 1948.




Her work in the art community in Omaha greatly impacted how art was viewed and presented. Her presence was one of importance.

This is the other side of the newspaper clipping from above where it gives the names of blue ribbons awarded to artists.



It mentions in the middle column of Ruth's winning of two blue ribbons in the professional artists division.


The right column is listing off other winners within other divisions of the show.

Published on March 10, 1946 this paper clipping shows an article about a new art group organized by people from Omaha.

The woman in the middle is Ruth, and there are 30 members including other small groups.

Her artwork has certainly withstood the test of time, and her work is recognizable. Although she was from Omaha, she is now buried next to her daughter Marilynn in California.

 

Here are photographs of their headstones in California where they both rest. 

A few final facts about the lovely, 

Ruth Jensen Miller. 

Ruth is my great grandmother. 

Marilynn is my grandmother.

Marilynn is my father's mother.

Ruth's grandson that has that table in her still life is my father. (the last painting mentioned above)

All of the paintings are from my house, and currently reside in my basement and on the walls. 

Sources: 

My father: 

   -Pictures of the paintings and headstones

My Grandfather: 

    -Pictures of the newspaper clippings in his possession.