Ruth McNab - UK interview

CHOCLO PROJECT: Hi Ruth, can you please tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to be an artist.

RUTH: I am the youngest of 3, and I remember my Mum being very creative with all of us. We were always drawing and generally making a mess. We all went to drama and dance school, so have always had a good outlet to express ourselves creatively. After finishing an arts foundation I moved about a bit until I met my husband Neil and started to travel around the Alps. I didn’t really pick up a paintbrush again until I moved to my home here in Chamonix.

CHOCLO PROJECT: So, this is your second collaboration with Choclo Project. What is it about the project that keeps you excited and willing to donate so much of your time and effort?

RUTH: I was very flattered to be asked to donate a painting to Choclo. I hadn’t heard anything about the company and once I started to research it, I became really excited about being part of it.

CHOCLO PROJECT: Both times the drawings you chose were from Diego Sevillano. Do you think there is some sort of connection between the two of you?

RUTH: Both pieces of artwork I chose had a great sense of adventure to me. They weren’t necessarily the brightest or most eye catching pieces but I loved the elements used. The piece which Diego drew this time was of a Condor and that offered a great metaphor once again to create something which evoked both hope and a sense of adventure. The journey that the children go through is enormous both mentally and physically and I really wanted to portray that in the piece. I wanted the viewer to feel a naivety and fragility in the piece but also hope and a feeling of ease. I think I see in Diego’s work something that maybe isn’t so obvious to other people, and that feels very special to me.

CHOCLO PROJECT: Diego has recently been adopted, along with his 2 sisters, after being abandoned in the streets of Lima when he was 5. How does this collaboration help get the kids off the streets and into a safe environment?

RUTH: Firstly the project gives the children at Neuvo Futuro an amazing chance to express themselves through their artwork. Elements of the pieces which the artists create are then taken and used on clothing sold by Choclo. The money raised by the sale of these products goes back to the centers which is focused on finding families for these children.

CHOCLO PROJECT: Why do you think it is so important for the children to express themselves?

RUTH: Since having had children myself I have really begun to understand the importance for a child to be able to express themselves through artwork. These children have been through a lot and it needs to come out in some form or another. Art is great therapy for these children. I hope that being able to see the journey of their creativity is inspiring to them too.

CHOCLO PROJECT: What is next in your quest to promote the creativity of the children?

RUTH: Who knows what’s next? I will continue to support and advocate what I believe to be a very worthwhile and important project as long as Choclo want me to! We are currently discussing on a project where we would travel to Peru to teach the children new skills and techniques to allow them to take their natural talent to the next level. We want the children to understand that their natural creativity can be a way out of their situation and that it is something very special that nobody can take away from them. The fact that the children can see their creations inspire and become real products has already had very positive effects on the children’s self-esteem. I would love to be a part of this initiative.

CHOCLO PROJECT: You were involved in a fundraiser in Chamonix last year. What was the idea behind this?

RUTH: Along with 5 other artists, I was invited to donate an original piece of artwork which was auctioned at an annual fundraiser for the charity. The night raised an enormous amount which went straight to the charity and helped raise money towards food and medical supplies. It also raised a lot of awareness to the charity too, which is so important for projects like this.

CHOCLO PROJECT: OK, last question. How is it living in Chamonix from a creativity standpoint?

RUTH: I was really surprised to see such a huge artistic scene in the valley when I first moved here. I hadn’t really been producing any artwork until I arrived here and have since had 3 exhibitions in Chamonix. The Choclo project has really helped me find my love for creativity again and I am really inspired at the moment to keep producing work.

I am lucky enough to live somewhere that artistically is so inspiring.