Ruth Owens was born to a young German woman and a Black serviceman from Georgia in 1959. The nomadic military lifestyle of her childhood was complicated by restrictions to mixed families, and contributed to the formation of her cultural identity. She graduated in 2018 with an MFA from the University of New Orleans after leaving her medical practice of over 25 years. She is presently represented by Jonathan Ferrara Gallery of New Orleans, and belongs to the artist collectives: A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, NY and “The Front” in New Orleans. She completed residencies at the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover, MA in February 2019 and at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT in 2018. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Addison Gallery of American Art. Notable solo shows include “Identity Theft,” 2018, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans; “Baby Love,” 2018, University of New Orleans Gallery; “Conspiracies,” 2017, Barrister’s Gallery, New Orleans; and “Stepin’ Out,” 2016, Xavier University Chapel Gallery, New Orleans. Ruth has shown work at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Contemporary Art Center of New Orleans, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and the Art on Paper Fair, 2019, NYC.