Spotlight on Suffolk Artist Ruth McCabe - Abstraction, Atmosphere, and the Voice of the North Sea

10/05/2025

Author: UK Artists

Ruth McCabe creates expressive, avant-garde work that captures a profound sense of place and feeling. Her paintings are fresh and modern, informed by a lifetime of experiences—from a childhood steeped in the industrial drama of Yorkshire to the fragile, ever-changing landscapes of Suffolk’s coast.

Ruth’s art is deeply atmospheric. She allows form and mark to emerge organically, often working abstractly until the piece begins to reveal its own language. This intuitive process leads to evocative works that speak to the viewer not just visually, but emotionally. As she says, her work is about the experience of being there—whether "there" is a memory, a place, or a fleeting moment of internal insight.

A love of music, dance, and nature infuses her practice, along with a deepening relationship with the North Sea, especially in winter. These elements aren't just influences—they're energies, ever-present in her brushstrokes and colour choices. Ruth’s abstract works feel alive: they breathe, they move, they resonate.

Original, Expressive, and Available

Ruth welcomes commissions for abstract pieces, offering collectors the chance to engage directly with her creative process. She creates watercolour paintings, acrylic paintings, and mixed media art. In addition to her larger works, Ruth creates stunning hand-made cards—affectionately referred to as “little beauties.” Each one is a miniature original artwork, not a reproduction. These A6-sized watercolour cards glow with jewel-like pigments and offer a thoughtful, uplifting gift of colour and light—perfect for the darker seasons or simply to brighten someone’s day.

Visit, Collect, Reflect

Those able to attend Ruth McCabe’s regular studio open days will find treasures in her ongoing retrospective sale, with original works starting from just £50. It’s a chance to connect with the artist, explore her evolving body of work, and perhaps take home a piece that speaks directly to you.

With a professional background in psychotherapy, Ruth is also extending her practice to support fellow British artists in exploring how their creative work informs their understanding of self. It’s another layer to her already rich and introspective artistic journey—a journey she invites us to be part of.

Whether through her bold abstracts, shimmering card miniatures, or thoughtful engagement with other creatives, Ruth McCabe’s work offers more than visual impact—it invites us to feel, reflect, and connect.