Bidspirit auction | Ruth Martha Kochta (New York,

Ruth Martha Kochta (New York, 1924-2003) - RUTH KOCHTA (1924-2003) OIL AND APPLIQUE ON CANVAS. Ruth Martha Kochta (New York, 1924-2003) Hurricane June 1972 Signed lower left. Signed again, titled and dated 6-72 verso. The current owner, an artist herself, relates the following: ' In the fall of 1975, both Ruth and I were exhibiting in the South Orange NJ Annual Downtown Outdoor Art Show which was a very popular destination for artists in the Tri-State area. Taking a break from my own exhibit, we (she and her husband) walked the avenue. That is how and when we met Ruth Kochta; we both fell in love with her work. She was already an established artist and gallery owner in the 70's. Ruth mentioned that she always signed her works on the diagonal to allow the owner to hang her pieces either horizontally or vertically. Hurricane has always hung horizontally for as long as David and I have owned it. Hurricane has hung prominently in our Upper Montclair home since that time. I am sad to part with it; but I am now in the process of downsizing my (our) collection. After graduating high school as valedictorian of her class in 1942, Ruth Kochta pursued her formal art education at Queens College before immersing herself in the epicenter of American modernism: The Art Students League of New York. At the League, she studied under the iconic mid-century masters Rudolf Baranik, Julian Levi, and Bruce Dorfman. With that she developed her distinctive style of heavily textured abstraction, sometimes incorporating paper collage or adding materials, like in the present work, to create thick, crust-like, earthy impastos with random applications. Ruth Kochta was a pioneering artist and an influential tastemaker who not only was a painter but a longtime gallery director as well. She participated in many group and solo exhibitions and her works are held in numerous institutional collections. Overall framed size measures 50.25 x 38.25 inches. Without proof of exemption, be aware that internet sales tax applies to all Internet transactions and local sales tax may apply to local pick-up transactions. We happily provide seamless in-house packing and shipping services on nearly everything we sell. Until further notice, we cannot offer international shipping in-house. Dimensions Overall framed size measures 50.25 x 38.25 inches. Condition Very good original untouched condition. There are no issues of scratches, losses, repairs, in-painting or touch-up.