"Madonna & Child"
by Dr Karen Ruddy

December 12, 2006 - January 13, 2007

Artist Reception
Thursday, December 14
 5:00 - 6:30 pm
Gallery Talk 5:15pm

EXHIBIT SPONSOR:
MW Radiology & Imaging

Dr. Karen Ruddy was born in Iowa and grew up in Emmetsburg in the 50's.  She earned an undergraduate degree in Art and Education from Doane College, Crete, Nebraska in 1973 where she created large works of art, some of which are featured in this retrospective exhibit.  Karen had one-woman shows at Nebraska Wesleyan University and the Haymarket Gallery, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Forced to change her career in 1974, she earned a Master's and Ph.D. from Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas and spent the next 31 years as the Director of College and multi-type Library System in Armarillo, Texas and Admore, Oklahoma.  During these years she created only yearly Christmas Cards.  She retired in 2004, moved back home to Emmetsburg with her husband, Victor, and has had the great joy of returning to her first love - Art - in all its forms.
Karen works incessantly in every type of media - from graphic drawings, oils, pastels, watercolor, pottery, stain glass, beadwork and sculpture, to her recent work with Venetian Smalti mosaics.  Realistic and abstract religious themes are found throughout her work.  This work features the " Madonna & Child Series".