Passionate about creating and helping others to create.

Ruby Chew is a visual artist and educator based in Adelaide, Australia.

Her artistic practice employs realistic and process-based painting and drawing techniques to engage viewers in open dialogue. Ruby's work delves into the complexity of the human experience, inviting viewers to contemplate the layers of reality beyond the surface. Exploring themes of the physical, metaphysical and emotional, she challenges perceptions and invites reflection on the interconnectedness of our world.

As an educator, Ruby is dedicated to crafting personalised art experiences for her students. She focuses on developing students’ practical and conceptual skills, empowering them to confidently and skilfully express their unique ideas through art.

Ruby’s work is deeply rooted in traditional painting techniques, as was her primary focus from 2010-2019. In response to more turbulent times, Ruby’s practice shifted towards exploring abstraction and process-based making, utilising the artistic ‘path less travelled’. She now aims to bring abstraction and realism together in harmony within her work.

Ruby completed a BA Visual Arts Hons. at Adelaide Central School of Art (2010) specialising in realistic, figurative oil painting. She also completed further study at Central Saint Martins, London (2015) and the Florence Academy of Art, Florence (2015). She also completed a Masters of Teaching at the University of South Australia (2023) to support her work as a Teaching Artist and Educator, which she has been doing for over 10 years.

In 2011, her works were accepted into the prestigious Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition, where she was awarded the SALA Prize, part funding her first solo exhibition, and the Hill Smith Gallery/Helpmann Academy Travel Prize, funding a 3 month artistic development trip around the UK and Europe. Ruby is a Ruth Tuck Scholarship recipient (2015) and has exhibited, taught and held residency positions interstate and overseas. She has had numerous solo exhibitions, notably ‘Portraits’ at Magazine Gallery (2011), ’Spitting Image’ at Hill Smith Gallery (2012) and ‘The Difference Between Things’ at Floating Goose Studios (2021). 

Her artworks are in public and private collections across Australia, Canada, Malaysia and London. Ruby was the recipient of the Guildhouse/City of Adelaide ART WORKS residency in July ‘21. She currently lives and works in Adelaide, South Australia.

Ruby has been working as a Teaching Artist alongside her Art Practice since 2012. She’s passionate about Arts education and feels her Art and Teaching Practices are intrinsically linked, inform and support one another and she enjoys giving back to the artistic community through teaching. This includes workshops, mentoring teachers, professional development and residencies.

Drawing from years of practical experience and a Master of Teaching (2023), Ruby combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on expertise, tailoring workshops to a variety of demographics and specific learning outcomes, including ACARA, SACE, IB and MYP achievement standards and content descriptions.

Her imaginative, fun and informative approach is well received by students. Ruby has taught in South Australia, interstate and overseas.

Testimonials

Ruby's teaching philosophy sees and treats students as artists, not studiers of art which was empowering. She is able to facilitate a positive experience for the student's journey within the world of education and the arts. Student engagement with Visual Arts lessons at our school increased exponentially and it has created an entire shift in the way that our community views Art as a subject.

- CHLOE VIRGIN, YEAR 5/6 TEACHER, CHRISTIES BEACH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Ruby is a highly competent educator… she values the voices of young people, supporting them to visually communicate their own ideas through their art.

- KYLIE NEAGLE, EDUCATION COORDINATOR, ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

[Ruby’s] dedication, professionalism, passion for her practice, acute attention to detail, paired with her immense creativity and curiosity to learn and to teach others, has led her to be one of our most senior and well-respected teaching artists.

- TESS SYME, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, CARCLEW