Dr Ruth McDermott is an academic and installation artist working in the public realm driven by a passion for expressing ideas and telling stories. The inspiration for the work comes from a variety of areas but has a focus on the natural environment while exploring the possibilities of both light and materials.She has been working for 12 years with Illumination designer Ben Baxter on large scale light installations for festivals, councils and architects. They have participated in nine Vivid Sydney festivals and a number of festivals in regional areas. Their book on their 12 years of light art practice was published in 2022 through University of Technology Sydney ePress and can be viewed through open access. Prior to this joint practice, Ruth McDermott created interior installations for exhibitions and lighting works for a variety of clients. She exhibited new lighting work at the Salone Satellite section of the 2001, 2002 and 2003 Milan Furniture Fair and was the recipient of three Australia Council for the Arts grants. In 2022, Ruth McDermott undertook an arts residency in Iceland and will hold a solo exhibition at the Willoughby City Artspace in August 2024 of works inspired by this experience.
