12 Facts About Ruth Gikow

Ruth Gikow was an American visual artist known primarily for her work as a genre painter.

Ruth Gikow was born on January 6,1915, in the Russian Empire to Boris, a photographer, and Lena Gikow.

Once in New York City, the Gikow family found themselves in poverty, rather than the middle-class comfort they enjoyed in Ukraine.

Ruth Gikow's skill was prominent even in youth, as she excelled in drawing in elementary school and entered Washington Irving High School at age thirteen in which she furthered her artistic skills.

Ruth Gikow was not present for the "simple diversions of her age group" due to prioritizing her art and her night time job at Woolworth's.

Ruth Gikow joined the New York City WPA Federal Art Project in 1935, where she was allowed to dedicate herself to her artwork full-time.

Ruth Gikow became disillusioned with mural painting due to the commercial aspect of these commissions.

Ruth Gikow's work was included in the 1947 and 1951 Dallas Museum of Fine Arts exhibitions of the National Serigraph Society.

Ruth Gikow became renowned for her large scale paintings which depict city settings and imagery.

Originally, Ruth Gikow wished to work as a fashion or commercial artist, yet could not find work despite her qualifications due to the effects of the Depression.

Ruth Gikow was stated to have moved away from commercial art due to the inspiration she received from a classmate.

The classmate had sketched the image of caged animal while on a field trip to the zoo and Ruth Gikow found the image to capture not the likeness of the creature but instead the tension and essence.