Featured Original Work Can Be Seen at D-Gallerie in St Petersburg, FL
Ruth Mulvie was born in 1979 with Scottish roots, Mulvie trained in painting at the Glasgow School of Art (1998–2002), including a formative semester at Paris’s Beaux-Arts de Paris. She later worked in Glasgow and London before settling on the Sussex coast, where her studio—overlooking sea and downs—became the perfect setting for her bright, beach-inspired creations.
Distinctive Style: Color as Emotion & Memory
Mulvie’s work is characterized by daring, high-saturation color reminiscent of Kodachrome photography—turquoise seas, candy pinks, sherbet yellows, fluorescent greens—that evoke nostalgia and emotional resonance.
Using acrylic underpainting topped with oil paint, she creates textural richness and layered depth, where flat perspectives sparkle with energy and detail—setting scenes that feel both familiar and enchantingly.
Her visual vocabulary includes:
- Pools and seaside lidos (public outdoor swimming pools), where sunlight glistens.
- Retro architecture—lidos, hotels, fairgrounds, rollercoasters.
- Mini narratives—dancing figures, dogs, animals, disco queens, insects, lounging icons.
- Modern embellishments—e.g., copper leaf touches in her limited-edition prints (like Xanadu).
Themes & Creative Influences
Mulvie explores spaces tied to leisure, pleasure, nostalgia, and escapism. She often works from old photographs, postcards, vintage imagery, or personal memories, assembling collages that she transforms into radiant canvases.
Roots of her inspiration trace to:
- School trips to Blackpool’s rollercoaster parks, photographing them in cotton-candy light.
- A teenage affinity for Brighton’s seagulls, deckchairs, candy floss—and the sense of home it gave her.
- Travels to California and Miami, spurring her love of bold sunlight and retro LA glamour.
Her recollections are sensory: the scent of wet concrete, sun-warmed tiles, snapping sunlight on water—each memory distilled into immersive color experiences.
Major Exhibitions & Recognition
Mulvie’s rising profile includes:
- The Other Art Fair, Santa Monica (2024) and London editions (2019–2022).
- Saatchi Art’s inaugural NFT collection, honoring her digitally accessible works.
- A major solo exhibition, Endless Summer, at iconic Saltdean Lido in 2025—a venue she had long admired—where her paintings echoed the heritage voices of early swimmers along the curved Art Deco walls.
- Earlier success at venues like Colonnade House, Worthing (2018), Brighton Artists Open Houses (2022), and Shoreham Airport’s Whispering Gallery before reaching the Saltdean stage.
Her works are held in private collections worldwide, often compared to the grand stylings of David Hockney, but with a uniquely playful, pop-inspired twist.
Select Works & Commissions
- Saltdean Scenario (120 × 120 cm oil on canvas, £4,400)—a bold celebration of the lido’s architecture, combining surreal detail and heritage voice.
- The Oranges series—large-scale oil/acrylic canvases exploring fantasies around Hearst Castle’s decadent world, complete with animals, vibrant parties, and copper touches.
- Limited prints like Xanadu (copper leaf), Venus, Butlins, Dog Day, and Breaking the Rules—all in high print runs or special editions for collectors worldwide.
Mulvie also accepts commissions, adapting her joyful, dreamlike style to personalized scenes—adding a bright signature to any commissioned piece.
Looking Ahead
After Endless Summer at Saltdean Lido, Mulvie plans to continue exploring heritage sites, vintage leisure spaces, and potentially more NFTs and print expansions. She’s open to collaborations and commissions, and passionate about documenting experiences through color and design.
Why Her Work Matters
- Therapeutic nostalgia: In a world leaning towards monotone aesthetics, Mulvie’s uplifting palette offers an instant emotional lift.
- Cultural storytelling: She brings vanished retro scenes—like Blackpool promenades and mid‑20th‑century lidos—back to life with creative flair.
- Accessible joy: Through paintings, prints, NFT editions and commissions, friendly fantasy becomes available—whether you’re a seasoned collector or a first-time buyer.
In Summary
Ruth Mulvie’s art is a celebration—of color, memory, escapism, and emotional resonance. From seaside daydreams to heritage hotspots, her layered, joyful canvases invite us all to bask in vibrant worlds and reclaim a bit of childlike wonder. As she continues painting, exhibiting, and expanding into new formats, Mulvie’s unique voice promises to brighten even more homes and hearts worldwide.
Stop in D-Gallerie in St Pete to see Ruth’s art in person at:
