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Ruth McDowell Obituary
Ruth was raised in Winchester, MA and attended Winchester High School. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1967 with a B.S. in Art and Design, Ruth spent several years working as an illustrator, while simultaneously expanding her interests in fibers and nature. She began her art quilting career in 1972.
Until her retirement in 2017, Ruth forged the unique path of being a full-time professional quilt artist, with hundreds of quilts to her credit. Utilizing the medium of found commercial cotton cloth, and the technique of traditional right-sides-together piecing, Ruth's body of work represents a sustained and extraordinary development spanning nearly 50 years. Themes in her work include geometry, botany, the natural world, color and pattern, abstraction and composition. Ruth's quilts were exhibited nationally and internationally in many galleries and museums, as well as in juried, invitational and several solo shows. They are also represented in museum, private, and corporate art collections worldwide.
Ruth's very active career included teaching design and piecing workshops, and lecturing about her work, throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa. She was the author of ten books on quilt design, her piecing methods, and two career retrospectives: "Art and Inspirations: Ruth B. McDowell" (1996) and "A Fabric Journey" (2005).
In 2007, Ruth relocated from Winchester to the woods of Colrain, Massachusetts, where she spent time as a child at her parents' summer place. In 2021, she moved to Minnesota to be closer to her daughter Leah and grandchildren, but her heart remained in western Massachusetts. She is preceded in death by her beloved Bernese mountain dog, Sepia, and survived by daughters Emily McDowell (Daniel Pasley) of Portland, OR, and Leah Lofgren (Joseph) of Edina, MN, and grandchildren Pippi and Henry Lofgren.
A public celebration of Ruth's life will be held in late October in the Boston area, followed by a family ceremony in Colrain, MA.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Ann Beckett
July 21, 2025
Ruth, you´ve been my quilting muse for a quarter century. I cherish the "Chameleon" quilt I bought from you at Asilomar, in memory of a small creature I loved for a girlhood summer, the memories we consequently shared of each having gotten a little chameleon at the Barnum and Bailey Circus visiting Boston, my father´s making a tropical `house´ for mine with a levered paned window top for ventilation, your father bringing flies he trapped in the window of his hunting cabin home for yours. And it warms me to remember the wonderful dinner we (my husband and I and our young daughter), shared with you at our house in The Sea Ranch, CA. when you came to lecture and teach at our coastal guild. Thank you for the gift of your shining Gifts. They inspire me continuously.
Nancy Downey
July 14, 2025
I was fortunate enough to attend one of Ruth's last workshops in Deerfield in 2011. I'll never forget it. She was a true artist, had a math gene that I certainly lack and she was a fabulous natural born teacher. Her love for nature was so evident in her work and I remember asking her how she know so much about plants. she said her Mom would walk through the woods with her and point things out to her and she would learn their names. The workshop was a bit above my head, but she never made me feel that way. She was so much more than a quilter. Her artfulness, artistry and generosity are truly a loss for this world. Heartfelt condolences to Ruth's family and friends.
Sarah Cooper
June 9, 2025
I am sad to just learn that Ruth is gone. I did not know her, but met and talked with her once. I was at a quilt guild meeting where she graced us by coming to us. Very approachable and seemed interested in all of our quilts that were brought in for others to see. She was just lovely, I thoroughly enjoyed her time there.
She is a tough one to let go of, such a lovely woman and what an artist. I love her work as well.
Erma Deutsch
June 4, 2025
I AM SADDENED TO SEE THAT RUTH HAS DIED. SHE WAS MY MENTOR AND I WAS BLESSED,WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND A WEEK WITH HER IN ONE OF HER RETREATS. SHE WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART!
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Cheryl Dawson
April 11, 2025
I first met Ruth when we were classmates at MIT and was invited to spend Thanksgiving with her family and their lovely golden retriever during our freshman year. But since we were in entirely different majors and I wasn't living in the dorm our last year, I lost track of her.
Then one day I was reading Quilters Newsletter and saw a picture of the dancing princesses quilt. Now I had never before liked pictorial quilts but this one!!!!! Oh, yeah!!! Read further...wait a minute! I know this woman! And I followed her work assiduously from then one.
Fast forward...a friend knew of my admiration for her and learned she did seminars at a quilt shop in Kalispell, MT most summers. Said friend signed us up to take a class that summer without even telling me until she got home. It was a quilters epiphany. She was a marvelous sympathetic and knowledgeable teacher. We took classes from her two summers in a row and I've done numerous quilts with her techniques since then.
My husband and I were at the Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska when I looked across the room and said "Whoa...who do you think made that witch hazel quilt?" Who else? We even travelled to the Vermont Quilt Show especially to see the retrospective display of her work and were blown away by the large quilt with the cod taking center place.
Ruth had a major influence on my quilting and I am much saddened to learn of her passing. But her work and influence will live on. She passes a fine legacy to the quilting world.
Gail Beckley
July 21, 2024
My fondest memories of Ruth, I called her Ruthie, were summer vacations spent with her parents and sisters and my parents and my brother. Ruth would make up games and treasure hunts to keep us busy, and design and make costumes for us. I also remember that when we were kids, she was the only one who put shadows on the items and characters in our coloring books making them look 3D. I told her in the last couple of years that I was very proud to be her cousin because she had brought so much beauty into the world. I will always remember hers as a life well lived.
Sue Rasmussen
July 17, 2024
I am so sorry to hear that the quilt world has lost such an icon and pioneer. She certainly influenced my quilt career, and I have made dozens and dozens of quilts with her technique. I learned so much from Ruth about color, balance and moving into the quilt art world. My condolences to her two daughters.
Susanne Ellman
July 14, 2024
I am so very sorry for your loss; I knew your mother as an amazing teacher.....she was a shining light for many of us.
Kimberley Graf
July 11, 2024
So sorry to hear this news. Condolences to her family and vast number of friends. Many stories Ruth told at Pt. Bonita Quilters Getaway are still in my memory. Great artist and story teller!
Sue Frame
July 7, 2024
I was sooo fortunate to be able to take a 5 day class with Ruth in 2010! She has been my quilting heroine since I first became aware of her through her Art and Inspirations book in the mid 1990's. I've since collected all of her books.
I will always remember her wry humor when assessing and making suggestions about my quilt. It made me laugh but also made me look deeply at my project. What a fabulous teacher with so much to share. She was generous with her support and thoughtful with her observations.
Sue Frame (California)
Janet Myers
July 6, 2024
Ruth was a light in the world. I enjoyed meeting her and taking her classes. She came to Fairbanks several times and everyone enjoyed her. My condolences to her daughters and grandchildren.
Anna McCurdy
July 5, 2024
My friend and I had the privilege of taking a workshop from Ruth in the early 2000's in Calgary. I was a big fan of her work and have a number of her books on my shelf including Piecing and Art and Inspiration. She was a brilliant piecer who inspired so many other quilters. She will be deeply missed by her fellow quilters. My sincere condolences to her daughters and their families. May she rest easy and be at piece. Sincerely,Anna McCurdy
Linda Banner
July 5, 2024
Her use of fabric was so wonderfully beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. I was lucky enough to have had several classes with her and own all her books .
My heart aches for her family's loss. I am so glad I knew her.
Claudette
July 5, 2024
My memory was the amazing she could sew ANY shape into quilt. Her water Lily quilt blew me away. She could any size, any shape, any print into a quilt that made perfect sense. Loved, loved her work.
Charlotte Prouty
July 5, 2024
God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Aynex Mercado
July 5, 2024
Seeing her water lilies quilt in the New England Quilt Museum is the only time in my life that my heart skipped a beat by witnessing a work of art and what made me decide that I wanted to be an art quilter.
Diane Powers-Harris
July 5, 2024
My first memory of Ruth occurred when attending Houston Quilt Festival for the first time around 1984. Ruth's quilt, "Twelve Dancing Princesses" was part of the exhibition. While I was a relatively new quilter, I had become somewhat bored with making traditional quilts, although realized the benefits of knowing the techniques to make them. When I saw this quilt, I was not only blown away by her subject, but especially with Ruth's use of non-traditional glitzy fabrics and techniques. I returned many times to view her spectacular quilt which was pivotal to my quiltmaking journey. From that time to the present, I've been honing my skills making art quilts.
Several years ago, I was invited to present a lecture about "Quilts as Fine Art."
Because it was such an influential part of my quiltmaking journey, I had to include an image of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses." I contacted Ruth which gave me the opportunity to tell her my story. She seemed both surprised and pleased to hear how her art had provided direction for my journey. She told me the quilt had been purchased by a museum and she wasn't sure she still had a photo. A day or so later, she did get back to me via email which included a digital image of her magnificent quilt!
Thank you Ruth for your kindness and creating such magnificent art. You will truly be missed, but your art will live on inspiring quilters long into the future!
Jane Dallmeyer
July 5, 2024
Treasure your memories. Ruth was a fantastic quilter /,artist! My deepest sympathies to her family!
Cindy Brick
July 4, 2024
An amazing quiltmaker whose work I have admired for decades... one of the great ones. Thank you for sharing yourself and your quilts with us, Ruth.
Julia Graves
July 4, 2024
I took a class from Ruth at Empty Spools Seminars. What a great teacher. I'm also the proud owner of one of her quilts. She is an icon in the quilt world and greatly missed.
Rose Orr
July 4, 2024
My earliest memories of Ruth were before I knew of such a thing as local quilters. On my days off in May I'd spend a weekend down in Arlington Mass, riding my bike on the Minuteman bike path. And going to a quilt show at a church just down the street from a great fabric shop that was always having a sale on quilt fabric. At that quilt show Ruth always had a new quilt on display and she was usually there too. Years later her works were exhibited at Vermont Quilt Show and I had the opportunity to share with her my early quilt show memories. We also talked about how quilting has changed for both of us over those years. A memory I will always treasure. You go girl!
Diane Knoblauch
July 4, 2024
Definitely an influence in my early quilting career. I always admired her use of print fabrics, her designs. I was fortunate in the late 1980s to have classes with her which helped me to grow as a quilted. So sorry to learn of her passing but the body of work she leaves behind speaks volumes for future quilters.
Mary Alice Pollard
July 4, 2024
Topsfield Quilt Shows
Mike and Jana Purington
July 3, 2024
Ruth was a wonderful neighbor and friend. She has been missed since her move. We appreciated her love for nature and `The Hill´. We also miss Sepia. We are so grateful to have known her.
Our deepest condolences to her family .
Jean McCreary
July 3, 2024
An inspiration to me from early in my quilting days, I am saddened to hear of Ruth's passing. She touched so many people in so many ways that she will never know about.
Joey Mettley
July 3, 2024
My arrival in Historic Deerfield for one of her last teaching seminar was so wonderful. The feeling of those five days has never left my thoughts. She showed me a wonderful new side of piecing and her sharing of her craft was fantastic. Thank you I will never forget it.
Katherine Heslep
July 2, 2024
July 2, 2024
I first knew of Ruth McDowell when I saw her 12 Dancing Princesses quilt. It completely charmed me. I became a lifelong fan of her techniques. "Made with all straight lines," she said when asked how she made it.
Then when I saw her piece about Butterflyweed (Asclepias Tuberosa) I knew she was a soul sister. She captured the essence of wildflowers so cleanly! I took classes from her whenever I could. I think 3 overall. Each was unique and informative. Ruth herself was always kind and quietly humorous.
I last saw her at the VT Quilt Show in Essex Junction and got to sit and talk with her. She often mentioned Emily and Leah. The 12 Dancing Princesses told by itself just how much she loved being a mother to those girls. And her quilts showed how much joy she took in the everyday beauty around us-- cows, sumac, trees and their wood.
She will continue to influence me and push me forward in my work. I am so sad at her passing, as I know thousands are.
Kath Heslep
Barb Miller
July 2, 2024
So very sorry to hear of Ruths passing. I didn't know her personally, but admired her work, and have her book.Deepest sympathy to her family. Barb M.
Betsy True
July 2, 2024
I was very sad to learn of Ruth's passing. Ruth was my quilting hero and inspired me to start making art quilts. Here's the quilt I started in a class with her at Asilomar in California. She was a great teacher. I enjoyed meeting her several times at lectures and quilt shows--she was always gracious.
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