Ruth Moilliet

Ruth Moilliet is a very talented sculptor from Manchester, UK. She continuously uses the subject of nature in the works with a focus on flowers which lends itself to flower associated insects like bees and butterflies. Moilliet’s work plays with contrasting elements; her use of strong, masculine materials and processes to make very feminine imagery with bright colours and natural beauty is a creative conflict that is both conceptual and witty when understood.

Her body of work consists of a variety of techniques to create her floral pieces; some of her more admired works are colourful cut out metal flowers and insects that are then bolted to a specially designed steel framework, arranged in a manner that creates a beautiful mass of colours, patterns and embodies the picturesque image of flowers in bloom. 

The most popular pieces by Moilliet has proved to be her ‘parasol’ style creations, in which her cut-out designs are show in a mass of colour and pattern atop a large umbrella style canopy that viewers may sit or walk beneath. We have featured these pieces by Moilliet at Chelsea Flower Show in past years and they have met with great enthusiasm from all visitors. The long steel stem is plant like in appearance but by using the steel it embodies structural strength, that the thin stem in reality would not, and holds a vast canopy overhead. The little playful aspects of her work, whether consciously done or not, provide witty contrasts that make the work more conceptual and the visual language much more interesting. 

By far Moilliet’s most accomplished works are her flower presses, the contrasting elements are undeniable and when combined with such skilfully produced reconstructions of her chosen flower you can easily see how much time, effort and patience has gone into these pieces.