One of the finest solo violinists of her time, Ruth Waterman has always been fascinated by the art of interpretation. Now, instead of focussing on the works of the great composers, she creates paintings and collages that, in their own way, interpret and respond to the visual world.

In between her international tours, she would often take courses in drawing, painting, and printing, as well as crafts such as book-binding and felt-making. When her long performing career came to an end, she found herself drawn more and more to painting, and expanded her studies at London’s Citylit and the Slade (summer school). A portrait commission which came her way – and was hesitantly accepted – gave her the impetus to start spending serious time with paint.

Portraits remain an attraction, but her focus during the last few years has shifted to abstracts, semi-abstract landscapes and collages. She is particularly interested in movement and energy, and in how shapes interact with each other. Perhaps this is not surprising, considering that she is now working within an artform that is physically fixed and static, after devoting herself to music where sounds are in constant flux.

Ruth Waterman has had several solo exhibitions, including one that featured both photographs and the paintings inspired by them. Her camera normally accompanied her on her tours, capturing both mundane and unexpected sights in unusual ways. She has also combined photographs and text in a photographic essay on post-war Bosnia, where she was guest conductor of the Mostar Sinfonietta.