Self-Portrait

Ruth Smith "Self-Portrait"

Ruth Smith (1913-1958) was born and lived most of her life in a small chain of islands known as the Faroes. This archipelago is situated about halfway between Norway and Iceland, but is under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. Nonetheless, it is a self-governing country. Someone from the Faroe Islands is described as Faroese. (Just FYI!) 

Smith lived in Denmark for a while and studied first with artist Bizzie Højer and then at the Art Academy of Copenhagen (I actually cannot figure out which academy is meant by this, there are two with similar but not matching names...anyone who knows please tell me!) She moved back to the Faroes, living in the small village of Nes, situated on a fjord. Smith enjoyed swimming in the sea, but this rugged athletic pursuit led to her death. She drowned during a swimming session. 

There is a museum dedicated to the artist called the Ruth Smith Art Museum. It is located in the Old School on Vágsvegur 101, in the town of  Vágur, and this is the same school Ruth Smith attended as a child.

~Many thanks to Allan Rahbek for alerting me to this artist!