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March 10, 2000/3 Adar II 5760, Vol. 52, No.27
Local artist donates canvases to Hadassah
LEISAH NAMM
Staff Writer
Scottsdale artist was so impressed by the research work being done in Hadassah's hospitals, she donated several hundred hand-painted, Judaica-themed needlepoint canvases to the Phoenix Chapter of Hadassah's WISK group in 1999.
This artist, Ruth Rhodie of Geraldine Designs, is also donating half of the profits of her custom-designed pieces that are ordered through Hadassah.
"It's a great cause because they do great work," she says.
Her extensive catalog includes canvases for tallis (prayer shawl) bags, kipot (skull caps), bar and bat mitzvah certificates and Jewish-themed wall hangings.
"They are hand-painted, custom-designed, needlepoint canvases and latch-hook canvases," Rhodie explains. "It is not a kit and there is no yarn."
Although Rhodie does not do needlepoint, she can do the latch hook or hire somebody to do the needlepoint.
Rhodie began designing and painting needlepoint canvases in 1970 and has painted for several craft and needlepoint stores. She also sells her designs to needlepoint design companies.
Rhodie was educated at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and the American Academy of Fine Arts, and works out of her home studio in Scottsdale.
For her custom-design pieces, Rhodie uses a photograph supplied by the client. She uses a number of mediums, including oils, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, pen, ink and pencil to paint canvases from the photographs. She paints people, animals, landscapes, florals, family crests and wildlife.
The length of time it takes to paint a canvas varies from "three minutes to three hours to three days," depending on the size of the piece.
She enjoys painting because there's "no pressure. I can do anything that comes to my mind," she says. "There's always something new."
Art has played a big part in Rhodie's life. She started painting when she was 8, and years later taught adult art classes to parents and grade-school teachers in Skokie, Ill. She also spent several years as art supervisor, art teacher and Sunday-school teacher at temples in Illinois.
The majority of her business is conducted through mail order, she says. She paints and designs canvases for stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. She has sold work in the gift shop of the Spertus Museum of Chicago.
In addition to Hadassah, Rhodie has donated her work to other causes. Her love for dogs led her to donate canvases for ornaments and bookmarks to the Pinnacle Peak Animal Hospital's spay and neuter program.
Her love for her two golden retrievers, Sunny, a 19-month-old show dog who has won 17 ribbons, and Itsa Bitsa, motivated her to also donate canvases to the Golden Retriever Rescue in Scottsdale. Those funds go to medical expenses for stray golden retrievers. On March 23, she will donate about 400 canvases to the Golden Retriever Specialty dog show at West World in Scottsdale.
Throughout her years as an artist, Rhodie has also donated canvases and paintings to children's organizations, hospitals, schools, doctor's offices and fund-raisers.
Rhodie and her husband, Herbert, moved to Arizona five years ago from Illinois and have a daughter, Andrea Rhodie, a dental hygienist in Lake Forest, Ill., and a son, Richard Rhodie, an attorney in Houston.
In addition to the canvases she has already painted, Rhodie says she will paint on any blank pieces of needlepoint canvas that anyone gives to Hadassah, and she will donate it to the organization.
Those interested in purchasing any Judaica needlepoint canvases may call Robin Koehler of Hadassah at 602-788-8290.
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