{{Short description|Australian artist (1968–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox artist | name = Craig Ruddy | image = Craig Ruddy.jpg | imagesize = | alt = | caption = Ruddy in 2007 | birth_name = | birth_date = 8 August 1968 | birth_place = Forestville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = 4 January 2022 (aged 53) | death_place = Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia | field = Painting | training = | movement = | works = | patrons = | influenced by = | influenced = | awards = {{Awards|award=Archibald Prize |year=2004 |title=Two Worlds – Portrait of David Gulpilil |role= |name= }}<br /> {{Awards|award=Archibald People's Choice Prize |year=2010 |title=The Prince of Darkness – Portrait of Warwick Thornton |role= |name=}} | elected = | website = {{url|https://craigruddy.com/}} }}
'''Craig Ruddy''' (8 August 1968 – 4 January 2022) was an Australian artist, known for winning the Archibald Prize in 2004 with his portrait of Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil.
==Early life and education == Ruddy was born on 8 August 1968, at Forestville, Sydney.<ref name =smh>{{Cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/craig-ruddy-artist-of-controversial-archibald-prize-winning-portrait-dies-of-covid-aged-53-20220105-p59m40.html|title=Craig Ruddy, artist of controversial Archibald Prize-winning portrait, dies of COVID aged 53 |first=Melanie|last=Kembrey |date=5 January 2022 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref> He grew up near Ku-ring-gai Chase and Garigal National Parks. He was only allowed by his parents to participate in limited physical activity after a life-threatening illness.<ref name=abc>{{cite web | title=Archibald Prize winner Craig Ruddy dies from COVID-19 complications | website=ABC News |publisher =Australian Broadcasting Corporation |first =Paulina |last =Vidal| date=5 January 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-05/archibald-prize-winner-craig-ruddy-dies-covid-19-complications/100740144 | access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref>
In the 1980s he studied design and fashion illustration, turning to art and painting around 2001.<ref name=abc/>
==Career == In 2004 he won the Archibald Prize for his charcoal drawing of David Gulpilil entitled ''Two Worlds''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/ |title=Archibald Prize | Art Gallery of NSW |website=www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref> The portrait of the Aboriginal actor won both the Archibald portrait prize and the People's Choice Award. Another artist, Tony Johansen, took legal action against the Art Gallery of New South Wales Trust over the portrait. Johansen argued that, because Ruddy predominantly used charcoal in his work, it was a drawing and not a painting and therefore was ineligible for the prize. However the Supreme Court of New South Wales dismissed Johansen's claim.<ref name=guardian/>
After the 2004 Archibald, Ruddy developed ''Poppy Seeds'', a series of portraits, nudes and self-studies which were exhibited in November 2004. The series addressed the tall poppy syndrome that often accompanies success in Australia. His diptych ''Self-portrait – into the box'' was one of the 2006 Archibald Prize finalists.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
In August 2006, Ruddy's ''Two Worlds'' sold to a private collector at a Sotheby's auction in Sydney for $312,000. It had been valued at between $150,000 and $180,000.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/whiteley-painting-fetches-record-price-20060829-gdoa0d.html |title=Whiteley painting fetches record price|date=28 August 2006 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref>
In 2010, Ruddy won the Archibald People's Choice Prize for his portrait of Warwick Thornton entitled ''The Prince of Darkness''.<ref>{{cite news | title =(Article and picture) | publisher =Art Gallery Of New South Wales | url = http://thearchibaldprize.com.au/finalists/items/43458/| access-date = 6 August 2010}}</ref> He was an Archibald Prize finalist in 2011 with a portrait of athlete Cathy Freeman and in 2020 with his portrait of author Bruce Pascoe.<ref name =guardian/><ref name =abc/>
==Personal life and death == From around 2001, Ruddy lived across three locations: the eastern Sydney suburb of Tamarama; the Byron Bay hinterland; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.<ref name =guardian/>
Ruddy died of complications related to COVID-19 on 4 January 2022, at the age of 53.<ref name =smh/> He was unvaccinated.<ref name=news.com.au>{{cite web | title='As we feared': Anti-vaxxers fill ICU as experts reveal the total impact they have on the health system | website=news.com.au | date=16 January 2022 | url=https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/news/as-we-feared-antivaxxers-fill-icu-as-experts-reveal-the-total-impact-they-have-on-the-health-system/news-story/ce0fee1133545106883e122d5a369637 | access-date=16 January 2022}}</ref> He was survived by his partner of 20 years, Roberto Meza Mont.<ref name=guardian>{{cite web | title=Craig Ruddy, Archibald prize-winning painter, dies at 53 | website=The Guardian | date=5 January 2022 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/jan/05/craig-ruddy-archibald-prize-winning-painter-dies-at-53 | access-date=5 January 2022}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== * [http://www.craigruddy.com.au/ Official website] * {{IMDb name|3759479}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ach|aw}} {{s-bef|before=Geoffrey Dyer}} {{s-ttl|title=Archibald Prize|years=2004<br />for ''two worlds'', portrait of actor David Gulpilil}} {{s-aft|after=John Olsen}} {{s-bef|before=Dalu Zhao}} {{s-ttl|title=People's Choice Award|years=2004<br /> ''two worlds'', portrait of actor David Gulpilil }} {{s-aft|after=Nicholas Harding}} {{s-bef|before=Vincent Fantauzzo}} {{s-ttl|title=People's Choice Award|years=2010<br /> ''The Prince of Darkness – Warwick Thornton''}} {{s-aft|after=Adam Chang}}
{{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruddy, Craig}} Category:1968 births Category:2022 deaths Category:21st-century Australian painters Category:Archibald Prize winners Category:Archibald Prize People's Choice Award winners Category:Archibald Prize finalists Category:Australian portrait painters Category:Artists from Sydney Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia Category:21st-century Australian male artists Category:Australian male painters Category:Australian LGBTQ painters
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