Harwood, Ruth, 1896-1959

Ruth Harwood was the second child of five born to James Taylor and Harriet Richards Harwood. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1896 and spent most of her childhood growing up around the Salt Lake area. However, she did spend much time in Paris, France, with her family as her mother and father were both artists wanting to experience the rich ambience there. Ruth's father became a well-known artist in both the United States and Europe; his artwork was often displayed in Utah and at the Paris Salon in France. For many of his paintings, James Harwood used Ruth as a child model.

Ruth, therefore, grew up in an environment that allowed freedom of thought and expression and focused on the beautiful in life. Starting in the early years of her life, Ruth was sensitive to the beauties of nature. In his autobiography, A Basket of Chips, her father writes of her, "Our trips on the hillsides to gather wild flowers in early spring when she was two or three years old were a joy. She would not be satisfied until our arms were loaded with all we could carry and the same with herself, and then she would feel bad because we could not carry any more." (p. 48)

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