Ruth Dipper began painting as a hobby while she was a mother and homemaker in the late 1960s. Although her first works were naive, from the very beginning she painted surrealistically. While studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, she mastered the techniques of sharp-edged surrealism and trompe l'oeil that have become the hallmark of her style. In 1981, she received very favorable reviews from the Philadelphia Inquirer for her first opening at the Suzanne Gross Gallery in Philadelphia. Soon her work was featured in several shows and became sought after by collectors and galleries. Within eight years she produced more than 40 major works. In 1987 she was nominated for the prestigious National Awards in Visual Arts. In 1989, she became disabled with Parkinson's disease, making it impossible for her to continue painting. While battling Parkinson's Ruth continued to expresses her creativity with the written word. She became a published author of short stories for children and for adults. Ruth's personal battle against Parkinson's ended January 2007. Her dedication to the cure for this debilitating disease continues as she willed critical tissue to an Indiana University study being performed at Johns Hopkins University. To contribute to the search for a cure, please contact the National Parkinson's Foundation.