MST Bronze Limited

Ruth Abernethy, a celebrated Canadian sculptor, grew up on a farm near Lindsay, Ontario, in an inventive and musical family. Her early experience working backstage at the Kawartha Summer Theatre led to further technical training at Malaspina University in British Columbia. By the age of 20, she was Head of Props at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and later at the Stratford Festival, where she honed her 3D mapping techniques to sculpt large figures. The unveiling of her first bronzes at the Festival Theatre sparked a career-defining commission to sculpt renowned pianist Glenn Gould.

Ruth’s bronze portraits have earned national and international acclaim. The National Portrait Gallery acquired her portrait bust of Al Waxman in 2005, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II unveiled Ruth’s portrait of Oscar Peterson at the National Arts Centre in 2010. She was the first Canadian artist invited to exhibit at Sculpture-by-the-Sea in Sydney, Australia, and her work has since been featured in Dublin, Ireland, and as part of the Beijing Olympic Sculpture Contest shortlist. In 2018, Ruth was awarded an Honourary Doctorate by Wilfrid Laurier University.

Beyond bronze, Ruth’s studio creations incorporate textiles, handmade lace, and stainless steel. Her Canadiana Collection, launched in 2005, explores themes of heritage, gender roles, and national identity. Pieces from this collection have been acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum and other prestigious institutions. A two-time author, Ruth was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society in 2023 and named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2024, further cementing her reputation as a thoughtful and insightful artist shaping cultural conversations through her work.