About J. Ruth Gendler

Artist, writer, and teacher J. Ruth Gendler is committed to the transformational potential of the arts. Her experience with the rhythms of creativity is evidenced by a diverse background in art, writing, publishing, teaching, and lecturing. Her first published piece (when she was 8) described how she wanted to go to the Louvre and see the paintings. This was followed the next year by three poems about color. She has been interested in the intersection of art and writing, language and vision ever since then.

Gendler is the author of The Book of Qualities and the editor of Changing Light: The Eternal Cycle of Night and Day. The Book of Qualities, now in its 40th printing, has been adapted as a two act theater piece and translated into German, Japanese, and Chinese, as well as being widely excerpted in literary, psychological and educational publications. In addition to personal essays and poems, Gendler writes about the arts, education, health, and books. Her art work has been exhibited nationally.

Gendler has taught writing and art in a variety of settings for twenty years. She has been an artist in residence with both California Poets in the Schools and Young Audiences of the Bay Area and leads writing and creativity workshops nationally.

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Gendler received her B.A. in English and Communications from Stanford University.