Artist Lydia Ruyle Receives 2 Awards

Lydia Ruyle

Artist Lydia Ruyle, whose Goddess icon banners fly at events and locations internationally, this month received awards from the Association for the Study of Women and Mythology (ASWM) and  the University of Northern Colorado. ASWM's announcement of offering its 2013 Brigit Award for Excellence in the Arts to Ruyle, says:
"Few artists can claim to have profoundly expanded and improved contemporary images of women. Lydia is beloved around the globe for her stunning presentation of multicultural goddesses and symbols of divinity.  Her Goddess Icon Banner Project began in 1995 with 18 banners created for exhibit in Ephesus, and has grown to include representations of over 150 goddesses.  The Brigit Award recognizes not only this great body of work but also Lydia’s dedicated scholarship in researching these diverse, inspiring images." [update 4/13/ 11:51 p.m.: Lydia has notified us via Facebook that there are now 295 Goddess Icon Spirit Banners :-)]

Earlier in April, Ruyle received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Northern Colorado, where she is an artist scholar emeritus. The university previously established The Lydia Ruyle Room of Women's Art. The announcement from UNC's Graduate School says it is recognizing Ruyle
 "for her significant contributions over several decades as an artist and educator, who in addition to teaching at UNC, has conducted workshops and exhibited her work across the U.S. and internationally."

On a personal note, I am grateful for Lydia's generosity in allowing me to have the image of her Demeter Goddess Icon Banner on the cover of the 2010 Combined Third Edition of my book, She Lives! The Return of Our Great Mother.