Marion Ruthardt, born in Rheinhausen, was introduced to art at an early age by her father, who was an artist, and her first art teacher, Volkram Anton Scharf. That is why, after completing her standard secondary education—high school, the Abitur, and business school—she quickly turned her attention to nature and art. First, she completed an apprenticeship as a gardener in Kevelaer, right next to Geldern, where an international street painting competition takes place every year. She first took part just for fun. Later, as a self-taught artist, she developed her skills to the point where her passion for painting became her profession. In Geldern, she advanced to the master class and went on to win further street painting competitions in Italy, Bodenwerder, and Wilhelmshaven, among other places. First as a classical copyist, and later with distorted images. This technique results in large three-dimensional paintings. This led to commissions from all over the world. Here she worked closely with Gregor Wosik, who had also participated in the Geldern event on several occasions. This collaboration resulted in numerous XXL 3D images. One of them, measuring 750 m², even earned an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. Marion Ruthardt secured another entry with the XXL image "Megladon Shark" in Florida, a group project featuring artists from around the world.
Since 2019, she has been painting more on her own, which has led to the development of new ideas and approaches. By taking on facade and mural projects, including in Issum (Platz an de Pomp) and Geldern (the passageway between the municipal utilities building and the market parking garage), she expanded her range of work and was able to weather the pandemic successfully. In recent years, she has also discovered a passion for painting electrical boxes. These paintings, which can also be seen in Geldern, are often connected.
