Deeply influenced by the noted Canadian artist Stanley Lewis (1930-2006), Duckie Ruckenstein’s small stone carvings have an iconic, ritual quality that recalls traditional Inuit sculptures in their elegant simplicity and primitive representation.  Surprisingly, like Lewis, Ruckenstein was initially drawn to Italian Renaissance sculpture, primarily Michelangelo’s David, which served as the impetus for her foray in to stone carving.  Unlike her classical inspiration, however, Ruckenstein chooses the decidedly Canadian medium of soapstone for the majority of her works, which, when combined with her mostly animalistic subject matter, further evokes the sculpture of Stanley Lewis and the Inuit tradition.

Although her hand-carved sculptures are strongly tied to the native Canadian identity, a concept pioneered by Stanley Lewis, Ruckenstein was born and raised in the Philippines.  Citing the importance of her cultural surroundings when developing her work, Ruckenstein adopted her mature style after immigrating to Canada.  Duckie Ruckenstein has completed numerous works for corporate and private collectors and currently resides in Quebec, Canada.