Ruta Smilskalns was born in Latvija in 1939. In 1944 her family emigrated to Germany, then in 1949 to the U.S. In 1957 she entered Radcliffe College but married in 1960 and interrupted her studies. While attending Radcliffe she continued her piano studies at Longy School of Music Cambridge, MA and later at Mannes College of Music, New York. For 20 years she was on the faculty of Longy School of Music. Cambridge, MA. Ruta became interested in painting in the 1980's taking classes at Mass. College of Art in Boston. In 1988 she got a B.A. degree from Tufts University and in 1989 an Artist's Diploma from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Ruta has exhibited in group and solo shows at galleries and museums in the U.S.Landscapes, still lifes, and portraits have been her subject matter. Currently she is working on 3-D abstract wooden constructions.

Smilskalns,Ruta .Gleznotaja,Skulptore.Dzim.1939g. 1944 gada ar vecakiem izceloja uz vaciju,1950 gada uz ASV. Saka studet valodas Radcliffe koledza 1957 gada bet 1960 gada apprecejas un studijas partrauca. Paralleli koledzas studijam turpinaja jau no bernibas iesaktas klavieru studijas Longy muzikas skola, Cambridge MA un velak Mannes muzikas koledza,New York. 20 gadus bija pedagogs Longy muzikas skola,Cambridge MA klavieru fakultate. 1980's gados saka nemt gleznosanas kursus Mass. College of Art, Bostona. 1988 gada ieguva B.A. gradu Tufts universitate un 1989 gada makslinieka diplomu School of Museum of Fine Arts, Bostona. Agrakie darbi attelo realas formas.Paslaik strada pie tris-dimensijas koka konstrukcijam. Rutas darbi ir bijusi redzami grupu un solo izstades ASV galerijas un muzejos.