Urban Tsimshian textile artist Ksm Lx'sg̱a̱n Ruth Hallows weaves in the Chilkat and Ravenstail traditions of Northwest Coastal People. Born in Tacoma, WA surrounded by their family’s cedar basketry, they dreamt of traveling to Alaskan community to learn to weave. Ruth moved progressively further from the northwest coast until their family settled in the Sonoran Desert.
Ruth’s dreams slept until the world shifted in response to the pandemic and their personal life shifted in alignment. Together with Northwest Coastal community, they overcame financial, temporal, and geographical barriers to weave Ravenstail during lockdown with Kay Field Parker. Since 2021, they continue to gather weaving skills, including Chilkat weaving with mentorship from Wooshkindeinda.aat Lily Hope; spruce root basketry with Aanutein Deborah Head; cedar basketry with Ksgooga Gwisgwaasgm Gyemk Janice Jainga-Lonergran and Tl’aakahlwaas Vicki Soboleff; and pattern design with Naakil.aan Hans Chester and Steve Brown.
Ruth’s first solo project, Our Sisters Dance with Us, was recognized Best of Ravenstail Category at the Sealaska 2022 Celebration Juried Art Show. Haida artist and master Chilkat weaver Kujuuhl Evelyn Vanderhoop awarded an honorable mention to Ruth’s Unmasking – A Chilkat Inspired Self-portrait during the Sealaska 2024 Celebration Juried Art Show. Their two most recent pieces were juried into the 2025 Heard Museum Indian Fair & Market Best of Show Competition where their Ravenstail ensemble We Remember the Voices of All Our Ancestors earned the Carol Ann Mackay award for First Place in Weaving & Textiles, Cultural Attire.
Ruth maintains a daily practice of Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving in her home on O'odam and Piipaash traditional lands near Phoenix, Arizona.