Ramute was born in 1953 in Toronto, Canada. At the age of three, she contracted polio and survived. The illness left her legs paralyzed for life. She moved with her family to Chicago in 1964. After graduating from the University of Chicago, for a few years she resided in Providence, Rhode Island. Subsequently, she lived for two years in Lithuania, under communist rule, where she studied Lithuanian linguistics at the University of Vilnius and pursued her interests in traditional folk art and customs. She frequently visited national museums to study examples of ancient Lithuanian folk art. To improve her skills, she sought out living folk artists, in remote villages of Lithuania. She not only learned these styles of artistic expression, but she advanced and perfected them.
Polio has never stopped Ramute’s life’s journey and her active passion for art.
She has shown her art works at several personal exhibits at the Balzekas Museum in Chicago, in addition to numerous art fairs in the Chicago area. A permanent display of her decorated eggs can be seen at the Balzekas Museum, 6500 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago. Ramute’s Sherlock Holmes Eggs are also on display in Toronto, Minneapolis, and Portsmouth, UK.
Besides her art work, she also had a passion for the Lithuanian language. For many years she taught Lithuanian language at the Lithuanian Pedagogical Institute, in Chicago, and translated several Lithuanian linguistic text books into English. In 2007, she unexpectedly passed away from a heart condition.
A special scholarship fund has been established, in Ramute’s name, at the Lithuanian Foundation. The proceeds on the assets of the fund will provide annual scholarship support to a student studying Lithuanian linguistics. All donations are fully tax deductible from US federal income taxes. Checks should be made out to the “Ramute Plioplys Memorial Fund / Lithuanian Foundation” and sent to:
Lithuanian Foundation
14911 127th Street
Lemont, IL 60439
Further information about the Ramute Plioplys Memorial Fund, and the Lithuanian Foundation, can be found at www.lithuanianfoundation.org.
Historically Printed Catalogue and Brochures
Catalogue (PDF ~6MB): Ramute made a catalogue of her decorated eggs, to show to interested individuals, and to have available during exhibits of her work (circa 1996).
Brochures (PDF ~100KB): Ramute made several brochures to hand out concerning her art work.
Obituaries (PDF ~850KB): Obituaries (in Lithuanian)
Lietuviu Kalbos Istorija (PDF ~700KB): Cover from book written by Ramute Plioplys (in Lithuanian). This book, about the history of the Lithuanian language, was published in 2003 and is 174 pages long. It is available for purchase from the:
Lithuanian Research and Studies Center
5600 S. Claremont Ave
Chicago, IL 60636-1039
USA
Tel. (773) 434-4545 Fax (773) 434-9363
Articles About Ramute's Art
Compiled Articles (PDF ~2MB): Articles in various Lithuanian publications.
Compiled Articles (PDF ~3MB): Articles in various English publications.
Toronto Public Library (PDF ~800KB): Excerpt from Summer 2008 The Magic Door newsletter.
University of Minnesota (PDF ~0.5MB): Excerpt from June 2008 Friends of Sherlock Holmes Collections newsletter.
Draugas (PDF ~230KB): Excerpt from August 2008 Draugas newspaper.
Draugas (PDF ~690KB): Excerpt from April 2009 Draugas newspaper.
Lituanus (PDF ~400KB): Excerpt from 2009 Lithuanian Quarterly journal.
This memorial website was arranged by Audrius V. Plioplys.