1962 Abstract painting signed - help with artist's name?

There are 2 of these at a local thrift store that I thought were Mito's when I first saw them, but then saw the artist's signature started with John and was dated 1962.

Can anyone make out the last name? - I see Ridge? Or Ruge? But I can't find anything significant with those names, 1962 & abstract art.

They are still in the back of the shop till tomorrow - can anyone tell me who the artist is? And should I buy them?
PS - I am sorry for the crappy quality of images - I took the one trying to do an image search but ended up leaving quickly because my girlfriend had a doctor's appointment & needed my car.
And I blew up the image of the signature from the same 1 photo I took, because I thought it might be a child's work a parent kept because of the type of paper and that it seemed too plain(?) to me, so I didn't take more when I realized I was running late.
(I thought it was nothing, but I was wrong about the McKnight painting, so hoping you will prove me wrong again!

Thank you as always for your help!

 

I like it for ridge or rudge .......

but I see no visceral appeal to the work , even at a buck !

I'd give it a hard pass..

 

Try John Rudge. You can ask here:

https://www.johnrudgeartist.com/

Debora

 

This John Rudge work looks similar, not sure about the siggie though

 

How terrible, he was murdered in Bowery New York.

 

According to his obituary, the artist would have been working in Italy when that was produced.

Debora

 

His signature on the website looks promising!

Mikey

 

well then.......maybe a BUY after all !

 

Thank you Debora