RICARDO RUIZ THE ELDER
Ricardo Ruiz is a Corpus Christi, Texas based artist who received his BFA from Corpus Christi State University and his MFA from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.
Statement: Ricardo Ruiz jokes that he was drawing before he could pronounce his first word. As early as age 3, Ruiz’s parents called on him to draw on the spot to impress friends and relatives. From the beginning Ruiz was encouraged by his parents to become an artist. He has artwork included in the permanent collections of the Art Museum of South Texas, the University of Texas at San Antonio and Cheech Marin. Ruiz comes from a long line of animated storytellers, which he admits greatly influenced the direction of his artwork. He also draws inspiration from his Hispanic heritage, family, friends and what’s in the news. Most of his paintings involve themes and imagery of family, the cycles of life and death, and Mexican-American folklore. Reoccurring subjects in his vibrant paintings include angels, skeletons, frogs and snakes. The images for the paintings usually come to Ruiz either in his dreams or in waking hours and “beg to be painted.”
