Esmeralda Ruiz

ms.ruiz@emeraldartgallery.com | esmeraldaruiz.com | 209.509.9589

Esmeralda Ruiz a professional and accomplished artist, was born in Los Angeles, California, to a family deeply rooted in the world of art. With both parents being artists themselves, creativity and artistic expression became an integral part of her upbringing. Instead of traditional children's books, she found herself immersed in art books, constantly surrounded by painters, photographers, designers, and sculptors whom she would encounter at various art festivals nationwide.

From a young age, she was actively involved in her family business, taking on the role of the company's still life and product photographer. Additionally, she took charge of designing printed promotional materials, which eventually expanded to encompass establishing a strong online presence.

Driven by her passion for artistic development, she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Fine Art Photography from the esteemed Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Showing a relentless dedication to her craft, she also pursued an MFA in Graphic Design, further refining her skills and expertise in this field. During her academic journey, she not only excelled as a student but also served as a teacher and tutor, imparting knowledge and mentoring students in the fields of photography, graphic design, and art, igniting their passion and nurturing their artistic aspirations.

While she was completing her MFA in photography and embarking on her MFA in graphic design, her photographic work garnered recognition, being exhibited in prestigious venues across the country and featured in both national and international publications. The combination of her artistic vision and technical prowess culminated in a remarkable portfolio.

Following graduation, she gained invaluable experience working within the industry, contributing her skills as a food photographer's assistant, graphic designer, and product photographer for several esteemed companies in San Francisco and Los Angeles. It was during this period that she came to a profound realization—she yearned to channel her wealth of knowledge and experience back into her family's business.

For the past five years, she has adeptly managed her family's business while simultaneously nurturing her own artistic growth. She has been taking painting classes in the studio, constantly seeking to expand her skills and embrace fresh perspectives on the world under the guidance of her father, artist Leon F Ruiz.

At present, she is passionately focused on her Madonna portfolio—an artistic expression inspired by the strong and empowered women she has encountered throughout her life. These Madonna representations capture diverse personalities, characters, and emotions that women encounter throughout their lifetime. Through her work, she aims to empower and inspire viewers, inviting them to embrace the profound impact of these representations.

With a genuine enthusiasm for art and a welcoming demeanor, she encourages anyone with questions or a shared passion for creativity to reach out and connect.

ms.ruiz@emeraldartgallery.com | esmeraldaruiz.com

Madonna Concept

Growing up, I would visit art museums and flip through art books filled with paintings, illustrations, and photographs of women representing femininity, empowerment, sexuality, and fertility. These representations were in the form of characters and roles that women have played throughout society, such as caregivers, house maidens, or deity figures. 

It is fascinating to see how women's roles evolved. In the early 1900s, women were empowered not by the fact that they could bear children, but by being part of the workforce. No longer were they only symbols of sexuality, purity, and love.

The early 1900s largely influence the painting style and themes I focus on for my paintings, such as urban growth and the excitement of urban life. Showing the city these characters live in is very important because it sets the stage for where these women live, but it doesn't define them. That is why they are scaled to look bigger than the city. These women will work, live, fall in love, and thrive in these cities, but they are unique individuals. Their space and occupation will not give them an identity. Roles, ideals, or expectations will not limit them from growing or expressing themselves as they see fit. 

Process

My fascination with women started at a very young age. When I wasn't creating paintings from imagination, I was copying paintings and photographs from artists such as Picasso, Frida Kalo, and Cindy Sherman. For hours, I would illustrate women who represented my future self and women I admired.

Not all, but most women put a lot of thought and emotion into how they dress and portray themselves to the world surrounding them. It's as if their bodies are a fresh canvas where clothes are their chosen art medium. Those unique women that treat their wardrobe like an art form are the ones I look out for in the wild. 

Illustrations

These compositions are illustrated with pencil, pen, and marker. When I find those unique women, I illustrate them several times in different poses and urban spaces until the composition feels right. At times, I will work on my designs using Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.

After many sketches and hours of going through my creative process, I finally chose the best option to draw on a canvas with acrylic pens. After the illustration dries on the canvas, I spray a sealer to ensure the sketch won't be disrupted when I apply acrylic paint. 

color

Each color palette is chosen very carefully to represent the feeling of the city that I'm illustrating, and it also needs to go with the mood of the main character. Finding that balance is very hard. Choosing the wrong color can ruin an excellent illustration. After several colored illustrations, I decide on one final colored sketch to use as a reference for the final painting. 

Acrylic paint is applied with various brushes and palette knives, covering part of the illustration. The amount of acrylic used for each piece varies depending on the painting style. If I want the painting to feel more like a watercolor, I dilute the acrylic to give it that watercolor feel.