Felipe Ruiz - Artist, Designer and Photographer

Utilizing the old Mexican technique of “papel mache”, Felipe’s unique artwork showcases the beauty of his heritage and world travels. Much like Felipe himself, his paintings go beyond the boundaries of tradition to come to life outside of the canvas.

Born and raised in Juarez, Felipe was a naturally artistic child, using every type of medium he could get his hands on from crayons and charcoal to paint and plaster. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Advertising as well as a certificate in Painting and Photography. It was during his college years that he began to push the barriers of the 2D canvas, envisioning paintings without borders.

While Felipe had a paintbrush in one hand, he often had a camera in the other; snapping photos of everyday life in Juarez, an often tumultuous border town. Those photos served as the inspiration for his early work as he brought them to life using hand-cut boards and frames, intricate wire structures and papel mache. 

“For me, art is when you begin to color outside the lines. My paintings represent this freedom for me. They allow me to bring my vision and photos to life while introducing people to an old, cherished Mexican technique,” Felipe said. 

After nearly 18 years of honing his distinctive style, Felipe has developed new ways of transforming paper into striking works of art. He will often select a theme, such as loteria, and create pieces depicting it from a variety of perspectives. He is also exploring modern ways to portray the traditional papel mache figures made by artisans in his hometown.

Felipe currently holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and works as the Senior Director of Strategic Marketing and Design at the ASU Foundation. He has exhibited his art and design work in Mexico, Texas and several galleries and events in Arizona. Felipe is an active artist participant at “Noche de Loteria,” which support the emerging latino art community in Phoenix. He dedicates his free time to taking photographs, painting and teaching therapeutic art classes to homeless children as a "Master Mentor" at Free Arts of Arizona.