Verónica Ruiz de Velasco

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Veronica Ruiz de Velasco (1994)
Veronica Ruiz de Velasco (1994)

Veronica Ruiz de Velasco (born in México D.F.) is a neo-figurative painter of Mexican origin living in the United States. She was a disciple of Teodulo Romulo, Rufino Tamayo, Jean Dubuffet, and Gilberto Aceves Navarro.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Swan Lake, Oil on Canvas, Mexico, D.F., 1986.
Swan Lake, Oil on Canvas, Mexico, D.F., 1986.

Juana Veronica Ruiz de Velasco Zenteno was born in the Spanish Hospital of the District Federal of Mexico to Susana Ruiz de Velasco Zenteno and Pedro Thomas Ruiz de Velasco. Ruiz de Velasco was the fifteenth child of eighteen brothers and sisters, and was raised as a Catholic in Lomas de Chapultepec; she attended elementary school at Buckingham Institute. At the age of 11, she was sent to Nauvoo, Illinois to study at Saint Mary’s Academy. Age 13, she returned home to Mexico and studied at the Lyceé Franco-Mexicain. At the age of 16, she again left home to study in London, England with her two sisters, at the Belair School. During this time she attempted to start a modeling career and was featured in several magazines, including Vogue. Four years later, she returned home, happily.

[edit] Education

First Painting (1982).
First Painting (1982).

In 1983, Ruiz de Velasco was accepted to take art courses at La Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes La Esmeralda in Mexico City, whose past students included Diego Rivera, Francisco Zúñiga, Frida Kahlo, Rufino Tamayo, and Gilberto Aceves Navarro. In 1984, the curator of the Gallery of Lourdes Chumacero in Mexico exhibited her work. This was a springboard into the Mexican Art community, as it was attended by many leading painters such as Teodulo Romulo, Thomas Parra, and Gilberto Aceves Navarro. Romulo offered Ruiz de Velasco lessons on his technique.[1]

In 1984, Ruiz de Velasco went to Paris, France, to discuss art technique with Jean Dubuffet. In 1985, Rufino Tamayo asked Ruiz de Velasco to come to his studio to take some private lessons with him. Tamayo commented that Ruiz de Velasco’s art had “an excellent Color”. Tamayo gave lessons to another prominent living Mexican Artist, Francisco Toledo, his godson, who was also influenced by Jean Dubuffet. [2]

1985–88, Ruiz de Velasco took several courses at the Antigua Academia de San Carlos (Old San Carlos Academy) in Mexico City while taking private lessons from Gilberto Aceves Navarro: she considers him as her most important teacher. Several famous Mexican painters have attended the Antigua Academia de San Carlos in Mexico City such as Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, David Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Hersúa, and Manuel Felguérez. [3]

[edit] Exhibitions in Mexico

Museo de Arte Moderno, 1987.
Museo de Arte Moderno, 1987.

In 1985, Ruiz de Velasco held an exhibition at the Gallery of the Loteria National of Mexico. In 1986 she held an individual exhibition in the Gallery of the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. In 1987 she was the youngest artist to exhibit at the Museo de Arte Moderno (national Museum of Modern Art) in Mexico. The exhibition was a homage to Andrew Lloyd Weber and had reference pieces such as Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Starlight Express, and the Phantom of the Opera. The Museo de Arte Moderno published their twenty five year celebration book and included Ruiz de Velasco as one of Mexico's leading artists.

In 1989, Ruiz de Velasco painted a mural in the American British Cowdray Medical Center in Mexico D.F.. This mural took almost a year to complete. The inauguration of the mural was a national event in Mexico, unveiled by the U.S. Ambassador in Mexico, Charles Pilliod. [4] Prince Charles of Wales was also present and congratulated Ruiz de Velasco on the donation of her time and effort.[5]

In 1991, Ruiz de Velasco created a painting for the Playboy Collection in Chicago, Illinois.[6] She was then asked by the curator, Jack Bolton, of the Rockefeller Collection in New York to create a piece for their collection.[7] In 1994, Goodyear Corporation in Akron, Ohio held an exhibition of Ruiz de Velasco’s artwork in their private executive gallery. In 1995, Coronado S.A. de C.V. held an exhibition of Ruiz de Velasco’s artwork in their gallery in México, D.F.

In 1996, Ruiz de Velasco created a portrait for President Bill Clinton[8]. President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton sent a letter of appreciation for this portrait. [9]

[edit] Career in the United States of America

Mural at the ABC Hospital, 1989
Mural at the ABC Hospital, 1989

In the summer of 1995, Ruiz de Velasco was vacationing for two weeks with her father in Cozumel and met her future husband. In July, 1996, she married him at the Igelsias San Miguel on the Isla de Cozumel. In August her father died at the age of 81. In September she returned to Dallas with her husband.

The January 1997 edition of the Lifestyle Magazine contained a biography of Ruiz de Velasco’s Career. In February the Anasazi Gallery in Dallas held a solo exhibition for Ruiz de Velasco. In April, Lucent Technologies held an exhibition of her work in their private executive gallery in Mesquite, Texas. In June, AT&T held an exhibition in their private executive gallery in Las Colinas, Texas. In October, Nordstrom of the Gallería in Dallas promoted Ruiz de Velasco’s oil paintings throughout their store in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Ruiz de Velasco signed several hundred autographs. Nordstrom of the Gallería also held a fashion show with their top clothing lines with Ruiz de Velasco’s art images used as a photographic backdrop.

Veronica Ruiz de Velasco, 1997.
Veronica Ruiz de Velasco, 1997.

In 1997, Mrs Nancy Hamon asked Ruiz de Velasco to create a mural for the Nancy and Jake L. Hamon Biomedical Research Building at the Southwest Medical Center in Dallas. The mural was 3 meters by 4 meters. It was inaugurated by Nancy Hamon and the Director of the Southwest Medical Center, Dr. Kern Wildenthall.

In April 1999, Ruiz de Velasco held an exhibition at the Florence Art Gallery in Dallas, Texas. [10] In July 1999, the Beaux Art at the Dallas Museum of Art chose Ruiz de Velasco to provide several of her paintings to auction off for charity. In October, she held an individual exhibition at the Irving Art Center (Museum) in Irving, Texas. [11] In April 2000, Ruiz de Velasco held an exhibition at the Mission Gallery in Highland Park, Texas. In 2003, she created two murals and donated them to the Beaty Early Childhood School in Plano, Texas. In 2005 she painted an airplane hung from the ceiling of the new International Terminal at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. In 2007, she painted the front cover of the September/October 2007 edition of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.


[edit] Collectors

Twin Dancers
Twin Dancers

Doug Frank, owner of the Corpus Christi Rayz and the New Mexico Scorpions Professional Hockey Team, owns several paintings by Ruiz de Velasco. Doug Frank bought Twin Dancers which sold in 1997 for $35,000 according to Costal Bend Homes Magazine. [12]

Wilfredo Lam's son owns a painting of Ruiz de Velasco.


[edit] Selected exhibitions

Born in Dallas
Born in Dallas
  • Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, Mexico, January, 1986
  • Museo de Arte Moderno, México, D.F., November, 1986
  • ABC Hospital, México, D.F., 1989
  • Anasazi Gallery – Dallas, Texas, 1997
  • Nordstrom – Exhibition at the Galleria, Dallas, Texas, 1998
  • Dallas Museum of Art, Texas – Beaux Art, 1999
  • Irving Art Center, Irving, Texas, 1999
  • Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, 2005

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Book

  • Flores Olea, Victor; El Museu de Arte moderno 25 Anos de Vida Artistica. (1989) (Spanish)
  • Diez Años de la Galería Metropolitan. (1989) (Spanish)

[edit] Magazines

Phantom
Phantom

[edit] Letters

Virgin of Guadalope
Virgin of Guadalope

[edit] Newspapers

  • Shown, John; “Veronica Put Theater on Canvas”, New York Times, October, 1986.
  • “La fusión de la danza y la pintura han creado la obra artística de Verónica Ruiz de Velasco”, Excelsior, October, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Mullen, Chris, “Painting brightens Hamon Tower”, Dallas Morning News, 1997.
  • Carmen Eroles, Mari; “Un nuevo estilo pictórico en Dallas”, La Fuenta, February, 1997. (Dallas, Texas) (Spanish)
  • “Verónica Ruiz de Velasco exhibe su obra en Dallas, Texas”, El Heraldo, May 14th, 1997. (Mexico City) (Spanish)
  • “Celebracion”, La Fuenta. (Dallas, Texas) (Spanish)
  • “Nordstrom exhibe óbra pictoria de Veronica Ruiz de Velasco ”, La Fuenta. (Dallas, Texas) (Spanish)
  • Koller, Dan; “Irving Students tour Exhibit with Painter”, Dallas Morning News, 1999. (Dallas,Texas)

[edit] Newspapers in Mexico, D.F.

  • Bergaras, Guadalope; "Click..!", Ovaciones, August, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Gay, Piri; El Heraldo de Mexico, August, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Nicholas Sanchez, Osorio; “Seres extraterrestres inspiraron los Fantasmas de otono de Verónica Ruiz de Velasco”, Novedades, July, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Nicholas Sanchez, Osorio; “Veronica Ruiz de Velasco es Ella Misma una Pintura”, Novedades, July, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Gonzalez Montes, Fidencio; “Pinturas Fantasmagóricas – Veronica R. de Velasco y su Obra en la Lotería Nacional, El Nacional, March, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Morales, Lulu; “Los Fantasmas de Otono de Verónica Ruiz de Velasco”, El Sol de Mexico, March, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Gonzalez Montes, Fidencio; “Loteria Nacional”, El Nacional, March, 1986. (Spanish)
  • “Verónica Ruiz Expone su Obra en la Lotería”, Cine Mundial, March, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Gay, Piri; “Veronica Ruiz de Velasco Inaugura hoy una Exposición”, Excelsior, October, 1986. (Spanish)
  • De Miguel, Fatima; “Veronica Ruiz de Velasco y sus Fantasmas de Otono”, El Sol de Mexico, September 23rd, 1986. (Spanish)
  • “Veronica Ruiz de Velasco Presento Su Estupenda Muestra “Los Fantasmas del Otono””, El Univerasal, October 5th, 1986. (Spanish)
  • “Verónica Ruiz de Velasco Expone”, Excelsior, October 4th, 1986. (Spanish)
  • “Nusetro Museos”, Excelsior, October, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Atamors, Noemi; “El Embajador Pilliod Inaugurará el Mural de Verónica Ruiz de Velasco”, El Universal, Tuesday, March 28th, 1989. (Spanish)
  • “Aeropuerto International Benito Juarez”, Museus y Galerías, February, 1989. (Spanish)
  • Georgina Ortiz, Claudia; “Fantasmas de Otono”, Gente’s del Jetset, October, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Zamorano, Angelia; “Verónica Ruiz de Velasco y sus Sublimes Expresiones Artísticas”, Noviedades, 1986. (Spanish)
  • “Homenaje Pictórico de Verónica Ruiz de Velasco a Lloyd Webber”, Excelsior, October 18th, 1986. (Spanish)
  • “Casi Concluido el Primer Mural de Medicina Moderna”, La Prensa, January 19th, 1989. (Spanish)
  • Gay, Piri; “En la Galería del Aeropuerto Benito Juárez Expondrá Veronica Ruiz de Velasco”, El Heraldo de Mexico, January 22nd, 1986. (Spanish)
  • Torres Vargas, Eliseo; “Veronica Ruiz de Velasco Expone su Obra mas Reciente en el Aeropuerto Internacional”, Novedades, January 22nd, 1989. (Spanish)
  • Gay, Piri; “Veronica Ruiz de Velasco donó un mural al Hospital ABC”, El Universal, April 1st, 1989. (Spanish)

[edit] External links

Photographed in 1987.
Photographed in 1987.
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