Today we’d like to introduce you to David Ruggeri.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in St. Louis Missouri. Ever since I can remember, I was drawing and making things. Art was a favorite subject and something that I always loved to do. Creating something from nothing brings a lot of joy and pride.
My family life growing up in the suburbs was wonderful.
My parents are smart and creative people who always provided a lot of guidance and encouragement. My mother ran her own business for more than 25 years, and my father was an engineer. Learning from them has provided me with many lessons that I have used in my career.
My first major in college was art, and I really enjoyed it. However, due to concerns and self-doubt about being able to make a living, I left school after my junior year. I took some time off from college to try to reset and figure out my future.
During this break, I hitchhiked to Alaska and worked in a cannery and on a fishing boat for summer. From there, I went to Europe and backpacked around for several months. The experiences and people I met were wonderful and the memories will stay with me forever.
Upon returning from my travels, I went back to college and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration. I have subsequently earned an MBA, Master of Applied Economics, Master of Public Health, and Ph.D. in Public Policy.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road has not been smooth, to say the least, but I think that is the case for any business. I have never heard a business owner say “you know, this is easy.”
There seem to struggle daily. Some are small, such as having issues with shipping paintings and other delays.
\Where some are large, such as cash flow issues. These struggles are inherent to growing a business, building relationships with customers, and connecting with new collectors.
These struggles also reinforce to me why I do what I do. The struggles make the “victories” more meaningful. I love creating art and will continue to do it in spite of these struggles.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create bold, colorful paintings, that are influenced by pop culture, and conservation initiatives, and range from whimsical to thought-provoking.
My paintings use bright colors and eye-catching patterns.
A variety of media and techniques are used, such as spray paint, acrylic paint, and ink. Layers and textures are developed to provide additional depth to pieces, so one can barely refrain from reaching out and touching the canvas.
The thing that I am most proud of is when I am displaying work people often tell me “I’ve never seen anything like this before.” I have worked very hard to create my own style and am very humbled to hear that what I have done is unique to me.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
I grew up in the suburbs of St. Louis and our neighborhood had a lot of kids in it.
A group of us, which are still friends to this day, would spend hours and hours playing a game called kick the can. It was a simple game, but the memories of just being in the moment of that game, hanging out with friends, and not worrying about anything else are very special to me.
Sometimes I wish I could go back and just spend a day playing kick the can again.
Contact Info:
- Website: davidruggeri.com
- Instagram: @dave_ruggeri
