Ruben Rojas is a Santa Monica-based contemporary artist and designer known for his "Live Through Love" campaign and for co-founding the nonprofit company, Beautify Earth.[1][2][3] In 2017, Rojas was included in CBS Los Angeles' list of "Best Los Angeles Artists You Need To Know About," and later that year, the artist gave a TEDx talk about the regenerative power of outdoor art.[4][5]
Ruben Rojas | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Movement | Contemporary art, urban art, design |
| Website | rubenrojas |
Early life
editRojas grew up in Panorama City and was a three sport athlete.[6] Early in his career, Rojas trained to become an orthopedic surgeon and worked in real estate.[7] After a decade feeling unfulfilled working in the corporate world, Rojas shifted his focus to art.[8][9]
Beautify Earth
editIn 2013, Evan Meyer and Rojas co-founded the nonprofit to visually enrich their Santa Monica neighborhood and give back to their community through murals.[3] The organization was initially inspired by the spirit of the Burning Man festival and the revitalization efforts of the Wynwood Art District in Miami, Florida.[10] To date, the organization has facilitated the placement of over 120 murals in Santa Monica and has expanded to other locations such as Seattle, Brooklyn, Mexico and India.[3][11] Beautify Earth has worked with clients including Zappos, American Express and Lexus who are interested in enhancing their viewership and social media engagement through outdoor art.[3]
"Live Through Love"
editIn 2013, the same year he co-founded Beautify Earth, Rojas conceptualized his "Live Through Love" art and design campaign.[12] Rojas' intention for the project is to use art as a tool in service of social and personal change.[13] His signature style involves repetition of the word love in different colors in his handwriting.[14]
In 2019, Rojas launched his apparel line, promoting the same messages of his murals through clothing.[15] In 2020, Rojas' mask design was highlighted in the Los Angeles Times as being a fashionable way to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]
Charitable partnerships
editIn 2019, Rojas created a T-shirt with a message that reads, "You can't quarantine love," donating proceeds to the United Way Los Angeles Pandemic Relief Fund.[17] That same year, the artist partnered with ABC7 to design a shirt to raise awareness and funds for people experiencing food insecurity, donating sale proceeds to the Feed SoCal campaign.[18]
Brand partnerships
editRojas has partnered with several brands, including BMW, Toms Shoes, Reebok and Our/Los Angeles distillery.[8][12][19]
References
edit- ^ "Neighborhood Heroes: Urban Artist and Muralist, Ruben Rojas". Men's Journal. 2020-06-01. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "2021 Visionaries to Watch: Ruben Rojas, Owner & CEO of Live Through Love". OBVIOUS Magazine. 2021-12-13. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ a b c d Sheets, Hilarie M. (2020-05-01). "Murals Send a Message of Hope in Grim Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Best Los Angeles Artists You Need To Know About". 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "TEDxVeniceBeach: "Taking Back Our City One Wall At A Time" With Ruben Rojas". Venice Paparazzi. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Artist Ruben Rojas Aims to Inspire With His Striking Works". Ventura Blvd. 2021-10-01. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ Rojas, Ruben. "Ep 110: Ruben Rojas, Muralist, Poet & Co-Founder of Beautify Earth – Humanitou" (Interview). Interviewed by Adam Williams. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ a b Finley, Tara (2021-02-08). "Choosing Love With Ruben Rojas". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Ruben Rojas". www.eclair-magazine.com. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Beautify Is Bringing Art to Commerce". Los Angeles Business Journal. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Beautify Earth receives Award and continues a movement – Santa Monica Daily Press". www.smdp.com. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ a b Ink, PakRat. "Ruben Rojas". PakRat Ink. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "How Artist Ruben Rojas is Teaching His Son to Live Through Love". BESE. 2021-06-18. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Creative in Quarantine with Bladezilla x LIVE THROUGH LOVE". stupidDOPE.com. 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ Crouch, Dorothy. "Ruben Rojas Falls in Love With Sharing an Important Message on T-shirts". Apparel News. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ Scharf, Lindzi (May 29, 2020). "17 options for matching mask outfits, summer's newest fashion trend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Los Angeles muralist spreads message 'you can't quarantine love' to raise money for United Way". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2020-04-11. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "Artist spreads messages of love while helping the fight against food insecurity". ABC7 Los Angeles. 2020-09-16. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
- ^ "BMW Love Edition by Ruben Rojas | Wescover Murals". www.wescover.com. Retrieved 2022-03-08.