Katie Ruiz
Katie Ruiz is a Chicana multimedia artist working in painting and textile art. Ruiz creates artwork based on activism and border issues through painting and sculpture. She is the creator of The Pompom Project, a community program that invites participants to make pompoms to contribute to large community art installations. She holds a masters of Fine Art from the New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture and a bachelor's degree from Northern Arizona University. She is a recipient of The Far South Border North Individual artist grant and the MAC Conner Scholarship.
Artist Statement
My art explores how people are connected. I use blankets as a symbol of connection, safety, and comfort. This led me to study weaving in Mexico, where I became interested in the relationship between Mexican and American textiles. I show this in my work through painting and fiber art.
As a Chicana artist, I live between two cultures—Mexican and American. My newer paintings focus on re-imagining welcome at the U.S.–Mexico border. Living in San Diego and being the daughter of an immigrant.
My work is often activist in nature and uses yarn, paint, and mixed media to explore the challenges people face today—especially around relationships, women’s issues, and refugees. Even though the topics are serious, I hope my art still feels colorful, beautiful, and healing.
CV
KATIE RUIZ
Born 1984 Los Angeles, CA
Resides in San Diego, CA and Los Angeles, CA
EDUCATION
2015 MFA Painting, New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture, NY, NY
2008 BFA Painting, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
2006 University of Guanajuato Mexico, GTO, MX
2003 Study Abroad Semester at Sea University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
2002 Associate of Arts Yavapai Community College
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 “Combinas” Leiminspace, Los Angeles, CA
2024 “The Pompom House” JWC San Diego, CA
2023 Civic Center Plaza Art installation, San Diego, CA
2021 “Brian and the Bugs” Mural and Installation, New Children’s Museum, San Diego, CA
2021 “Border portals” Keller Gallery PLNU, San Diego CA
2021 San Diego International Airport Exhibit, San Diego, CA
2020 “The PomPom Project” Oceanside Museum of Art, CA
2019 1805 Gallery "Xicana" curated by Lauren Siry, San Diego, CA
2018 “Mother Rose Cried Many Burdens” Mesa College Art Gallery San Diego, CA
2017 "Artistic Soireé", Los Angeles CA, curated by Britt Magnuson
2015 “Blankets” Thesis Exhibition at New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture, New York, NY
2014 “Perceptions” Camaradas Emperial Gallery, New York, NY
2014 “Thursday Art Nights” solo show, Oceanside, CA
2013 “Circles” Café Ipe, Encinitas CA.
2010 “New Works” at Kindred Journeys, Oceanside, CA
2004 Benefit for Africa at Belvedere’s Bistro Prescott, AZ
2000 Zhan’s Coffee Shop Prescott, AZ
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Centro Cutural de la Raza “Anti Border Futures” curated by Alessandra Moctezuma, San Diego CA
2025 Bread and Salt “Remembering Humanity” curated by Xavier Vasquez, San Diego CA
2025 “Dia de la Mujer” The Front Arte y Cultura curated by Claudia Cano
2022 Mitte Projects, Miami Florida2021 Staff Picks, Oceanside Museum of Art, SD CA
2020 MCASD Museum Auction, SD CA
2020 Catherine Fosnot Gallery “25 Artists chosen by prominent NYC Art Critics of Artists to Collect” New London, CT
2020 Mercedes Matter Award Exhibition NYC, NY
2020 "Sidewalk Activisme.org/past_exhibitions2020/sidewalk/" curated by Jim Daichendt, Oceanside Museum of Art, SD CA
2019 CHROMATIC, a two person show with April Rose, Curated by Alessandra Moctezuma, Mesa College Gallery, SD CA
2019 "Coast to Coast" Curated by Karen Wilkin, Berry Campbell Gallery, NYC
2019 "Coast to Coast" Curated by Karen Wilkin, Paul Thiebauld Gallery, NYC
2019 "Holiday Show" The Front, NOLA
2018 “West Coast Connections” Curated by Karen Wilkin, Hackett Mill Gallery San Francisco, CA
2018 “X Marks the Spot” New York Studio School, New York, NY
2018 San Diego Art Institute, small works show, SD CA
2018 “While the trees run” Northern Daughters VT
2017 "NYSS Alumni Show" New York Studio School, New York, NY
2017 "26th Annual Juried Show" Bowery Gallery, New York, NY Juried by Kyle Staver
2017 "Mexico at the Crossroads" Amos Eno Gallery, Brooklyn NY
2017 LA Art Walk "Herstory" Downtown Art-walk Lounge, Los Angeles, CA, curated by Nat George
2017 "Coherence" at Nuwave Gallery, Los Angeles CA, curated by Joey Moreno
2016 Hohenburg Scholarship Recipient Exhibition at The New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture.
2016 LA ART FAIR with WERD Gallery, Los Angeles CA curated by Tim Mueller
2015 "Open Call" Group Show, Lorimoto Gallery, Ridgewood NY.
2015 "Locally Sourced" a group show of 5 recent NYC MFA graduates. E.Tay Gallery, New York, NY. Curated by Christina Papanicolaou
2015 "Strange Paradise" National Juried Exhibition at First Street Gallery, New York, NY. Curated and Juried by Steven Harvey.
2015 “New Work, New York” 2013 A Survey of Selected works by Second Year MFA students and recent graduates from elven New York colleges and Universities" curated by Kat Griffen
2014 “Imprints” Katie Ruiz, Rachel Rickert and Sarah King. New Works NYSS, NY
2014 “Embodiment” Two person Show Katie Ruiz and Suki Valentine. NYSS, NY
2013 RAW: Brooklyn Discovery, Public Assembly,Brooklyn, NY
2013 Greenpoint Gallery Juried show, Brooklyn, NY
2011 The Artist Alley 863 Mission St. San Francisco, CA
2011 The Riford Center 6811 La Jolla Blvd. La Jolla, CA
2008 BFA Thesis Exhibition, Beasley Art Gallery, Flagstaff, AZ
2007 Himme Productions Juried Group Exhibition Memphis, TN
2006 Cervantino Festival Art Showing Guanajuato, Mexico
AWARDS
2024 Far South Border North Artist Grant
2015 Hoenburg Travel Scholarship recipient
2014 Mac Conner Scholarship recipient
2014 LCU Women’s Fund Scholarship recipient
2007 Himme Productions Art Contest Juried
2007 NAU School of Art J.D. Moller Scholarship Juried
2002 Mountain Artist Guild Scholarship Juried
2002 Kate Corey Art Scholarship juried
PROJECTS & RELATED EXPERIENCE
2020 Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Virtual Studio Visit
2020-Athenaeum Art Center-Printmaking Instructor
2019-Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, TO DO Mending Project
2018-Hackett Mill Gallery Panel discussion with Wayne Thiebaud, Karen Wilkin, Gina Werfel, Hearne Perdee, Sarah Blaustein.
2017-2020 Art Instructor SDCCD
2017-2018 Director of Vivid Space SD Gallery
2015-2022 Teacher Assistant for Graham Nickson Drawing and Painting Marathons, New York Studio School
2003-Volunteer Art teacher at Dukwi Refugee Camp, Botswana, Africa