We recently connected with Ricky Ortiz and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ricky thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

It’s never just one craft with art. I taught myself how to draw from a very young age. I grew up with a love for comic books, and used it as a source of reference as I taught myself. I went through elementary & middle school taking after school programs & advanced art classes learning from some of the best teachers Houston offered. Ms. Francis & Coach Blanks, because he also coached track, furthered my passion by teaching me the essentials of using color via Prismacolor pencils, watercolors, & acrylics. HSPVA opened my world to other skills outside the realm of pencils, paints, & paper. Since then, I have continued my work on canvas & have ran an art business based on commissions working with several mediums of art. From canvas to wall, 2D to 3D, illustration to film, & everything in between. RO: VISUALS is here to realize your creative ideas.

Ricky, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My love of drawing as a kid was motivated by my love of sharks, which was inspired by one of the greatest Hollywood movies ever made; JAWS. Comic books & cartoons followed. But it was during my time at HSPVA where I found my passion for dark art. Artists such as H.R. Giger, Francis Bacon, Zdzisław Beksiński, & Clive Barker inspired my love for the macabre in art & direction in my personal works. Now I run a small business based on commissions. RO: VISUALS has worked with a variety of mediums to fulfill a broad spectrum of ideas & projects in businesses, residences, events, & even film settings.
I’m most proud of my murals because of what comes with the size of the job; oversized challenges. It’s overcoming those challenges that make the experience feel so much more accomplishing at the end.
All in all, though, I’m proud of everything I’ve been able to accomplish up to this point.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Well, considering that for most of us being an artist is a job & our livelihood, much like a mechanic, an electrician, a security guard, even a doctor, we provide a service that people seek us out for. I’ve got three easy, simple words.

Pay. Your. Artist.

That’s it. Pay artists for the work you seek as you would the others mentioned above.
We’ve all run into that scenario before & I still hear about it from others today.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew about airbrushing at a much earlier age around high school. At the time, I personally didn’t have access to the resources unfortunately.

Contact Info:

• Website: Ricky-Ortiz.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/rickyortizarts
• Facebook: Facebook.com/rickyortizarts
• Youtube: Youtube.com/@ROvisuals
• Other: Tiktok.com/@rickyortizvisuals

Image Credits
Some photos taken by myself, Marcus Vasquez & Mario Almanza. Body paint model is local Houston model, Alyse AS.