Portrait of Watkinsville City Mayor Presented at Reception

Portrait artist Joe Ruiz, left, accepts the thanks of Jim Luken at a reception in honor of the outgoing Watkinsville mayor. [Photo by Blake Giles]

Jim Luken and I met for the first time just days after I started as Excecutive Director of the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation(OCAF). I was just coming into work and he was out walking his dogs (as he and wife Marlene are apt to do in the early hours of the morning). We both aknowledged eachother and he told me that if we were to ever need anything from the city, just ask. He was true to his word, from then on he and I worked together closely on WTTA (Watkinsville Tourism and Trade Association) initiatives and numerous OCAF events. Jim has been a tireless proponent of art-centric business in Watkinsville and while not an artistic person, he has always understood the importance of it for our community.

Painting portraits, for me, is another way of getting to know somoene. I end up working on each portrait anywhere from 30 to 60 hours and more, about 1/3 of that is on the face alone. painting Jim was no different. I am glad for the opportunity to show the my other abilities as a painter because very few people locally know I do this. One of the best aspects of being a painter is the fact that I get to create one of a kind images that collectors will cherish for a long time, maybe even generations. Portraits are no different and probabaly even more so.