Don Ruffin Signed Original Oil Painting

 

Don Ruffin was born in 1927 and grew up on a farm in the small town of Laveen, just outside of Phoenix. Although paper was hard to come by as a child, Don improvised by peeling the labels off of tin cans for drawing. It was during his childhood that he became acquainted with the Pimas and Maricopas which led to Don's strong love for the Southwest tribes.

Although forbidden by his father to become an artist, Don studied art throughout his school years. After graduating from Phoenix Union High School, he was hired by Korricks to work in their art department. In the mid-1950's he worked at KPHO-TV as the art director for various television shows including the "Wallace and Ladmo Show". His love for fine art led him to pursue art as a full time profession. In the 1970's an instructional teaching television series was aired on KPHO-TV called "Draw and Paint with Don Ruffin". The series won a Rocky Mountain Grant and was aired on PBS in the Rocky Mountain States.

Don's art has received international recognition for his love of the Southwest. However his work was not limited to Southwest art. His use of thick oil paint makes his work unique, impressionistic, and alluring. He has used this style to capture subject matter ranging from desert landscapes to still life to seascapes and portraits. He was commissioned to paint numerous portraits including Barry Goldwater, Mae West, and Jack London. He also worked with a variety of mediums including oils, pastels, and watercolors. Several of his paintings were used for limited edition plate reproductions by Fairmont China. These editions remain popular today.

Don stated that "An artist can be a good draftsman and can be proficient mechanically, but he must have feeling. The feeling necessary for success must come straight from the soul." He was a very charismatic, generous and outgoing individual whose work lives on today. Don was an honorary member of the Phoenix Musical Theater and made several donations to the Heard Museum. He died in his sleep from a cerebral hemorrhage at his home in Phoenix in 1977.

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