DALLAS ARTIST RELINQUISHES BRUSHES TO PAINT PICTURE OF HIS LIFE WITH WORDS
(DALLAS, Aug. 9, 2010 ) – When professional artist Marty Ruiz travels from Dallas to the sunny west coast this week, he has one significant goal in mind: to begin another journey of painting the portrait of his life. For his trip, however, he will not pack his traditional tools of brushes, watercolors and canvasses but will take one carry on instrument that has become a newfound powerful device to his craft – his voice.
Wooing the judges and the audience with his creatively orchestrated presentation “One Person,” Ruiz beat out six other contestants at a speech contest in May hosted by Toastmasters International District 50. He now moves forward to the Toastmasters semi-finals International Speech competition in Palm Desert, CA this week with high hopes of winning that level of competition then advancing to the finals for a chance to capture the coveted World Champion of Public Speaking title – one held by only two other north Texans in the 72-year-history of the award.
Renowned Dallas Artist Marty Ruiz
As a full-time professional artist, Ruiz says he has been speaking about the benefits of owning art for years but believes he is now finding his true voice and discovering how his words can affect others in a positive way. “At 58 years of age, I did not expect this challenge to emerge, but I welcome the potential for development that it brings,” he says.
With the Toastmasters International competition and convention just days away, Ruiz says he has been preparing himself mentally, emotionally and spiritually to compete against top speakers from around the world. A recent visit to the host hotel and the exact room where the competition will take place, he says, helped him visualize himself on stage using his vocal artistry to share his personal motivating message of how one person can make a difference.
“All I can think of is how I can optimally tell my story to connect with as many people as possible. If I have done that effectively, that is all I can hope for,” he says. “My speech relies on authenticity. The rest is just about sharing the story.”
Ruiz first shared a revealing story of his life last November when he competed at the top local Toastmasters humorous speech competition, but was disqualified for going over the maximum seven-minute time limit. The contest, he jokingly points out, was on Friday the 13th. Using fond memories of his mother as inspiration – whom he comically imitated as a charismatic woman with a strong Spanish accent usually armed with a champagne glass in one hand and a Tareyton cigarette tip in the other – Ruiz demonstrated his strong vocal variety, eloquent stage presence and refined storytelling skills to became a favorite among fellow Toastmasters.
“After watching the video many times, I feel that for that speech, I gave the best presentation possible and will never do much better than that night,” says Ruiz, who points out he uses that contest as a learning experience rather than a defeat. “It still moves me whenever I see and feel what the audience saw and felt as the message came to life. As I watch, I still think sometimes, ‘Who is that guy’?’”
The guy who Toastmasters sees as a skilled orator is the same guy whom for the past 20 years has produced extraordinary paintings and handmade note cards showcased and distributed throughout the United States. Ruiz is often asked to commission one-of-a-kind designs for various organizations and events and has had his paintings selected as the featured artwork at several major art festivals. Making the correlation between art and speaking came easy for the Houston native who believes both have great power to influence and move the human spirit.
“As an artist, I found my ability to express through color, image and interpretation. Through speaking, there are so many nuances and variables that can be modified from one moment to the next. It is a living, breathing art form susceptible to many subtleties which exist only in that moment,” the Houston native vividly expresses. “When you finish speaking and the silence lingers, all that remains is the memory of the last words that were spoken.”
When he steps onto the stage at the Toastmasters International speech contest Thursday, Ruiz will use his artistic talent of painting a picture of his life through spoken words by sharing his personal testimony of how one person can make a difference in the world. An achievement of which, he says his mother, his hero and inspiration, would be proud.
For more information about Toastmasters International, go to www.toastmasters.org. Samples of Ruiz’s art collections and designs are available for viewing at www.martyruiz.com. For interviews or bookings for speaking engagements, contact WordOut Communications at (214) 549-5028 or send an email to bookings@wordoutcommunications.com.
"WORTH BLOGGING ABOUT" by Sandra K. Samuel 
What a great article. You know I just “re met” an artist who after years of a successful art career has ventured into playing instruments. I think artists are creative beings all around and my friend was right when he said “Why limit yourself” You know, some people often say that a jack of all trades is a master of none, but I disagree! I think some creative people are just that …complete creative beings!
Myesha Francis
January 20, 2011
Sandra,
Thank you for the great article. I miss you at TNT. I am sorry that we didn’t get a chance to visit at the first TLI.
They told me that I needed officer training. You would think that after almost 40 years I would have learned something!
Take care,
Jerry
Jerry Coen
August 10, 2010