Episode 6: Ricardo Roig (Artist) – The Best of New Jersey Podcast

Amanda Morrison: Welcome to the Best of New Jersey podcast presented by best of NJ.com. The podcast that celebrates New Jersey’s most influential figures and the communities that shape them. Big names, real talk, real Jersey. I’m your host, Amanda Morrison, the influencer behind Don’t Sit Home.

Today’s guest is artist and my friend Ricardo Roig. Welcome to the podcast.

Ricardo Roig: Thank you so much for having me. This is such a fabulous experience to share with you and congratulations on this new venture, right?

Amanda Morrison: Thank you. It’s very exciting. Um so we’ve known each other for years now, but for our listeners, you know, just tell us a little bit about yourself to start off with.

Ricardo Roig: Sure, yeah. So, um I grew up in New Jersey. I loved making art since I was a child in Westfield public schools and I just kind of pursued it in all aspects of my life wanting to be a full-time artist. So, um you know, I developed my art. I went to school for oil painting in Maryland in uh MICA, Maryland Institute College of Art. Uh left that school, didn’t didn’t graduate and transferred to Kean University. And when I went to Kean, Kean taught me about uh that I could use a knife to make art with hand cut prints. And I was so intrigued and fell in love. And then uh I also fell in love with my sweetheart then. And so love was all around. And I just pursued it. I was living in Hoboken at the time and uh taking some classes to finish up my degree. And then I just fell in love with hand cut printing and been doing it for about 20 years now, or over 20 years. I’m terrible with math, but uh and uh yeah, we opened up an art gallery in Hoboken uh 11 years ago. And after two years, the W Hoboken loved, you know, what I was doing on First Street with Michelle, and they invited us into the hotel to open up a gallery. And it was at that point in uh the end of 2017, early 2018 that uh I was able to pursue art full-time. And I’ve been a full-time artist since then. And uh we have art galleries in Hoboken, Westfield, and we’re partnering with uh Christie’s to be represented in Montclair soon. So those are the three locations for our galleries. And then I have a big window at the W Hoboken since 2017 where I um exhibit my artworks in this like wonderful big window of uh window to the world because they have international guests. And you know, um and so yeah, that’s. I have two kids. They’re my favorite artists. Uh you know, uh wonderful wife. Uh, I love my life and I just, uh, try to stay in this good vibe so that I can impart, you know, good energy into everybody that I come in contact with. And art’s a great way to do that. And, uh, yeah, so Kean University full circle, reached out. I was the artist in residence, uh, a couple years ago and we started a scholarship program for future artists that uh, go to Kean and receive the Roig family art scholarship. So, kind of full circle and now beyond. Um, and I could share more about current things, but that was a big answer to a quick question. A little bit about yourself. Well, you know, there’s, you know, but I hope that was pretty pretty succinct.

Amanda Morrison: Well, let’s start from the, let’s let’s backtrack. Okay. So, this is the Best of New Jersey podcast, and you were talking about those schools in Westfield. So, you grew up in Westfield?

Ricardo Roig: Yeah, I grew up in, in 1983. My family moved from New York to Westfield. Uh, my mom saw the house at the back page of the New York Times and said, “Let’s go here”. It was either going to be, I think, Westchester or Westfield. And, uh, something on the train line because my father worked in New York. So, we moved to Westfield in 1983. I’m 42. Yep. 42, I think. Yeah. 42. And, uh, and so, I lived in, I grew up in Westfield. Went, yeah. So, I grew up in Westfield. I was a teacher in Westfield for a little while after I got the degree at Kean. Um, my wife was like, “What are you going to do now”? I was like, “Be an artist”. And she said, “Well, it’d be nice to get a, a job with benefits so we could get married and have kids”. I said, “Sure”. And then, uh, so I was always an artist, uh, but just had the day job as the art teacher and then, uh, in Westfield. And then when that, uh, opportunity came with the W, I, my wife said, you know, got to leave that job I made you get. And I said, well, I’m glad you made me get it because I really love working with the kids. It really brought such a, a richness to my life. And, um, you know, it’s really funny. Full circle, too, is yesterday I was working with one of my students from back then, and I’m putting her in a show that I had the opportunity to curate. And so I reached out and I, I used to be her like first grade art teacher and now she’s in uh college in Europe pursuing her art and science. And so, you know, I was an art teacher in Westfield. Uh, we opened a gallery in Westfield. We’ve had that gallery different locations since 2019. I guess that’s seven years ago. And uh yeah, I think it’s really important to kind of like, you know, the the community that gave you wings to soar, you know, you you share that with them and you help others. I just did a workshop with Westfield High School students thanks to uh Shauna Longo who also has a podcast and uh she’s the supervisor of fine arts. She asked me to come back, you know, pay me for a couple hours to do a workshop with the high school students that are going to art school and it was fabulous. So, you know, providing workshops and opportunities and experiences to the youth is, is huge and very rewarding to me. Although I can’t do it as a vocation anymore, as a career, I have my my full-time art. But any opportunities I get to collaborate with the youth and, and, and, and the general public and just bringing art to their lives and making, you know, the bringing out the artists and everybody, I, I truly believe that taking an art class or seeing a art show or going to a theater or, you know, any type of art that you interact with, whether creating or enjoying is, maybe not make you better at art or make your art better, but it’ll make your life so much better. It’ll make you a better person and in turn create better communities and neighborhoods because when you have people that are more open-minded and can imagine and be empathetic about thinking about what life is in other people’s shoes, we can all get along better, right? Art is the glue that I think connects us all and heals. And so it’s not just important for me to create art, but also to create opportunities for the general public who may not have made art since they were in kindergarten like me, you know, but yeah, grew up in Westfield, went to Kean, you know, live in Union County and um last year Union County honored me with a award, a special achievement for human rights for this uh mural I did for the 75th anniversary of human rights at Kean University. So, you know, you come back to the place that inspired you, you share any way you can and you try to uplift those and put those in a position to uplift each other and and you know bring out everybody’s like superpower, right? And so I’m so pumped to get this time across from you because you have so many superpowers and this is going to be so enlightening for so many people with you having this stage and this opportunity to reach so many more people, because I love having conversations with you that always been private. Now they’re, they’re public and so many people get to enjoy what you bring out of others too. So I really appreciate that.

Amanda Morrison: It’s really nice. It’s really nice. I’m able to showcase, you know, I mean there’s a lot of pe, I’m meeting so many new faces but through doing this podcast. But now I also can showcase people that I’ve known for years. So, it’s been a, I mean through social media in general through Don’t Sit Home. I mean, I’ve met so many people through my walks of life. But it’s been nice that it’s not been one particular particular niche. Like I mean watching even just your journey, you’re I mean you’re so talented. So it’s been so interesting even just to not only see your art but to learn the process behind it and get to know you as a person as well. Um, but I also didn’t know that you were an art teacher, too. So, I’m learning new things as we’re going along.

Ricardo Roig: I haven’t been for, I’ve been a full-time artist for whatever that is, 2017, 18. But, yeah, I was uh when I graduated, Michelle said, “If you want to get married, I want you to have a day job in benefits”. And then I said, “Okay”. And I said, “What should I do”? She said, “Well, why not teach kids art because you love art”? And I said, “Great”. And it was a fabulous job, but I had to let that go. To, you know, it’s it as a metaphor. It’s like you can swim across the lake with one hand. If you have, you know, one hand tied behind your back, you’ll do it. You, it’s you’ll put in the effort. But if you have both hands, you can go so much further, so much faster. And, and, and so I felt like having the day job just held me back in terms of the time that I could devote to not only creating art, but sharing it with the world. So, you know, but that’s not to say someone who has a day job can’t be a full-time fine artist as well. You know what I mean? Because it’s it’s the effort you put in and, and I don’t think that just because you have a day job takes away from your any of your artistic effort at all. It’s just you, there’s only so much time in the day and having children you want to be in their lives. So, you know, if you’re pursuing your art and having a full-time job, where does that fit in, right? So yeah, I was a teacher from 2011 to 2017.

Amanda Morrison: I’m sure you have inspired a lot of people even through your past teaching, too. Because you’re talking about former students, but when you were growing up, I mean, how was the art scene in Westfield or did you have any and like, did you have any particular teachers that inspired you?

Ricardo Roig: Yeah, so I had, uh, Anora Conway. She had retired and, and gotten married. Her, her name was actually Happy when she, when she got married. Uh, she met, met Mr. Happy, you know. Um, but yeah, she was fabulous and she had a background from getting classes at UPenn and so that was a huge art program. I mean, it still is. One of my favorite artist Telleski is the head of the printmaking over there and he was a, a classmate of mine at MICA, which is really awesome. So having Anora as my teacher and and actually being a teacher who could do it like she could draw anything, she could show me, you know, talking theory is one thing, but actually showing me helps me to learn. And uh she put me in my first art show senior year and I was able to put my art in front of people and hear their responses. And that made me so rewarding and that’s when I knew I really had to get my art in front of people because that’s the, that’s the connection. You know, you can create it for yourself and keep it in a box. That’s great. But if you share it with the world, there’s so much more to to to uh live, you know, live for, live with, ignite, inspire. And uh so yeah, Norah Conway and and my English teacher actually let me do a drawing for my senior book uh report. I guess my senior project was supposed to be a, a thesis or something. And she said, “You’re an artist. Why don’t you make a painting about Macbeth”? And I was like, “Okay”. So I did this like cool black and white drawing. So the, the fact that I could un, she understood that you can understand the world not just through writing but also through you know your your artistic expression. And so that was a big highlight. But I mean all the teachers, Westfield public schools is amazing. And I’m proud that my wife is a, you know, from Westfield. She, she also was from Westfield and uh she’s a Spanish teacher in third, fourth and fifth grade and in three of the elementary schools. So, you know, it’s a really great great community to be a part of.

Amanda Morrison: So, you’re talking about how you were growing up and that your teachers knew that you could do, you know, a black and white drawing of Macbeth instead of doing a thesis. As you were figuring out that you wanted to become an artist, an artist, and you’re also that you are artistic and talented, how did you find your style and how has it evolved as you’ve become a professional artist?

Ricardo Roig: Yeah. So before I even went to school, my mom would always throw paint around or draw with me at home when I was like three months old, four months old. So art was something that was just in my nature. Then when I went to public school, they said, “This is what an artist is”. And I said, “You could do that for a living”. And they were like, “Yeah, that’s an artist”. I said, “Sign me up”. So in kindergarten, I knew what my goal was was to be an artist. So I thought, you know, drawing, painting was my knack. And it still is. I love drawing, painting, two-dimensional art, but there’s two tracks. I mean, there’s lots of different types of art, but two main tracks. Abstract, where you really don’t know what you’re looking at. You can get a feeling from it, but it could be this, it could be that, or representational, right? There’s represent, you could see there’s a person’s face, an animal, a person, place, or thing. So, I always knew as a representational artist. And the reason because I want to connect with people. I want to talk to you about the same thing and understand your perspective on it, and mine. Sure, you can do that with abstract work, but representing the world around me felt very natural. So, how do you do that? Well, painting and drawing. So, I went to James Madison University and I was all ready to go with my oil paints and I said, I’m going to oil paint. And uh, well, let me not get right to college. So, then in high school, I love skateboarding and we would sneak off on the train line to Hoboken and I would skateboard in Hoboken. Not so great. But my friends were really good and I would make skate videos. I liked editing. I liked bringing out people’s talent. So I would edit skate videos at the time on VHS tapes and VHSC and whatever it was. And I took a video class in high school and so we worked with the TV production and I made these skate videos and I love seeing the graffiti on the train. So this is like the 90s. You’re seeing like, cause before KAWS was who he is now. And I was just love the graffiti scene. I also took high school classes at FIT. So on the weekends I would go with my skate friends and they would take a different art class than me and I would draw like the nudes and the figurative drawing. Then I went to art school which I thought was art school at James Madison University, but at that time their program didn’t have oil painting. So I show up with my oil paints and the teacher goes, “Well, you didn’t read the brochure because we don’t do that here”. And I said, “Oh, I don’t like acrylic paints”. And she said, “Well, try print making”. So, I tried print making and I loved it. But what I didn’t like was that most of the types of print making is in reverse. So, it’s kind of like a stamp. Your design will come out backwards. And that was frustrating to me because if you’re planning a week, you don’t want Friday on a Monday. You want Monday on a, on a Monday and a Friday on a Friday. So, it was almost conceptualized that you’d have to reverse the image in your head. And that didn’t feel good. I didn’t like that. But, I did like the method of printmaking. So I said, I got to get out of this school because I want to learn oil painting. So I went to MICA and I was studying oil painting and I was in Florence, Italy on a study abroad program and I got my oil paints there and I was on the bridge looking at the uh Ponte Vecchio. And I’m painting and I get a call from my mom and she says, “Uh, you got to come home. Uh, your dad and I are breaking up”. And I said, “Wow, I got to go home for my mom. You know, you could drop out of school and backpack across Europe and be a selfish person, but that’s not who I am. I got to be there for my mom”. 30 plus year marriage splitting up. You know, it’s time for me to be there for my mom. So, I came back. I went, I, I, you know, went back to my mom in New Jersey and that’s when I met Michelle, my wife. And she said, “Well, get a job with benefits so we can get married, finish up school at Kean”. When I went to Kean, the guidance counselor was the ex-mayor of Westfield. Ex-mayor’s wife, yeah. And she looked at my application and she goes, “Debbie Scabitzky”. I’ll never forget her name. She goes, “A Westfield boy. Have you ever tried screen printing”? And I was like, “Okay, God, I hear you”. You know what I mean? Like, what? I go, “How do you know about art”? And, and she goes, “I love art”. And I can see, I looked at your portfolio. I didn’t look at your essays you wrote or whatever from other college classes, but you’re an artist. Develop your art. I think you need screen printing. So, I took her advice at Kean. They said, “Cut shapes out of paper”. This is 2006. Might have made my first screen print. I cut shapes out of paper. I fell in love. I was in love with Michelle. I was in love with this new method. It felt so natural to me. And at that point, I realized painting the way I was was trying to be like someone else. It was trying to be an impressionist. It was trying to relive something that’s already had a life. But screen printing was creating something new and different. And that’s what, that’s who I am. That’s what I like to do. I like to be innovate, do my own path, have the freedom, not someone tell me this is what has to be done, but show people what can be done. So it was that mechanism of hand cutting that I loved. My teacher was like, I gave you one project, you did 10. Here’s the keys to the studio. So, I was waiting tables at Alleian Cafe. After my shift at 11 at night, I’d drive to Kean. I’d go in the studio. I’d work all night long until I got a studio in Hoboken. And uh yeah, just the hand cut stencil screen print has been my thing since 2006.

And that’s what the W loved. They said, “We’ve never seen this art before and we’re an art hotel. We’d love to champion your effort”. And I just, you know, still cry tears of joy that people out there with means and the ability to elevate another’s life. And that’s why I’m so passionate about doing that for others because it’s been done for me. And and I think that’s the the key is to connect people and to uplift people and to show people that miracles do happen. I’m a living example of one. I mean, if, if, if I, if I took that opportunity to stay in in Europe instead of being there for my mom, you know, that’s not who I am. I’m there for my mom. And I knew it was really sad to leave this oil painting class in Florence, Italy. But it wasn’t meant for me. And I and I didn’t feel sad about it. I said, I’m going to be there for my mom. This is the way. And it was. And, and, and, and it led to this technique, which I’m still developing today. And it still develops today. In March of last year, I got a new studio. So I have two studios. Uh about to have three galleries and two studios, but one studio, the new studio’s in Westfield. So I have a gallery on one side of town and a studio on the other.

And the, that’s why whenever we have a meeting, I have to make sure we have the address correct. Because when’s your gallery open? Which one? Which, where are we going? So the, the studio is a large scale studio where I can do spray painting in. And I said, “Michelle, I’m going to get a big studio and do spray painting because I love doing murals”. That also developed in my style. I started doing murals and been doing murals for number, I love murals. And uh when you ask me about what’s going to happen in Hoboken, I’ll share about big mural projects. But to uh to finalize where the style is now, I do these large scale stencil uh spray paint and screen print on canvas. And those have been amazingly uh rewarding uh successful in in all aspects of what that word means. And I’m just so happy that something that I just said, I’m going to go with my inspired feeling and action. And my wife was like, “Go for it”. She goes, “Just focus on that. Don’t do anything smaller than six feet”. You know, because when you work at a new scale, you open up a whole new, you know, group of people and, you know, buyers and collectors and designers and, you know, opportunities to kind of grow into a new like you with this new medium of podcasting, right?

Amanda Morrison: So what is the, I mean, you’re talking about the different, even like the process and everyone’s process evolves and everyone’s time frame is different. So doesn’t matter if you’re doing an oil painting or screen printing. So even for you, just have to be open to want more or change. That’s the thing, right?

Amanda Morrison: Well, even, but even just, and for someone who is not artistic like myself who would have…

Ricardo Roig: Extremely artistic. Are you kidding me? Are you on camera here? Are they recording this? Artistic? What are you joking me?

Amanda Morrison: You wouldn’t, you wouldn’t want me drawing you a picture. That is…

Ricardo Roig: We all create in our own way. This is your medium. You know what I mean? You’re the artist of your life, you know. You’re entrepreneur, you’re creator, you’re, you know.

Amanda Morrison: Well, I like to think of it that way. So, even I know you brought some with you. How long for, how long does even is your process do you even take time for certain layers for? Like, how long would even a certain piece take you? I mean, I know it, it’s not one particular time frame, right?

Ricardo Roig:Not long enough because I just love it so much I never want to stop. Yeah. I mean, it, it, it’s, you know, it, it’s like, you know, it’s like making love to me. I’m not looking at the clock. I’m just, you know, what the piece needs. Sometimes a small piece needs way longer than a large piece. Um, it takes what it needs. And I’m grateful that my collectors when I do commissions are understanding of that. You know, they they if I ask for an extension, you know, if it’s not for like a anniversary gift or wedding gift, yeah. You know, there’s a little, but yeah, this season I had to push about three or four commissions that were due for Christmas time and they were fine with it. They said, “Take your time. We want the piece to be what it needs to be”. So, but yeah, I mean, generally, you’re working on a lot of works, you know, you’re not just working on one piece at a time. And I think that’s also the answer to anyone. I’ve never had creative block like ever in my life because I have many different paths to take. If you have one path and it’s blocked, well then you’re blocked. Just take another path. Have like pencil drawings going on and inkwash drawing on and, and, and, and screen prints going. Like I have like 70, probably like 70 different screen prints going on right now. And they’re all at different stages, different editions, you know, from years, you know, from several years working on, you know, for an artist who does. 70. Yeah, I would say so. I mean, it sounds like a big number, but it’s pretty true. Like, you, it’s probably not even enough.

Amanda Morrison: For an artist who does get, get blocked, what would be your biggest advice for someone to get past that?

Ricardo Roig: Uh in the immediate moment, go for a walk, exercise your body, uh move, right? Uh I think that has to do with your nervous central nervous system. I think, you know, when you’re walking, you’re moving your head. It kind of, you know, brings that chi, that energy into your life because that’s what art is. That’s all life is energy. So, if you’re feeling one type of energy, you need to change it. You know, cold plunge, sauna, hot shower. All these things you hear in the, in the athletic ways is is for artists as well. Like, you know, uh, move your body. Call a friend. Dance. Bring some joy into your life. You’re a cartoonist, watch a 15-minute cartoon, you know, to inspire you again. But also, I would say you’re not taking enough uh, uh projects, you know, uh, work on something else. Uh, work on something that you don’t expect to be good at. You know, if you’re not good work, working, working with clay, go take a fire me up class or a, you know, one of those clay classes that, you know, you can just, you know, enjoy uh the process of creating again because that’ll open you up. Um, education is great. Uh, you know, you know, trying different methods. Just just taking a break to kind of like reconnect with nature, go for a hike. Those are great way, you know, nature is a great teacher. So anytime you can, can, can kind of uh have that moment, it’ll open up that flow state again. And then just surrender to it, you know, close your eyes and draw like you’re an artist. Like don’t forget you’re an artist. You could do anything you want, you know. And, and God bless, we live in this country where freedom of speech is freedom of creation. So you know, just go for it, you know.

Amanda Morrison: Do you, so for someone who is not an artist but maybe they use it as an outlet. So as an escape from their nine-to-five, obviously your profession is being an artist. So do you have any things that you do to relax as your for your free time?

Ricardo Roig: Um, I, I mean, I’m, I’m all in art. I mean, I, I, I’m all in art for my career. Uh, outside of that I’m a family guy. I have a four and a, you know, seven-year-old son. Um, you know, happy, you know, marriage. I love my, you know, sisters, my mother and father-in-law, my brother-in-law, you know. So I think like, you know, great friends. So generally I’ll be spending time with my family. We’ll be making Legos or puzzling or drawing. Or I make screen prints with my kids now. I mean, uh, I don’t, you know, I, I just, you know, like to travel, like to go hike. We go for a weekly hike in the woods. Um, but, but yeah, and then, you know, outside of art, I just try to make opportunities through art with other people. Like we just opened up a community gallery in Art Cafe. Which is a new coffee shop uh kids art space uh with some of my friends Corey and Esther in Westfield, New Jersey. And I did a mural on the outside of their building. And on the inside, I’m curating some of my favorite artists. I’ve, I’ve never shown other art artists in my galleries. So, I was like, here’s a cool opportunity to curate for other people. So, you know, you know, connecting with other artists and helping them out and uh sharing experiences and is is is what I, you know, I don’t know. I don’t, I don’t like watch sports. I, you know, I don’t know. Um, I like reading books. I like being with my family, reading books to them. Uh, I don’t know. I guess that’s the answer. I’m trying to look for like, I don’t know, you know what I mean? Like so many people have so many things, right? And and they’re like, “Oh, I do this and that and this and it’s great”. I think uh I’m just art guy, you know.

Amanda Morrison: I think it’s great if, if you love what you do and you don’t need an outlet. That’s a perfect answer as well.

Ricardo Roig: Yeah. I, I, I think you just follow your joy and make it joyful. I mean, it’s my life. Like, if I don’t want to do the project, I won’t. And if it doesn’t spark happiness. And you get to choose who you work with. You, you grateful that you get to work with so many wonderful people and partnerships. You know, we’re we’ve been partnered with Christie’s, you know, the the auction house and the luxury real estate brand. It’s, it’s one and we’ve been a partner to them for like over a year. Um, I did a talk down in uh for Art Basel last year at the W South Beach with the Jed Foundation to talk about mental health and art and the overlap. And Christie’s showed up for me down there. I mean, it’s like you, you have so much fun with, with the work you do and that that it’s just it’s all joy. I, I’m really happy to live this life. I don’t want people to think that it was just handed to you. There was an enormous amount of hard work that still is. Uh it’s just that, you know, you, you can create your future. You really can. You, you can’t predict the future. I think Abraham Lincoln said, I think it’s, you can’t predict your future but you can create it. You know, you can’t control everything but if you take one step at a time over so many years you’ll, you know, you’ll have many, many stops along the way. Your destination isn’t about, I’m not trying to get anywhere in particular. So, I’m just trying to enjoy the process of what I love to do and who I work with. But, uh, but yeah, maybe it’d be good to get some more hobbies. I mean, I like to go see art. I like, you know, go to museums and galleries and things, go see Broadway plays, you know, things like that.

Amanda Morrison: So, we have some of your older works here. So, let’s talk about what went into the inspiration behind these three pieces. And then, what do you have coming up?

Ricardo Roig: Oh, thank you so much. Um, yeah. So, I figured, you know, you should bring art because it’s a visual thing and we’re talking about art. So, um I brought this selection, uh Pier 13, I thought. Cuz when, you know, Amanda, I’m like, we must have seen each other there a whole bunch. That’s from 2016. You know, that’s a time in my life where we just got married. We just opening up the art gallery and Pier, uh Pier 13 was, you know, I think just kind of opening up maybe around that time. And uh it was it’s just that happiness of like, you know, going out, meeting up with friends, going on a date. So it, it brings that cheer. And I’m bringing it to Hoboken, uh, which I guess leads into what’s next. But um, I had uh one available from that edition that had previously sold out of all of them. So I’m excited that I, that I found one in the, in the flat files. The one here, Lacawana Lights, is one of my earliest works from Hoboken in 2012. When the Hoboken Historical Museum gave me a solo show. And uh that was in 2011, 2012. And uh my my father-in-law said, “You can’t marry my daughter unless you get your art in a museum”. And I was so grateful he didn’t tell me which museum. So the Hoboken Historical Museum allowed me to get married. And then they purchased 10 for their personal or private collection for the museum’s collection. Which was like, wow\! You know, you have your first solo show that sold out and 10 of the sales were from the museum. So that, that, they do such great work for the community. And, and that that really matters a lot. And that is also the last available from that edition. Um, and then this one here, Chilltown at Night, is uh capturing Newark Street. And I showed my work in Jersey City for a really long time. Really connected with uh Rachel with the, um, uh historic downtown uh corporation there. And uh the mayor of Jersey City, Fulop, has uh uh one of my pieces in his home. And uh I’ve just gotten a lot of love from, you know, Jersey City and Hoboken. And so I figured why not have them next to each other, you know? So those are kind of like uh, you know, um, the, the range there of why I brought them. And I should mention they’re all beautifully framed uh by Evelyn Dunn Gallery in Westfield, New Jersey, who’s been framing my work since 2011, 200. Uh she’s, her family business has been running for 68 years and she’s fabulous. And she makes my work have such a wonderful presentation. So um, you know, there, the art’s mine, but the framing is done by Jackie at Evelyn Dunn Gallery.

And you know, Jackie connected me with Kean and also went there herself. And donated the first $5,000 to our scholarship fund. So fabulous family.

Amanda Morrison: Oh, that’s amazing.

Ricardo Roig: Yeah. And your second question, did you want to, oh?

Amanda Morrison: What do you have coming up?

Ricardo Roig: Yeah. So, um, a lot is going on for the new year. A lot already has happened. Uh, this is, uh, enormous and I’m so happy to have this opportunity to share what’s coming. Um, so we’re working. Uh, Christie’s loves what we’re doing in Westfield and they want to open one up. So I’m working with the, the Wright group, uh, which is Erica and Curtis Wright. And they are starting an art gallery sales office showroom on Church Street in uh Montclair. Which is really cool. Uh, so that’s, they’re giving me a solo show coming up soon for that. In Hoboken, I’m partnering with Marissa at uh Vienna Lane Interiors. So she does a lot of uh homestaging, business staging, you know, a lot on the real estate side. And they use art to activate those spaces. So we’ll be sharing our first street gallery there as a new revamp. So after this, I’m going to meet with her. Uh these belong to her new design. Okay. And uh um, you know, it’s going to be really cool to share that space with her. It’s her first time opening up uh, you know, kind of like a retail store like this and a art gallery showroom. And uh she’s recently engaged which is really exciting to be a part of her life during, during that. And um, I’m doing a bunch of murals for Hoboken which is a big deal for me. About…

Amanda Morrison: Is this the inside scoop? I haven’t heard…

Ricardo Roig: This is the inside scoop. Yeah, this is it. Uh, one of them will be starting in April or March as soon as the ice melts and it’s above 45°. I’ll be hanging out on a building on the side of uh going up the viaduct. So, it’s a new building there. And uh the developer, fabulous uh group of people, fabulous family. And he’s a collector of my work from like over 10 years ago. And he’s building five buildings. And he wanted, he chose me as the artist for a mural for each one of them. So, the first one rolls out. And um, one of them, I mean, this is all in the near future, but one of them is hopefully going to be about 90 ft by 50 feet. So, my largest by double the largest mural I’ve ever created for the city that inspires me. And, you know, gave me my wings to to soar up to 90 feet and beyond. So, that’s in the works over the next several years as the buildings get built. You kind of activate them with this public art. So, and they’re all situated next to each other. So, it’ll become a little area where you can view, you know, five or more large scale works of mine in the public space. Which is such a great way to to share art with, you know, everyone in the community.

Amanda Morrison: Well, I cannot see, I cannot wait to see them.

Ricardo Roig: And we’re, you know, and don’t tell the kids, but we’re going to Disneyland again, to bring the kids out and get some time with them, you know, four and seven. So enjoying them and that magic right that that Disney brings out in all of us. So and and you know just working and collaborating with so many wonderful people like you and the W Hotel. And uh we have that window there on the W that we’re going to activate with a new company that is going to help me create more of like a wow installation. Like you’ll have my art, but then you’ll have these other activations of maybe like large scale sculptures out of paper that correspond to the work. So, just kind of showing more showmanship in, in the work and the presentation. Um, but yeah, working with interior designers like Jenny Madden has been great. Anastasia at AHD and Co. in, in Westfield. She sells a lot of my work there in Rumson at Burugard Gallery. I can’t pronounce it correctly. But Rumson’s a small town. There’s a, you know, so to talk about the best of New Jersey, you know, uh, kind of going up and down the, you know, the the areas. So, uh, from from Montclair to Rumson, those are those are a lot of the partnerships that are going to make this year magical. And, uh, you know, so, thank you so much for having me.

Amanda Morrison: Oh, thank you.

Ricardo Roig: Thanks for this opportunity to share. And uh, you know, I, I would, uh, you didn’t ask, but I guess one advice to any artist or um, you know, person who’s kind of maybe lost and needs some advice of, you know, what should I do next or what? I, I would really advise, like, you know, cut out the distractions. Spend some time with yourself. You know, the answers within us. You’re, you’re, you’re whole already. You just have to like, you know, give yourself some grace and, you know, you have the answers. Just kind of like, if you can’t see the path in the garden, then cut out the overgrown trees or the trees shouldn’t be there or cut the grass or trim. Or and the path will be right there. And then, you know, just take it one step at a time. It’s like the invisible staircase. When you take one, the next inspired action is there and the next and the next. And that’s true in the art and that’s also true in life. You know, understanding, well, I need advice. I want direction. But do you even know where you want to go? Because how can you ask for advice if you don’t know where you want to go? So, find out what it is that you’re searching for. You know, you go to a restaurant, you don’t just say, “I’m hungry”. You ask for a specific meal and you get that meal. Life’s a lot like that. And art is like that, too. So clear your your goals and this is a great time for it, the beginning of the year, right? And, and what you want, what you don’t want. And then just kind of, you know, stick to the things that align with that. And then you’ll be in alignment with your life and the synchronicities will happen. And the angels will present themselves and the collaborations. And then you know you’ll want to do it for others full circle. So that’s what I would share. And just, you know, work hard. Put the work in, be yourself. There’s no, there’s no traffic in your lane. When you are who you are, you’re just adding to the to the wonderful colorful landscape of New Jersey. That what it is, what it always has been, and what we want to continue to have with our uh great community here, right? Jersey Pride. Shout out to Out of Bounds Skate Shop in Scotch Plains and NJ skate shop in Jersey City, you know. Uh, keep inspiring us, creating, moving your body, right? However you want. And, and, and keeping your vibes high so that you can elevate the people around you, right?

Amanda Morrison: Well, thank you so much for being here. How can people follow you on social media and maybe your website?

Ricardo Roig: Oh, sure. Yeah. So, um, uh my name is Ricardo Roig, but when we did a show in the Hamptons, an interior designer said I should call myself the collection. Because I have a variety of types of work. So the handle is Roig Collection. Roigcollection. Um, Roigcollection.com. Roigcollection on Instagram. Reach out info@roigcollection email. Um, if you want to visit the galleries, they’re open by appointment in Hoboken, Westfield, coming soon in Montclair with the Wright group. And uh, you know, that’s, those are basically it. You know, I love talking on the phone. And give a call, you’re gonna get me, you know. And uh I love to, to meet you and and hear about you. And uh, you know, love working with interior designers, developers, new buildings, you know. Creating that space that we all work so hard to have, right? That provides our peace of mind so we can continue to do the good work that we need to do for each other.

Amanda Morrison: Thank you for listening. Make sure you check us out wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. And follow us at Don’t Sit Home and the Best of NJ podcast on social media.