El Paso printmaker making a name for herself and her work

EL PASO, Texas – One El Paso printmaker continues to gain momentum for the pieces of art she creates.

Local print artist and owner of Printmeikiando, Alexis Ruiz, has become known for her unique hand-carved images.

Ruiz told ABC-7 that she always loved art and always wanted to become a graphic design artist, but it wasn’t until college that she fell in love with printmaking.

"The first time that I print something it’s like magic for me at least,” Ruiz said.

However, she said it was a struggle to start getting into this business. She said her parents were hesitant she would become a full-time artist.

But she took a leap of faith.

"When you start your business you have to believe that you are going to make it. The first day that I set up at a market, I did $32 and for me those $32 they showed me that people liked my craft and slowly, but surely during the years I have been proving to myself that I can make it as an artist,” Ruiz explained.

She attributes much of the success in her life to the women she is surrounded by.

Now, Ruiz spends her time making all different types of hand-crafted art pieces that she hopes others will love.

She also spends her time hosting printmaking workshops. She does this to educate the public about the dying art of printmaking.

“The workshops they help the community learn about this printmaking about these processes that have been somewhat disappearing in the last century because of the invention of the computer and the printer, so these processes how are we going to let them die,” she said.

Those interested in learning more about Ruiz or her businesses, Printmeikiando can visit her social media pages.

Ruiz said she sells her pieces of art every Saturday at the Downtown Farmers Market.