MUNNY AUCTION ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: ERIN RUIZ

Leading up to our final day of bidding on Dec. 3 at the Radio Boise Practice New Year’s Eve Party, The Record Exchange is showcasing the artists who donated their talents to the sixth annual MUNNY Silent Auction Fundraiser. Featured in this post is Erin Ruiz.

CURRENT BID: $225
BID ON THIS MUNNY HERE

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Erin Ruiz is a freelance artist subsisting on a strict regiment of painting, a lack of sleep, and Ramen noodles. In her younger days, she chose to leave the comfort of hermitage to attend Savannah College of Art and Design, where, 2004, she graduated with an Undergraduate Award and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Illustration. After living in Georgia for three years, she moved back home to Boise, Idaho to pursue a career in the arts. A drawer since birth, painter by trade, she now works in a variety of media of anything from oil paint to ballpoint pen. Her current work masquerades as inviting and soft – oftentimes melancholic, pop surrealistic images rife with subtext and layered with playful undertones of symbolism.

VIEW AND BID ON OTHER MUNNYS HERE

MUNNY AUCTION ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: TONY RIOS

Leading up to our final day of bidding on Dec. 3 at the Radio Boise Practice New Year’s Eve Party, The Record Exchange is showcasing the artists who donated their talents to the sixth annual MUNNY Silent Auction Fundraiser. Featured in this post is Tony Rios.

CURRENT BID: $65
BID ON THIS MUNNY HERE

ABOUT THE ARTIST

I was born at the White Memorial Hospital in 1959, Los Angeles, California. I grew up in South San Gabriel, which was weird because nobody knew where “North San Gabriel” was. I grew up watching my mother oil paint and knew that that is what I wanted to do … well, that and play with my Hot Wheels. So that is what I do. I paint and collect toys. While the majority of my life was spent in California, I also lived in various states and countries such as Arizona, Utah, England and now Idaho. I met my wife of 30 years in England and together we have raised 6 children, 5 girls and 1 boy.

I started out freelance illustrating for 12 years in L.A. Then I got a wild hair and went to work for a company called Wild West Designs doing monumental work and architectural bronze work from 94-96. I then started my own company called Tierra Bronze doing architectural bronze work, custom made ceramic tile back splashes, hotel lobby floors and single field tile. In that time, I had the opportunity to work with award winning designers and architects, such as Naomi Leff, Robert A.M. Stern and Paula Berg, from 93-03. My work can be seen across the United States from Mexico to Wyoming and as far East as New York. I also taught at the Utah Valley State College in ’99, teaching drawing, figure drawing, watercolor and understanding materials. I have had the opportunity to come full circle back to my first passion, drawing and painting.

I don’t attempt to explain my work, it can have more than one meaning. Art is so subjective, and views differ from one person to the next, so I leave it to the viewer to go away with whatever the images mean to them. I very rarely have an agenda or wish to pull the viewer to any opinion or belief of mine. I just hope that there is a reaction of some kind, either you hate the work, are inspired by it, or just laugh, so enjoy. — Tony Rios

VIEW AND BID ON OTHER MUNNYS HERE

$6.99/$7.99 BLACK FRIDAY CD SPECIALS – DEALS ARE GOOD ALL WEEKEND LONG!

The Black Friday deals are a-plenty at The Record Exchange, and here’s one we’re super-excited about: brand-spankin’-new $6.99 and $7.99 CDs!

We hand-picked more than a dozen titles ranging from new releases to 2011 top sellers to classic albums every serious music fan needs. These deals are only good in store and quantities are limited — no rain checks!

FeistMetals $6.99
NirvanaNevermind $6.99
Florence + the MachineLungs $6.99
Alison Krauss and Union StationPaper Airplane $6.99
Paul SimonSo Beautiful or So What $6.99
Blink-182Neighborhoods $6.99
SuperHeavy – SuperHeavy $6.99
Creedence Clearwater RevivalChronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits $6.99
Tom WaitsBad as Me $7.99
WilcoThe Whole Love $7.99
Mumford & SonsSigh No More $7.99
The Black KeysBrothers $7.99
Bon IverFor Emma, Forever Ago $7.99
PrimusGreen Naugahyde $7.99

MUNNY AUCTION ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: LISA PISANO

Leading up to our final day of bidding on Dec. 3 at the Radio Boise Practice New Year’s Eve Party, The Record Exchange is showcasing the artists who donated their talents to the sixth annual MUNNY Silent Auction Fundraiser. Featured in this post is Lisa Pisano.

CURRENT BID: $90
BID ON THIS MUNNY HERE

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Lisa Pisano is a local artist and founding member of Enso Artspace, an artists collective in Garden City. Her work is on view at the exhibition “the nature of things” at Enso until November 11.

VIEW AND BID ON OTHER MUNNYS HERE

CELEBRATE SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY BY SHOPPING THE RECORD EXCHANGE!

Saturday, Nov. 26, is the second annual Small Business Saturday, and you can celebrate this national buy-local day by shopping The Record Exchange and other independent businesses in Downtown Boise and throughout the Treasure Valley.

Small Business Saturday is a day to come together in support of the small businesses we love. The shops and restaurants that employ our neighbors and reinvest our money close to home. The businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities and local economies.

As an added incentive to support Small Business Saturday, American Express is rewarding card members with $25 when they use their card on Nov. 26 at small businesses like The Record Exchange. (You must register an American Express card to qualify for the $25 credit — full details here: facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday).

Here at Idaho’s largest independent record store, we’re grateful for your rockin’ support each and every day of the year. Join us Saturday in supporting our community by shopping local.