El Artista Cigars is partnering with the Dominican artist community to form Artista Studio Works, a venture that will span several mediums to chronicle the life and culture of the Dominican Republic.
“We make tobacco and cigars and that is our art,” Radhames “Ram” Rodriguez, president of El Artista Cigars, said in a statement . “But there is so much artistic expression around us here on the island and I wanted to make an opportunity to share that with anyone who is curious about the Dominican Republic; we are so much more than just tobacco”.
These expressions include the street art of Santiago and the brush strokes of oil on an oversized canvas hanging in a Santo Domingo gallery. Artista Studio Works aims to put a spotlight on these works as well as recruit artists and give them an opportunity to develop.
“Artista Studio Works aims to discover talent, bring the artist into the studio and allow them to interpret the factory, our brands, or the general cigar lifestyle,” Kevin Newman, director of marketing and sales for El Artista, said in a statement.
Artista Studio Works will seek out artists from around the island and invite select artists at regular intervals and in different mediums to join the collaborative. Artists’ works will then be licensed and reproduced and the artist will receive compensation for their work as well as the notoriety and exposure.
The first artist to join Artista Studio Works is René Peña, a Dominican painter who created oil-on-canvas works of baseball legend David Ortiz and El Artista’s Buffalo TEN cigar. The works will be transferred to artwork and merchandise.
Three-Panel wall art (20″x18″) will be given away as promotional materials to retailers and El Artista Cigars fans. 50-count humidors will be signed by the artist and will be available for sale to retailers on December 1. Humidors are limited to 200 pieces and are priced at $150 for the Buffalo TEN and $190 for the David Ortiz.
René Peña’s René Estudio can be found on instagram @rene.estudio and on Facebook @rene.estudiord
