The self-portraits below were each created at different times during Ruggiero's art career. They span themes of overstimulation, sadness, and balance. Some involve photography and others are purely 3D. Although each of these works is a self-portrait, they all incorporate some form of digital media beyond traditional photography.

Balance

Balance was created in 2023 as an exploration into Ruggiero's past and a way to find equilibrium in her future. It is accompanied by the following poem, written by the artist. 

Topsy turvy in design,
A wobbly world on its side.
Tumbling in perpetual motion,
Constant — focus and devotion,

To a realm where nothing lingers,
Holding onto things that bring her,
A sense of balance in a life,
Ill-prepared for taking flight.

Fear attempting to consume the,
Special moments that are captured,
Though it tries it cannot enter,
Memories that keep her centered,

In a world that's always spinning.
Intimidation cannot win here,
When looking for a way around,
It's the heart that takes the crown.

This artwork utilizes two rendering techniques: traditional rendering and toon-shaded rendering. The 3D models within this artwork were modeled or designed using Cinema 4D and ZBrush, and textured in Substance Painter and Redshift. No pre-made 3D models were used for the creation of this artwork. 

Half Digital, Half Real 2

Halo Effect, Adult Swim ID

Halo Effect was created in 2020 as an ID for Adult Swim's on-air network. The halo effect is a cognitive bias where our overall impression of a person, brand, or product influences how we perceive their other traits or qualities. For example, if someone is famous, we might assume they are also intelligent or kind, even without evidence. This animation reflects Ruggiero's experience gaining a small amount of fame and the more positive interactions with strangers that followed. To read about Ruggiero's other work with Adult Swim, please visit this page.

The Artist At Work

Tears In The Wind

she was looking directly back at me
and she said my name quietly…
almost as if it was hers too…

she was looking back at me... was created in 2017 in collaboration with Johnny Komar. The work explores Ruggiero's perception of the internet; the CGI figure featured in the piece is a personification of the internet, according to Ruggiero. The figure is shown curiously creeping into Ruggiero's space, while the artist sits standoffishly, yet stares back, as if ready for a challenge. The full title, "she was looking directly back at me and she said my name quietly...almost as if it was hers too...", suggests that the figure—representing the internet—is also a reflection of the self.

This work went on to inspire six more portraits featured in Ruggiero's documentary mixed-reality exhibition, How The Internet Changed My Life.

Waterfall Tears (T_T)

Overstimulation