Nicole Ruggiero is a creative director, 3D artist, and animator with a background in graphic design. She freelances for clients, sells her own artwork, curates, and gives talks and workshops.

Nicole Ruggiero is a creative director, 3D artist, and animator with a background in graphic design. After graduating from the University of Florida in 2014, she worked as a graphic designer at Viacom. In the evenings, she taught herself 3D and transitioned to full-time freelance work in 2017. Over the years, she has become proficient in various 3D software and is obsessed with learning new tools. Ruggiero's client list includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft, T-Mobile, Adult Swim, MTV, The New York Times, Porsche, Lady Gaga, and Atlantic Records. In 2026, Ruggiero co-founded Raycaster Studio to combine forces with Sam Clover and put together freelance talent for larger scopes of work.

Ruggiero’s personal 3D artwork primarily explores digital connections and internet nostalgia, with a focus on character building, storytelling, atmosphere, and emotional resonance. She has been exhibiting her artwork globally since 2017, beginning with the AR exhibition Slide to Expose, which won the Lumen Prize. Since then, she has exhibited new media installations, still artworks, animations, and has curated and produced events. She also ran the artist collective Post Vision from 2015 to 2020 and managed a Discord server for 3D artists from 2017 to 2022.

Let's Work Together!
nicole@nicoleruggiero.com

Notable Workshops & Lectures

• ECAL University (2024), Digital Impact Workshop — Lausanne, Switzerland
• Daytona State University (2024), Artist Lecture — Daytona Beach, FL
• School of Visual Arts (2022), AR Workshop — Manhattan, NY
• NFT NYC (2021), Creators Panel — Manhattan, NY
• VR Expo (2019), Key Speaker — Miami, FL
• Satellite Art Show (2019), Artists Panel — Brooklyn, NY
• Tokyo University (2018), Artist Lecture — Tokyo, Japan
• Makers Fest (2017), 3D Workshop — Ahmedabad, India

Awards

• Electric Sea Hackathon Grant (2026) — Awarded for Messages To Heaven
• Artizen Fund (2022) — First Place for Wish N Wash
• Lumen Prize (2017) — Founder's Award for Slide To Expose
• AIGA Portfolio Review Competition (2014) —Best Digital Work for Lego Annual Report, awarded by Jessica Hische
• Ligature XXII (2013) — Designer's Choice Award for Letter Bits, awarded by Matteo Bologna
• Creativity in Arts and Science (2012) — Collaboration Award for pamphlet design on drug research in leukemia patients

Nicole Ruggiero is a creative director, 3D artist, and animator with a background in graphic design. She freelances for clients, sells her own artwork, curates, and gives talks and workshops.

Nicole Ruggiero is a creative director, 3D artist, and animator with a background in graphic design. After graduating from the University of Florida in 2014, she worked as a graphic designer at Viacom. In the evenings, she taught herself 3D and transitioned to full-time freelance work in 2017. Over the years, she has become proficient in various 3D software and is obsessed with learning new tools. Ruggiero's client list includes, but is not limited to: Microsoft, T-Mobile, Adult Swim, MTV, The New York Times, Porsche, Lady Gaga, and Atlantic Records. In 2026, Ruggiero co-founded Raycaster Studio to combine forces with Sam Clover and put together freelance talent for larger scopes of work.

Ruggiero’s personal 3D artwork primarily explores digital connections and internet nostalgia, with a focus on character building, storytelling, atmosphere, and emotional resonance. She has been exhibiting her artwork globally since 2017, beginning with the AR exhibition Slide to Expose, which won the Lumen Prize. Since then, she has exhibited new media installations, still artworks, animations, and has curated and produced events. She also ran the artist collective Post Vision from 2015 to 2020 and managed a Discord server for 3D artists from 2017 to 2022.

Let's Work Together!
nicole@nicoleruggiero.com

Skills & Software

• Art Direction: Team management and creative direction
• Adobe Suite: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere, Adobe InDesign
• 3D Software: Maxon Cinema 4D, Blender, Maxon ZBrush, Adobe Substance Painter, Unreal Engine
•  3D Rendering Engines: Octane Render Engine, Redshift Render Engine
• Microsoft Suite: Microsoft Office and Microsoft Powerpoint

Select Exhibitions

• Cannonball Arts Opening Exhibition (2025), Cannonball — Seattle, WA
• Screensavers Group Exhibition (2024), Uncommon Gallery — Seoul, South Korea
• Fembot Group Exhibition (2022), The Hole — Manhattan, NY
• Block Party Exhibition at Christie's (2022), Christie's — Dubai, UAE
• How The Internet Changed My Life Solo Show (2022), 11 Newel Gallery — Brooklyn, NY
• ICONS Group Exhibition (2022), SuperRare Pop-Up Gallery  — Manhattan, NY
• Subnautica Group Exhibition at Art Basel (2022), Superchief Gallery — Miami, FL
• Journey Through A Body Group Exhibition (2021), Kunsthalle Düsseldorf — Düsseldorf, Germany
• Radical Gaming Group Exhibition at Art Basel (2021), HeK Basel — Basel, Switzerland
• Neo Shibuya Billboard Exhibition (2020), Shibuya Crossing — Tokyo, Japan
• Measures of Life Group Exhibition (2018), Humber Street Gallery — Hull, England
• Virtual Insanity Group Exhibition (2018), Kunsthalle Mainz — Mainz, Germany
• Virtual Normality: Women Net Artists 2.0 (2018), Museum Der Bildenden —  Leipzig, Germany
• The Real Fake Group Exhibition (2016), Bronx Art Space — Bronx, NY

Notable Workshops & Lectures

• Electric Sea Hackathon Grant (2026) — Awarded for Messages To Heaven
• ECAL University (2024), Digital Impact Workshop — Lausanne, Switzerland
• Daytona State University (2024), Artist Lecture — Daytona Beach, FL
• School of Visual Arts (2022), AR Workshop — Manhattan, NY
• NFT NYC (2021), Creators Panel — Manhattan, NY
• VR Expo (2019), Key Speaker — Miami, FL
• Satellite Art Show (2019), Artists Panel — Brooklyn, NY
• Tokyo University (2018), Artist Lecture — Tokyo, Japan
• Makers Fest (2017), 3D Workshop — Ahmedabad, India

Awards

• Artizen Fund (2022) — First Place for Wish N Wash
• Lumen Prize (2017) — Founder's Award for Slide To Expose
• AIGA Portfolio Review Competition (2014) —Best Digital Work for Lego Annual Report, awarded by Jessica Hische
• Ligature XXII (2013) — Designer's Choice Award for Letter Bits, awarded by Matteo Bologna
• Creativity in Arts and Science (2012) — Collaboration Award for pamphlet design on drug research in leukemia patients