Personal information Edward Ruscha is an American artist who specializes in making paintings, photography, drawings, book art, and films (Dean 116). Ruscha was born in 1937 in Omaha, the largest city in Nebraska, and is currently based in Culver City, California (Kantor 23). As a young boy, Ruscha often showed numerous signs of his strong interests in artistic work, as clearly manifested in his love for cartoons and numerous drawings (Ross 54). Ruscha was lucky to have supportive parents who always looked forward to giving him their best support. Ruscha spent most of his childhood years in Oklahoma City, despite being born in Nebraska (Ross 77). In 1956, Ruscha made a bold step towards fulfilling his dream of becoming a commercial artist when he moved to Los Angeles. In the same year, he enrolled for a course in arts at the California Institute of Arts, which at the time was known as Chouinard Art Institute (Dean 119). While in school, Ruscha was involved in numerous activities such as editing and producing an art journal called Orb. This helped him to develop a deeper relationship with artistic work and the use of texts in describing paintings. He also made a few connections with people that have played a crucial role in his career to date. He had also started displaying his work in various exhibitions across Los Angeles. Ruscha had gained fame for his close working relationship with numerous galley groups. After completing his studies, Ruscha got a job in Los Angeles, working as a layout artist for two advertising agencies (Dean 124). Some of the famous artists that Ruscha worked with at the time include Ken Price, Robert Irwin, and John McCracken, among others. In 1969, Ruscha also worked as a guest professor of art at the University of California, Los Angeles (Dean 131). Achievements Over the years, Ruscha has had numerous achievements, which have placed him among the all-time greatest artists in the world. Ruscha received his first award in 1956 when the Oklahoma City’s Chamber of Commerce recognized his efforts and skills in graphic design (Kantor 30). This happened before he started the course of the art, a clear indication of his talent. In 1967, Ruscha received an award from the National Council on Arts, Washington, DC, for his exemplary paintings that gave people a different perspective about various elements in the society (Kantor 42). In 1969, Ruscha achieved another feat in his career when he successfully received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts Commission in order to expand his artistic projects (Kantor 48). In the same year, Ruscha had a two-month-long partnership at the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles, California (Kantor 53). Even in the 21st Century, Ruscha still has a huge impact on the American art industry and the world at large. In 2001, he became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters through an elective process that made him a member of one of its influential departments (Kantor 44). In 2004, Ruscha reached another milestone in his career when he was elected as an Honorary Royal Academician of London’s Royal Academy of Arts (Kantor 61). Apart from this and other numerous awards, Ruscha has received three honorary doctorate degrees in art from American schools of art (Kantor 80). Edward Ruscha has been nom