Rebecca A. RappRebecca A. Rapp, Graphic Designer / Artist

 

Rebecca founded Rüka Studio in 2003. She has since dedicated her time to Design, Art, Activism, Music... and Pets(?). Yes.

A brief synopsis:

2003–04 (Washington, D.C.): Worked as photography editor for a real estate marketing company, managed a pet boutique on Capitol Hill, and freelanced for organizations such as the Anacostia River Intitiave and Mother Tongue.

2004 (Middle East): Worked voluntarily with the 2004 New Orleans Human Rights Delegation in the West Bank, Palestine. Documented the film Four Months & Ten Days: A Journey Through Palestine which later premiered at the 2005 New Orleans Human Rights Film Festival and on Alternate Focus TV in San Diego. Her socio-political design work was published in Mirko Ilic and Milton Glaser's book The Design of Dissent and exhibited at the School of Visual Arts, New York. She later placed at the First Islamic Poster Biennial in Tehran, Iran with the same poster design. Rebecca was also acknowledged for her work on the poster exhibition "Don't Say You Didn't Know" in Eye Magazine.

2005 (New Orleans, LA): Returned home to fill the role as graphic designer for Zande+Newman Design, and continued to freelance as head of Rüka Studio collaborating with writer Bethany Bultman on several projects including a series of historical articles for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities publication Louisiana Cultural Vistas, and also for the not-for-profit New Orleans Musicians' Clinic. Her work for Zande+Newman was featured in Print Magazine's Design Annual. Unfortunately, the design career was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina, and in the mix Rebecca had the idea to brand her own retail store.

2007 (Ponchatoula, LA): Cool Cats / Hot Dogs (CC/HD) opened its doors in February 24th in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. In July of 2008, CC/HD was given the Reader's Choice Award from the Hammond Daily Star for Best Pet Supply Store.

2009–Present (Everywhere): Returned to design (full-time) and re-expanded the studio to serve clients nationally and internationally, focusing on the Central European region. Rebecca continues to hold a deep interest in the Middle East and plans to revisit footage taken from her 2004 stay in Palestine to release a second film. After five interesting and long years, she's returned home to live in Mid-City, New Orleans—where you can't help but stumble upon and be inspired by great music, art, food, and nature.

Rebecca graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Visual Arts/Graphic Design from Loyola University New Orleans.