Raul Rodriguez: America's premier float designer - el trabajo de un disenador experto - TA: the work of an expert designer

Hispanic Times Magazine, Dec, 1996

Makes Magic For Millions

The spectacular larger-than-life floral creations of Raul Rodriguez are part of the magic of America's parades and pageantry. They are emblazoned on the minds and imaginations of millions of people around the world who see the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California live and on television. Pictures of his design work are in millions of family photo albums.

An exuberant artist who has taken the magical medium of flowers to new heights in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, Rodriguez is also a flamboyant entertainer who knows that a float must be entertaining and have irresistible photographic appeal and quick visual impact because, he points out, "It's like a moving stage set."

He has been designing floats that win oohs and ahs from billions of Rose Parade watchers as well as top awards every year for proud corporate clients. Well over 70% of his almost 250 massive moving floral sculptures for the Rose Parade have won awards, making him the parade's premier designer.

CREATIVE JOBS

"Teamwork makes the completed floats look not only as I wanted them to be, but better, because of the beauty of the flowers. Our entire group shares ideas. I envision the float, but together we bring it to fruition." He also salutes the "unsung heroes" of the Rose Parade, the volunteers who flower the floats in the intense days before parade morning.

Besides being a visionary designer, Raul Rodriguez thinks like a set director with a sense of high drama. "Floats are a larger-than-life expression which incorporate the poetry of flowers and the power of color," he says.

A cultural connoisseur who is a third generation Los Angeleno raised in East Los Angeles, he is also a nature lover and finds inspiration in America's rich cultural heritage and the wonder and beauty of nature's own displays.

Raul Rodriguez has always been in love with creative design. At age 15, he designed his first winning Rose Parade float for the City of Whittier, California as part of a high school competition. The next year, he won a scholarship to Art Center of Design and later completed his formal art education at Cerritos College and California State University at Long Beach. After graduation, he joined Walt Disney Company, followed by Federal Sign & Signal and Heath & Company, designing facades for hotels and casinos, including neon signs and sculptures for the Flamingo Hilton, Las Vegas; Reno's Circus Circus, including its million-dollar 12-story clown. Under the auspices of his own firm, Rodriguez has designed the Eldorado Hotel/Casino; and the Flamingo Hilton in both Reno and Laughlin.

His boundless energy and unique talent have led him on grand scale projects throughout the country. Wherever there is an extravagant presentation -- from World Fairs to Olympic Games to Radio City Music Hall, Las Vegas casinos and public displays of all kinds, the creativity of Raul Rodriguez is sure to be part of the color, dazzle and fun.

He also painted the Portrait of Pope John Paul which was selected as the cover for the memorial publication, "The Holy Father's Visit to the Southland." In addition, he designed the exterior of the Italian Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery in Healdsburg, California as well as wine labels for Ferrari-Carano wines.

His wide range of design experience allows him to "play one kind of work off another in the creative process." He is continually collecting new ideas and impressions and is usually designing several projects at once.