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June 8, 2006
Section: Gilbert Republic
Edition: Final Chaser
Page: 5

ARTIST WHO DREW STONES' 'SILLY' MOUTH POPS INTO GILBERT
Srianthi Perera, The Arizona Republic

Ruby Mazur is best known for creating the mouth and tongue logo for the Rolling Stones in 1971.

He has designed more than 3,000 album covers, carving a place in pop history.

Now Mazur, 59, and his 180-pound, 60-inch long(from nose to tail) Landseer Newfoundland named Zeus are new Gilbert residents. They moved from Las Vegas a few weeks ago.

The quintessential artist has lost no time in setting up his home and office/studio.

He paints, designs and illustrates into the night and wakes up in the wee hours to continue.

And the heat? He said he loves it.

How did he end up in Arizona?

"Alice Cooper told me that his biggest problem living in Arizona was which shorts to wear on the golf course every day," he said. "I came out here to check it out. I just fell in love with this place."

Mazur, born in Brooklyn, started drawing at 5.

"I used to drive my parents crazy. I drew 20 hours a day," he said.

After studying at Philadelphia College of Art, at 21 he became art director of Paramount Records "on a fluke."

During that first year, he received a Grammy award nomination for an album cover design.

The years following, he opened his own design studios in New York, Los Angeles and London.

He designed album covers for pop artists including Elton John, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughn and B.B. King. He counts Billy Joel, Cooper and King among his friends.

But Mazur regards his greatest accomplishment as producing his four children, daughter Monet, an actress in Los Angeles, and sons Matisse, Cezanne and Miro.

Then there is the logo he created for the Tumbling Dice record sleeve for the Rolling Stones.

"Mick Jagger wanted me to create a piece of artwork that looked like him, but didn't really look like him," he said.

There was nothing to indicate that the mouth and tongue logo would become such a hit.

"It was just a silly design," he said.

"I knew it was cool for them. Who figured they'd be around 35 years later?"

When records gave way to CDs and rock and roll made way for hip-hop and rap, Mazur lost interest.

He began doing illustrations, corporate designing and commissioned art.

Recently, he began a series of pet portraits that use his realistic, intricately detailed style.

In Gilbert, he wants to continue painting animals and is considering a series on horses.

Often, Mazur's fame helps him. Recently, he was dining in a Tempe restaurant when a patron recognized him.

Word got around and soon the manager approached him.

Mazur returned home with a project -- to design a logo for the restaurant.

Mazur says that his traveling days are done and that he will make his home in Arizona.

"This is it," he said.

Besides, there is this good feeling about the Valley.

"I have a feeling, creatively, as an artist, that it's going to become a cultural center for the arts, and yet there aren't that many well-known superstar artists living here yet," he said. "So I feel like I'm really in the beginning stage, which excites me.

"And I couldn't be happier living here."

Read more For information on Ruby Mazur: www.rubymazur.net.

CAPTION: Artist Ruby Mazur, who created the Rolling Stones' mouth and tongue logo for their Tumbling Dice record sleeve, lives in Gilbert.

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Copyright (c) The Arizona Republic. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.