João Ruas (b. 1981, Brazilian) is known for his haunted, atmospheric paintings which blend history, myth, multicultural references and the natural world into a rich and singular contemporary visual language.
   
Ruas was born in São Paulo, and at a young age exhibited a talent in visual arts, which led him being selected for a four-year focused technical course in drawing in 1996. He proceeded to college to study Design in 2000, graduating with a BFA from Universidade Anhembi Morumbi. Following college, he relocated to the UK, where he worked as an illustrator and concept artist for various gaming and film studios. In 2007, he returned to Brazil, where he had a brief stint in advertising before redirecting his focus to exclusively personal work and illustration. He has exhibited at venues in Brazil, the United States, Europe, and Australia. His work is in the permanent collection of the Urban Nation Musuem in Berlin, Germany, and is held in private collections all over the world. Ruas currently lives and works in São Paulo with his son Aurélio.