Rebecca A. Rapp Graphic Designer / Artist

Rebecca founded Rüka Studio in 2003 after graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Visual Arts/Graphic Design from Loyola University New Orleans. Her studies included socio-politics, activism, film, motion graphics, and writing. Post graduation, she moved to Washington D.C. where she worked two jobs: one as a photography editor for a real estate marketing company and the other as the manager of a pet boutique on Capitol Hill.
     Wishing to pursue her activist side, she decided to leave D.C. and work voluntarily in the Middle East with the 2004 New Orleans Human Rights Delegation. While there, she documented the film Four Months: A Journey Through Palestine that premiered at the 2005 New Orleans Human Rights Film Festival. The film was widely received by a diverse set of communities spanning San Diego to London. At the same time, her socio-political design work commenting on the plight of Palestinians 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 placed at the First Islamic Poster Biennial in Tehran, Iran with the same design.
      Upon returning to the US and ultimately New Orleans, she began working as a graphic designer for Zande+Newman Design while maintaining her freelance work as head of Rüka Studio. Her career was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina, and in the mix Rebecca had the idea to brand her own retail store, Cool Cats / Hot Dogs (CC/HD), which opened its doors in February of 2007 in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. The business has attracted an eclectic mix of discerning pets. Patrons of the arts also enjoy the shop as it showcases fine art from Gulf Coast artists. In July of 2008, CC/HD was given the Reader's Choice Award from the Hammond Daily Star for Best Pet Supply Store.
     Rebecca is currently focused on identity and editorial design. She has grown to realize that variety, is in fact, the spice of life.

Tammy R. Beal Writer / Editor

It wasn't long after deciding she wanted to get back to her passion—English—when Tammy found Rüka Studio and joined the team as writer, editor, and occasional project manager. Prior to working with the studio, Tammy worked in management and attended the University of West Florida with a focus in Environmental Science and English. She is currently working on opening a Rüka Studio office in Pensacola, Florida.