Jerry De La Cruz (b 1948, Denver, CO) was listed among the three dozen most influential regional artists of the twentieth century in a Denver Post survey of regional curators (2001). His was the only Spanish surname. At the first International Latino Art Auction held in Phoenix, AZ in conjunction with Sotheby’s (2003), De La Cruz proved the best selling artist of the auction and drew the highest auction price for a single work. The Denver Art Museum's first purchase of a living Hispanic's work for its permanent collection was a De La Cruz. Years later, he was the only artist considered when that same museum wanted to commission a contemporary digital work commemorating the opening of its new Libeskind Building (2007). De La Cruz was the recipient of back-to-back artist in residency grants from Colorado in his early career and received as well their very last painting fellowship in 2000. For a spell in 2006, works of De La Cruz were included in three unrelated art museum exhibits in Denver (Denver Art Museum, El Museo and the Mizel). Other honors include award of Best Art Event of the Year by Westword Magazine and appointment to Denver’s Commission on Arts & Culture. De La Cruz currently works out of his studio in central Denver.