Ruben Dimas
On the Hendry Street side of the detention basin next to Luminary Hotel three stanchions south of Edwards Drive is a mural of Henry Ford sitting in a Model T. It’s the car that Ford had the local dealer deliver to his friend and neighbor Thomas Edison on the occasion of the latter’s birthday in 1916. The mural was rendered by Fort Myers Mural Society member Ruben Dimas.
Dimas is an automotive artist born and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. He specializes in automotive illustrations, graphic design, and product design for the auto industry.
His passion all things automotive started, interestingly enough, with his dad scolding him to hold the flashlight correctly underneath an old Ford truck.
“Through him, I entered the automotive mechanic space, working on passenger and large diesel Semi trucks,” Ruben recounts. “Ultimately, this led to an art class studying the old masters in the heart of Italy, which gave way to a Bachelor’s Degree and full time career in fine arts.”
The story of Henry 
Ford’s gift of the 1916 Model T is available shortly on Otocast, the free mobile phone app to which the City subscribes for purposes of providing the public with information and behind-the-scenes stories about the works in its public art collection.
You can find Ruben’s portfolio and an updated resume of what he is doing today by visiting https://rubendimas.myportfolio.com or following him on Instagram @Ruben.designs.
January 30, 2023; revised July 25, 2023.
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.