Born of a passion for Mexico combined with the artistic sensibility of New York City, Tanteo Tequila(TM) kicked off a search for the top three Rising Star Mexican-Inspired Artists in New York City on Cinco de Mayo. Last night the brand announced the three winners: Michael Pribich, Martha Clippinger and Doraelia Ruiz. Each was introduced to an audience of media and New York tastemakers at a festive event held at Milk Studios in Manhattan's Meatpacking District.

Jonathan Rojewski, CEO and founder of Tanteo Tequila, created the brand of hand-crafted, naturally infused premium Blanco tequilas as both a celebration of Mexico and a reflection of his New York style. With the Tanteo Art Contest, Rojewski aimed to showcase how these two worlds inspire each other and, thereby, result in extraordinary art. The entries were judged by Rojewski, Angie Romero of Latina Magazine, Harry Stendhal of New York's Maya Stendhal Gallery, and Aldo Sanchez, curator of the Mexican Cultural Institute.

Michael Pribich

Originally from California, Michael Pribich has been exhibiting his art throughout the world for 25 years. His work, which focuses on the social and spiritual conditions of underrepresented groups and marginalized communities, has received multiple awards including a Fulbright Award, Pollock Krasner Award, and an Art in Public Places Award from the Sacramento Public Works Department. Pribich's "A Mexican in Every Kitchen" series, for which he is being named one of the winners of the Tanteo Art Contest, reflects the nature of his art and the universality of Cocineros in New York's culinary world. "Seeing Mexicans working in New York City inspires me a great deal," says Pribich.

Martha Clippinger

Martha Clippinger is an artist and educator from Columbus, GA. In 2005 she received her BA in Art History and Visual Arts from Fordham University in the Bronx, and she received her MFA in Visual Arts in 2008 from the Mason Gross School of Art, Rutgers University. She was awarded a teaching fellowship and received the University Merit Scholars Award at Rutgers and has since been the recipient of the Nadine Goldsmith Artist's Fellowship for a residency at the Vermont Studio Center. She currently lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, where she is the creator and organizer of the basement gallery space, The Dirty Dirty. "Between bodega culture in New York and the colors of el DF, Mexico has provided a wealth of inspiration," says Clippinger. "I have used the colors as source material for paintings, documented found colors as paintings, and created installations that combine my own works with found objects, often of Mexican heritage."

Doraelia Ruiz

Doraelia Ruiz, a first-generation Mexican-American from West Texas, was 19 when she realized that each piece of art told a story about the artist, sometimes even without their consent. Moving from the Southwest, which inspired her to paint in vibrant hues of that region's landscape, to New York, Ruiz's work reflects the merging influence of the two environments by combining the palette of the Southwest with abstract, urban surroundings of New York. She studied at Brown University/RISD and graduated in 2006. After traveling and working through South America, she moved to New York in 2008 to attend graduate school at Columbia's Teachers College.

Tanteo Tequila presented each of the artists with an honorarium of $500 in thanks for their efforts in using art as a medium to share the cultures of both Mexico and New York City.

About Tanteo Tequila

Tanteo Tequila (750ml/40% ABV/$45.00) is an ultra-premium collection of Blanco tequilas each hand-infused with the flavors of Mexico -- Jalapeno, Chocolate and Tropical. Launched in December 2008 into the New York market by the Tanteo Spirits Company, the trio of infusions has already received awards from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the Beverage Testing Institute, and the World Beverage Competition. Meticulous care and attention are given to both the selection and harvesting of the agave, which is processed and distilled into the highest-quality Blanco tequila, and to the extraction of natural flavors to complement the spirit. With roots in Manhattan's SoHo, Tanteo also reflects that neighborhood's unique style and artistry. Designed by co-founder and award-winning graphic artist Lincoln Mayne, the brand's bottle is an expression of Tanteo's philosophical essence -- traditional artistry blended with a modern sensibility. Handcrafted rustic glass characterized by naturally occurring bubbles, an authentic cork closure and vintage-style wax seal combine to evoke heritage and tradition, while the bottle's tapered shape and thick glass bottom beautifully encase the liquid inside, protecting it like a proud soldado.