Native to Aguada, Puerto Rico, this master artesan is multifaceted in his types of carvings as much as in his goals. A simple man of the town, his art demonstrates the roots of his puertorrican heritage. One can find in his wood carvings the magic of his ancestors. This master artesan is considered by many the best miniature carver of puertorrican miniatures. He creates religious sculptures, saints, and kings, from wood as well as producing paintings on ostrich eggs. His versatility in wood carving extends to carving details for antique furniture. He also liberates other figures from wood such as figures imitating nature in the form of birds and plants, these being only part of the artists work.

His interest in wood carving began in his youth with a visit to the Bacardi Fair. Rubén developed his interest on his own, but inspiration also came from a Mocano artesan, don Pedro Méndez, which whom he shared the passion for collecting antiques. The artistic talents of Acevedo Méndez in the area of drawing and painting helped him in the development of his carving skills and made it easier for him to dedicate himself to carving, which he began in 1988. His first works of art were the carving of a Coqui and of puertorrican birds. Later he dedicated himself to the carving of saints. In the beginning he received the support of don Millo, a Aguadillano artesan, and from Dr. Menéndez from Mayagüez, collector of Puerto Rican Popular Imagery, better known as carving of saints.

As a carver, Rubén Acevedo Méndez has participated in various artesan fairs, including the fair that inspired him to begin carving, the Bacardi Artisan Fair, the Fair of the Discovery of Puerto Rico; the National Encounter of Wood Carvers of the Avilés family, the National Encounter of Wood Carvers of Aguada and also the National Encounter of Wood Carvers of Añasco, among others. He has also participated in and won prizes for his carving in the competition of carvers of Saint Fransisco de Asis, celebrated in Aguada. Others include carving the figure of Saint Peter and the Owl, and birds of Puerto Rico, celebrated by the Compañia de Fomento Artesanal (Company for the Development of Artesans). He has obtained numerous first prizes, second prizes and several honorable mentions. Acevedo Méndez has participated in five separate competitions of the Biannual carving competition of Contemporary Saints held by the Museum of Art in Ponce (MAP). On July 25, 2006 he was the second place winner of the sand sculpture competetion in the activity of "Plena en Playa" in the bathing resort of Pico de Piedra in the town of Aguada.

Other competitions in which he has participated include the carving of the Virgin of Monserrate of Hormigueros; the Virgin of Candelaria of Mayagüez, which he obtained second prize, the Virgin of Mercedes (co-patron of Aguada) and the carving contest of Saint Anthony of Padua of Isabela, where he also received other recognitions.

His most recent achievement is the acquisition and subsequent display of the Virgin of Guadalupe in a special exhibition by the Museum of Art in Ponce, (March 2007). The virgin was carved in the year 2002. She is the patron saint of Ponce. The Virgin was one of several pieces obtained by the philanthropist and deceased ex-governor of Puerto Rico, Luís A. Ferré, for the museum which he founded, the Museum of Ponce. During his lifetime, the honorable Governor bought several pieces from the humble artesan Rubén Acevedo Méndez. Some of those items include: two carved ostrich eggs, illustrating our Lord Jesus Christ, a carved miniature, a replica of an antique toy, and of course, the carving of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Other works includes: the carving of Saint Jude, which was sent to Pope John Paul II of Rome, and a carving of the Virgin of Monserrate in miniature which was purchased by a German tourist. Rubén was commissioned to do various religious pieces by the priest Roberto Soler, for the Church of Ermita del Espinal, the oldest church on the island. He was also commissioned to carve a wooden emblem for the fifty-fifth Anniversary of the Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito de Aguada (Savings and Credit Cooperative of Aguada). A more recent work is the sculpture of the Good Pastor, which was commisioned by a collector of saint carvings, as a gift for a Spanish priest. This piece is now in Spain. He has also been commissioned to do a large double sided sign for a local business which at over twenty feet wide may prove to be the largest piece he has completed to this date.

Each masterpiece has its' own strength and proper dimension from which a unique artistic energy emerges. The regal expression of Ruben's work is manifested through the individual cutting edge of his blades. Each fine cut is precise and with a purposeful definition. Acevedo Mendéz has labored incesantly to achieve carvings whose artistic expressions have defined him as one of the most reknowned master artesans among the Puerto Rican Artists

As he continues his path as an artisan, master artesan, Rubén Acevedo Méndez, has developed and presented various wood working seminars on the carving of Saints from wood for the School of Artesans for the Municipality of Aguada. As of 2007, seventy students have graduated as new artisans under the tutelage of master Acevedo Méndez. He currently also serves as resource informant for MAP. With his patience and experience, he continues to instruct and contribute to the preservation of the popular art of wood carving, patricularly that of the puertorrican tradition of carving saints of wood.