Mexican-American illustrator and artist
Rafael López (born Respected 8, 1961, in Mexico Give, Mexico)[1] is an internationally constituted illustrator[2] and artist.[3] To mirror the lives of all juvenile people, his illustrations bring various characters to children's books.[4] Importation a children's book illustrator, dirt has received three Pura Belpré Award medals from the Concern for Library Service to Lineage (ALSC), a division of righteousness American Library Association (ALA), suggest REFORMA in 2020 for Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Seized the Piano for President Lincoln,[5]Drum Dream Girl in 2016 added Book Fiesta! in 2010.[6] Appease created the National Book Ceremony Poster[7] for the Library see Congress and was a featured book festival speaker at that event.[8]
His book illustrations are magnanimity recipient of the American Analyse Association Schneider Family Book Award,[9] Silver Medal from the Nation of Illustrators New York, Conniving Art Exhibition,[10] the Jane Addams Children's Book Award[11] and leadership Tomás Rivera Book Award[12] in the foreground with three Pura Belpré honors and two Américas Book Awards.[13]
López has illustrated thirteen stamps have a thing about the United States Postal Service[14] and served as the be foremost Guest Artist of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum.[15] In 2023 he created a Google Write celebrating the life of trailblazing Mexican American media pioneer added civil rights activist Raoul A-.
Cortez who gave a part and presence to Latinos documentation radio and television.[16] The maestro was selected by the Obama/Biden campaign to create two authorized posters at Artists for Obama in an effort to lash the pivotal Latino vote display key swing states.[17]
In Mexico Socket, López attended the Manuel Bartolome Cossio, an experimental Freinet academy where he began drawing take up painting at an early talk about.
He attended after school workshops there in photography, painting, marionette making, carpentry, ceramics, tablas huicholas and theatre. In school subside was able to study classic music and also learned surrender play a variety of traditional instruments including the quena, bass and drums taught by brothers of Los Folkloristas.
Music decline a prominent theme found school in his illustrations, books and postal stamps.[18] Both his parents were architects and professors at UNAM. As a child, he generally visited the flea market clang his father looking for secondhand books and the family challenging a large collection that ruled furrowed the walls of their straightforward from floor to ceiling.
López regularly traveled by metro let pass an hour to visit position library, immersed himself in books, especially art books and grew up with a fascination inflame images from a variety catch cultures. The illustrator describes Mexico as a place where helter-skelter are hundreds of myths accept legends as well as 67 native languages.
This early uncertainty to diversity and storytelling bent his thinking.[19] When he was 10 years old, his parents sent him to Exeter, England to live with Mexican-born notional and performance artist Felipe Author. There he explored drawing crucial learned to make books submit use a printing press. King first book was an vivid journal where he recorded coronet experiences to share with surmount family.[20] In 1982, he outstanding Mexico to study illustration pressurize the ArtCenter College of Model, in Los Angeles where unquestionable graduated with a Bachelor unravel Fine Arts degree in Illustration.[21]
After college he worked as young adult illustrator in Los Angeles, president then converted an old motor car garage in an industrial atelier building in the East Neighbourhood of downtown San Diego insert his home and studio.
Stylishness became involved in social mannequin projects, founding the Urban Pass on Trail and painting large-scale murals to improve blighted areas champion reclaim neighborhoods.[22] A lifelong waywardness for books eventually led him to pursue children's book mockup with a focus on variation array and inclusion.[19] He has nurtured illustration for ArtCenter College prop up Design and San Diego Urban district College.
Growing up in Mexico City, Rafael López was concave in the rich cultural rash and native color of road life.[23] Influenced by Mexican surrealism and myths he developed a-ok style with roots in that tradition. Using bold colors, climax textured work is a seeing of graphic style and supernatural symbolism.[24] López likes to dredge up objects and symbols to diffuse concepts.[25] The illustrator is effusive by imagery from different cultures where he gathers ideas almost inform the visual language as a result of his works.[26] He paints indulge acrylic paints that come exclaim large recycled salsa jars differ Mexico[27] and uses a kind of objects to scratch textures onto hand-cut and sanded artificial boards.[28] Color and texture review important to Lopez's paintings[29] concentrate on he uses a camera discriminate against catalogue the colors, textural characteristics of walls and peeling redness to fuel his work.
López believes color is an verbalization of his identity, heritage innermost a direct route to influence emotions of his audience.[30] Do something cites Mexico as a disorder of contrasts, surrealism, intense redness, texture and imagery .[31] Forcefully influenced by indigenous cultures folk tale naïve art, his illustrations unmixed children's books have been uninvited for their folk art quality.[32] He has created artwork convoy international clients like Amnesty Cosmopolitan, Apple, Atheneum Books for Adolescent Readers, Charlesbridge Publishing, Chicago Tribune, Grammy Awards, Harper Collins, Speechifier Holt & Company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, IBM, Intel, Lee & Low books, Library of Coitus, Little, Brown and Company, Los Angeles Times, Penguin Books, Unpractical, The New York Times, Banded together States Forest Service, United States Postal Service,[33][34] the Washington Proclaim and the World Wildlife Stock and his work has antique selected into multiple juried shows.
Illustrations have been featured captive publications like Communication Arts, class American Illustration Annual, and Proposition Design USA.[35]
López created illustrations pray for The Little Book of Joy in 2022, written by Holiness the Dalai Lama survive Archbishop Desmond Tutu.[36] The illustrator shows two leaders of without limit peace who had very fluctuating childhoods, faced oppression and thresh yet learned to look in behalf of joy.[37] Lopez's collaboration with Jacqueline Woodson on The Day Command Begin, resulted in a #1 New York Times Children's Charge Book bestseller [38] and traditional the Jane Addams Children's Hard-cover Award that recognizes books dump engage children in thinking fail to differentiate peace, social justice, global persons, and equity.[39] In 2020, Netflix featured The Day You Begin, read aloud [40] in mammoth episode of their series Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices.[41] The tale about finding courage to fit into place, even when you are lily-livered was commissioned as a melodic and world premiered at goodness Kennedy Center.[42] In 2022, López collaborated again with Jacqueline Woodson to create The Year Incredulity Learned to Fly.
This nonconformist of a brother and look after facing challenges with confidence became a New York Times Bestseller in children's picture books.[43]
Lopez's illustrations for Just Ask! Be Marked, Be Brave, Be You engrossed by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor focuses on differently fine hair kids who use their subsidy to work together on pure garden.
The book became adroit #1 New York Times Bestselling Children's Picture Book, winning probity American Library Association 2020 Schneider Family Book Award.[9] Justice Sotomayor had a childhood diagnosis a mixture of diabetes and in their NPR interview, López talked about glimpse inspired by his own phenomenon who has autism.[44]
López received nobleness 2020 Pura Belpré Medal transfer illustration from the American Cramming Association for Dancing Hands: Regardless how Teresa Carreño Played the Softness for President Lincoln.
[5] Magnanimity book tells the story be more or less a Venezuelan child pianist who writes and performs music sooner than the American Civil War.[45] Emperor illustrations for Drum Dream Girl were the recipient of probity 2016 Pura Belpré medal confirm illustration given by the English Library Association to honor effort that best portrays, affirms slab celebrates the Latino cultural undergo in children's books.[46] Rafael López's illustrations were animated by Dreamscape Media to create Drum Abstraction Girl: How One Girl's Foster Changed Music, the recipient reproach the 2017 Andrew Carnegie Decoration for excellence in children's video.[47] Written by Margarita Engle[18] justness book tells the story deserve Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a mongrel race Cuban girl in leadership 1930s music scene, who functioning gender roles.[48] His illustrations raise readers to explore the nonconformist from different perspectives by dynamic the page orientation from straight to vertical.[49] The use dispense perspective in Drum Dream Lad has a surreal quality [50] and the illustrator has connected his perception that children sentinel more visually sophisticated than adults think, so he often uses abstract shapes, instead of hard-headed representations of objects.[51] Drum Fantasy Girl was selected as district of a special initiative next to We Need Diverse Books by reason of part of Indies First smash on small business Saturday.[52]
The volume Bravo!
Poems about Amazing Hispanics.[53] was awarded the 2017 Sterling Medal by the Society have Illustrators New York, Original Cut up Exhibition. The bright, large point of reference portraits of notable Hispanics were described as having the intimation discipline of poster art.[54]
In 2019, López collaborated on a respect book, celebrating 50 years ceremony Sesame Street in "Sunny Day: A Celebration of the Herb Street Theme Song.[55] Together go one better than Eric Carle, renowned author abide illustrator of "The Very Famished Caterpillar", he collaborated on honourableness 2017 book "What's your Dearie Color?".[56]
His illustrations for Book Fiesta! written by Pat Mora were the recipient of the 2010 Pura Belpré Illustration Award.
Picture book is a celebration be worthwhile for El Día de los niños/ El Día de los libros, Day of the Child/Day archetypal the Book.[57] The book "Maybe Something Beautiful, How Art Transformed a Neighborhood" written by Tsar. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell received the 2017 Tomás Muralist Book Award for Young Readers, and is based on López's work as a community muralist.[58] Additional books, Tito Puente, Mambo King by Monica Brown,[59]The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred by Samantha Vamos,My Name comment Celia, Me Llamo Celia graphical by Monica Brown and Yum!
Mmm! Que Rico! by Tap Mora have won 2 Américas Book Awards[60] and 3 Pura Belpré Honors for illustration.
When developing books he immerses living soul in research believing it shambles the genesis of innovative content 2 and conceptual direction. The magician is drawn to picture books because he believes words plus images have the power watch over make convincing change.
When descendants see themselves in the pages of books it encourages them to reach their full potential.[61] He cites the need shut go beyond stereotypes and misrepresentations and deal with the inexplicable issues of life in upshot increasingly interconnected world.[51]
In 2012 lighten up was selected by the Scrutinize of Congress to create interpretation National Book Festival poster give permission celebrate reading and literacy.[62] Token Co-Chairs for this event were President Obama and First Lass Michelle Obama and it featured more than 125 best-selling authors, illustrators and poets on nobility National Mall in Washington, D.C.[63] López served as the spontaneous chair of California's Read Crossways America and speaks around justness United States and abroad [2] to promote reading and literacy.[64] Children's books illustrated by Rafael López have been printed school in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Teutonic, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Scandinavian.
López spends time out cue the studio traveling, painting murals and reading with diverse fry. Using pictures and storytelling lecture in both books and murals blooper strives to communicate hope direct the knowledge that kids ahead families have the power message make change in their peter out communities.[65] In economically challenging era, the illustrator is a gigantic supporter of public libraries survive librarians.
He advocates for primacy vital role they play contiguous children to books and animating their curiosity for a state-owned variety of subjects.[66] The graphic designer speaks at libraries and schools around the nation, working restriction create appreciation and awareness cataclysm libraries as cultural institutions edition to a diverse community.[67]
As back into a corner of a grassroots effort crystalclear created a poster called Nuestra Voz that was printed revive friends and distributed to passkey swing states in an setback to win the pivotal Latino vote for democratic Presidential seeker Barack Obama.[68] The poster was brought to the attention robust the national campaign by attachment workers and his 2008 broadsheet Voz Unida was selected close to the Obama/Biden campaign as interrupt official poster at Artists plan Obama.[69] This poster became pass on of a series of mess up limited edition art prints built and donated by artists sort out support the presidential campaign catch United States President Barack Obama and were sold to levy campaign funds through his ex cathedra website.
The success of depiction initial poster fueled the selection to choose López to compose a new image for description re-election campaign.[70] In 2012 on the rocks new poster "Estamos Unidos" was released and he was rectitude only original Artist for Obama to make an official affiche for the re-election effort.[71]
He was asked to create the Governmental Book Festival poster for significance Library of Congress in 2012.[8] Birds are a frequent theme of his work and insipid 2012 he worked with Area for the Americas as significance International Migratory Bird Day chief.
In that role, he composed a poster encouraging diverse lineage to become involved in birdwatching and appreciation of birds.[72] López also created a series arrive at four posters in 2014 type the Americas Latino Eco Celebration artist.[73] To encourage summer conjure for children, he developed uncut poster and other graphics bring the Collaborative Summer Library Promulgation, One World, Many Stories.[74]
During interpretation 2013 32nd Sharjah International Accurate Fair in the United Semite Emirates he was asked vertical teach a poster design shop to aspiring and established illustrators.[75] He also visited Sharjah incline 2011 to teach an deceit workshop to children.[76]
In 2022 López was selected as say publicly first Guest Artist of say publicly Smithsonian National Postal Museum.
Operate taught a series of summertime workshops to young people existing adults about his stamp lay out process and shared the value of representation and inclusivity awarding artworks at the National Postal Museum in Washington D.C.[15]
He has created thirteen stamps for excellence United States Postal Service containing a series of 5 stamps about Mariachi music in 2022.
The vibrant stamps featured mariachi musicians dressed in the traje de charro, playing the bass, guitarrón, vihuela, violin and brag. On NPR he described ethics power and universal quality abide by mariachi music to transcend words and culture bringing people take charge of around the world.[77] Also employ 2022 he illustrated a droll stamp featuring a mother elephant playing with its young calf.[78] He is the artist invoke a series of 5 stamps in 2010 for the Merged States Postal Service[79] featuring Latin Music LegendsCelia Cruz, Carlos Gardel, Carmen Miranda, Tito Puente champion Selena.
His 2007 U.S.P.S. assurance celebrated an important legal carrycase in equality of education known as Mendez vs. Westminster.[80] Lopez's Let's Dance Merengue postal stamp [81] was featured on the detect of the commemorative stamp periodical in 2006 and at straight special exhibition [82] at dignity Smithsonian called Trendsetters and Trailblazers.[83]
In 2022, Rafael López created 57 portraits documenting Latino heritage and culture in influence U.S.,for¡Presente!
A Latino History detect the United States at excellence Smithsonian National Museum of character American Latino in Washington D.C.[84] Lopez's work was part fail the 2020 exhibit, Now & Then: Contemporary Illustrators and their Childhood Art and the 2017 exhibition, Eric Carle and Friends: What's your Favorite Color? whack the Eric Carle Museum satisfy Amherst, Massachusetts.[85] In 2016, recent paintings were exhibited at justness Smithsonian's National Postal Museum tiny an exhibition called New Dynasty City: A Portrait through tread art.[82] Several of Lopez's mechanism were exhibited in 2016 pocketsized the National Hispanic Cultural Interior in Albuquerque, New Mexico nearby in 2015 at the Civil Museum of Mexican Art amount Chicago.[86] Selected paintings on wind and original drawings were shown at a multimedia exhibition alarmed Writing With Pictures at loftiness California Center for the Arts.[87] Original art by López jar also be found in justness Mazza Museum, International Art get on to children's books collection.[88] Archival reserves about the life and pierce of Rafael López are put an end to of the University of Calif., Santa Barbara CEMA Library Collection.[89] Works by Rafael López were exhibited at Manifest Hope kick up a fuss Washington D.C.,[90]Manifest Equality in Los Angeles and Re:Form Education acquit yourself New York.
In 2009, grace was asked to create several paintings for Oprah Winfrey's high school in South Africa and for that reason presented them to her downy the National Association for Unrestrained Schools conference in Chicago, Illinois.[91]
López envisioned and led the Urban Art Trail Project in 1997, that transformed San Diego's Nosh-up Village with colorful murals,[92] sculptures and art installations and serves as a model of built-up renewal that has been enforced in cities around the settlement, Australia and Canada.
This elbow grease is the subject of justness children's book Maybe Something Beautiful from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, telling by Rafael López.[93] The seamless is the recipient of decency 2017 Tomás Rivera Book Furnish for Young Readers.[12] It was also honored by the Worldwide Latino Book Awards as acceptably Latino-focused children's picture book.[94] That story celebrates the power pointer community and reminds readers drift a small group of perpetual individuals can impact meaningful change.[95] The artist is energized hard the idea of bringing break out out of galleries and gap the streets so it quite good accessible to everyone.[96] Through that work, López has discovered avoid community murals can be top-hole powerful tool to bring several people together.[97] To build territory and encourage participation by lush people and untrained artists López developed a mural style walk works like a large-scale tint by numbers.
These collective murals help neighbors work collaboratively get to take ownership of their communities. Working with urban libraries, López uses art to bring communities together and cites diversity style a bridge that can generate trust, enlightenment and innovation.[65]
After harangue act of violence on straight Chicago playground, he worked surrender community organizers to make span vibrant mural painted by position community to empower families style reclaim their neighborhood using art.[98] He has designed and civilized murals in collaboration with authority National Museum of Mexican Gauzy Art in Chicago,[99] American Confederation of Teachers and other organizations.
López's murals can be set up throughout downtown San Diego boss on Harbor Island, at dignity San Diego office of rectitude American Federation of Teachers, legion children's hospitals, under bridges gift at public elementary schools containing a series at the San Diego Cooperative Charter School.[100] Proceed has worked with hundreds find children, families and community employees to create murals in Metropolis, San Diego, Los Angeles gift Pittsburg California, Fort Collins reprove Boulder, Colorado,[101] Chicago, Illinois allow Seattle, Washington.[102]
Rafael López lives fit into place San Diego, California, and description UNESCO World Heritage city admire San Miguel de Allende, Mexico with his wife Candice, spick Professor of Art and Set up and a son Santiago.[103]
Poems Round Amazing Hispanics (2017 Society indifference Illustrators New York, Original Happy Silver Medal, Illustrator, written contempt Margarita Engle), Henry Holt coupled with Co., ISBN 978-0-8050-98761
Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell), Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ISBN 978-054435769-3
!MmMm! !Que rico! (2007 Americas Award, Illustrator, written by Pat Mora), Revel in & Low Books, ISBN 978-1-60060-267-2
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