Rafael López was born in Mexico City and was raised by his parents, both architects, in the rich visual heritage, music, and surrealism of his native culture. In 1985, he earned his B.F.A. from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California.

An internationally recognized illustrator and artist, López is a founder of the Urban Art Trail movement, created to add color and art to his San Diego neighborhood. His murals are also found around the country in locations as diverse as children’s hospitals, public schools, farmer’s markets, and freeway underpasses. This community work is the subject of the children’s book Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood (2016).

López illustrated two New York Times bestsellers: Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You (2019), written by Sonia Sotomayor, and The Day You Begin (2018), written by Jacqueline Woodson. He also is a three-time Pura Belpre Medal award-winning illustrator for Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played Piano for President Lincoln (2019), Drum Dream Girl (2016), and Book Fiesta! (2010).

Among López’s many clients are Amnesty International, Apple, HarperCollins, the Library of Congress, The New York Times, the Grammy Awards, United States Forest Service, the Washington Post, and the World Wildlife Fund.

López lives and works in an industrial loft in downtown San Diego and at his home and studio in the colonial town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

López designed and illustrated the 2022 Mariachi stamps and the 2022 Elephants stamp for the U.S. Postal Service. His previous projects were Latin Music Legends (2011), Mendez v. Westminster (2007), and one design for Let’s Dance/Bailemos (2005).

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