Rafael López

The artwork of Rafael López is a fusion of strong graphic style and magical symbolism. He is inspired by his rich cultural heritage growing up in a family of architects, poets, musicians and artists in central Mexico. Rafael works in digital and traditional artwork, painting on wood boards and textured surfaces with acrylic paints, sable brushes, hand pottery tools to create brilliant backgrounds and rich colors.

Rafael is the illustrator of New York Times bestselling picture books The Day You Begin & The Year We Learned to Fly by Jacqueline Woodson, and Just Ask! by Sonia Sotomayor, which also received the ALA Schneider Family Book Award. He is the three-time Pura Belpré Medal award-winning illustrator of Dancing Hands, Drum Dream Girl, and Book Fiesta! His latest release, And They Walk On by Kevin Maillard, received three starred reviews.

Rafael’s artwork can also be seen in murals around the world, United States Postal Service stamps, the World Wildlife Federation and Smithsonian’s Latino Museum. Visit Rafael in his studio on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

• New York Times Picture Books Bestseller for The Day You Begin, The Year We Learned to Fly, and Just Ask! 
• ALA Schneider Family Book Award for Just Ask! 
• Pura Belpré Illustration Medal for Dancing Hands, Drum Dream Girl  and Book Fiesta!
• Society of Illustrators Silver Medal for BRAVO Poems About Amazing Hispanics 
• Tomás Rivera Mexican American Book Award for Maybe Something Beautiful