Born in Quito, Ecuador, and a Cleveland Heights resident for the last 23 years, Rafael Valdivieso creates intricate compositions that contain hundreds of figures or faces layered into imaginary spaces that evoke a sense of teeming wildness and intertwine themes of human joy and struggle. His travels in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East inspired his work and sharpened his attention for lines, shapes, and colors. Some of his recent work includes a mural for the St. Clair Superior Neighborhood, painting the furniture for the Coventry “Living Room” project, murals for the Cleveland Museum of Art Community Arts Center, the Beck Center for the Arts, and the Canton Mural Fest, altars, posters and t-shirts for the Cleveland Day of the Dead celebrations, masks and costumes for Cleveland Public Theater’s Pandemonium, Collaborating and/or Featured Artist for the Cleveland’s Museum of Art event Parade the Circle.

http://raffostudio.com

Past examples of Rafael’s work include:

         
Mural: St. Clair Superior Development Corp.      Mural: Cle Museum of Art Comm. Arts Center