Patrick Murillo, 46, is a Mexican-American artist and musician, born and raised in Phoenix, AZ.He is known for his Dia de los Muertos paintings and illustrations. He’s been drawing since childhood when he found his Grandma Minnie’s prized stationery stash. However, she forbid him to touch it, unless he drew religious images. These memories would later inspire his artistic details of La Virgen de Guadalupe, the sacred heart, and Jesus. At 8, he took a trip to Nogales with his mom and picked out his first Mexican toy - a Day of the Dead skeleton with a trumpet. He thinks this is why he loves to paint skeletons. In his teenage years, he became intrigued by the fantasy art of Frank Frazetta, pachuco culture, tattoo art. He didn’t only draw Fedora-wearing zoot suiters, he also lived the life. He drove a 48 Chevy bomb and cruised Central Avenue.

Patrick planned to become an architect, but that changed after a trip to Jamaica. He became enlightened by the one-love message of Bob Marley. Patrick quit his job, grew dreadlocks, wrote songs, and started his band, the RastaFarmers. To date, he combines all these memories in his art and music.

For the past 20 years, Patrick has continued to write and perform with his band. He has crafted a full-time career as a painter, illustrator, and all-around mantastic artist. His co-runs ChicanoPopArt.com with his wife Kathy Cano-Murillo (the Crafty Chica). The two of them have produced hundreds of handpainted pieces for Bloomingdales, Hallmark, Target.com, as well as more than 300 gallery shops and boutiques across the country. Aside from painting and illustrating, he works in a variety of mediums such as paint, clay, tin, wood, assemblage and more.

Patrick is available for demos, workshops, appearances, endorsements and book project contributions.http://www.MantasticArte.com