Rafael López is a New York Times bestselling, award winning illustrator, artist and muralist born and raised in Mexico City to architect parents. His illustrations bring diverse characters to children’s books and he is driven to produce and promote books that reflect and honor the lives of all young people. 

López created 57 portraits documenting Latino heritage and culture in the U.S. for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino in Washington D.C. In 2022, Lopez became the first Guest Artist of the Smithsonian National Postal Museum and taught workshops to children and families in Washington D.C. He was commissioned to create thirteen United States Postal Stamps. 

He is a founder of the Urban Art Trail movement in San Diego’s East Village creating a series of large-scale murals that brought the community together. Now his murals can be found in urban areas, at children’s hospitals, public schools, under freeways and at farmer’s markets around the country. 

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