New Website: All About Books

It's been in the works for over a year. Please check out my new website
Rafael López Books

If you click the images on the homepage it leads you to links. When you select the Books you can view a slide show of book spreads from each title.

Reading Takes You Places! Our California: Read Across America 2013

It's Sunday and I've just arrived home from the California Teachers Association Conference in Los Angeles. Excited that "Our California" is the 2013 Read Across America book and I've created artwork in support of the idea that Reading Takes You Places. If you visit this website you can print ex-libris, bookmarks, state map with reading list and coloring book pages. Tell your kids, grandkids and their teachers!

"The book highlights intersting features or the historical importance of 14 California cities with colorful, evocative and eye filling imagery. Our California is a wonderful way to show children the spirit of California".

The more children read, the better they read. The more they read outside of school, the better they do in school. Help teach children that reading takes you places by surfing waves in San Diego, climbing Half Dome in Yosemite, and seeing the sights of San Francisco by cable car.

Picturing the President: Inauguration Day 2013

In a grassroots effort I painted this portrait of Presidential candidate Barack Obama
in 2008 and together with friends we shipped it to swing states. The image was
popular with field workers who brought it to the attention of the national campaign.
I was asked to create Voz Unida based on this image and it became
an official poster at Artists for Obama.

I will never forget attending the inauguration of President Obama in 2009 and
created this portrait to commemorate the event. It was part of the Manifest Hope
Show in Washington D.C. and Shepard Fairey purchased the original painting.

In 2012 I was honored to participate once again as an Artist for Obama
by the national campaign. My contribution Estamos Unidos targeted the Latino vote.
With permission I printed this poster Adelante. I felt my art coming full circle
when once again we shipped it to the swing states in grassroots support
of President Obama's re-election effort. Today is about celebrating our future.

We head home: through the gloss of rain or weight of snow, or the plum blush of dusk, but always -- home,
always under one sky, our sky. And always one moon
like a silent drum tapping on every rooftop
and every window, of one country -- all of us --
facing the stars
hope -- a new constellation
waiting for us to map it,
waiting for us to name it -- together"

Listen to the powerful words of America's first Latino inaugural poet Richard Blanco. His poem gives tribute to our American experience. In an artist's voice this is a call for unity that will keep our nation moving forward.
One Today by Richard Blanco in the Los Angeles Times.

Feliz Año Nuevo

From our rooftop to yours.