2025 Street Wise Mural Festival
About the Artist:
Jorge Cuartas (born 1972) has been painting graffiti since 1985. Heralded as one of the pioneers of the art form, he has been credited as the first graffiti artist to paint in Costa Rica and Colombia. Cuartas is also the first Miami graffiti artist invited to paint New York City’s legendary “Wall Of Fame.” Cuartas began traveling the US to paint as many cities as possible while earning his BFA in Illustration and Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art & Design. By 1994, he had painted every major city between both coasts.
Career-wise, Cuartas has somehow managed to support his family as a professional hobbyist of sorts. Working in everything from Skateboarding, to Mountain Biking, Triathlons, BMX, Road Racing, and Motocross as a competitor, team manager, event producer, writer, designer, illustrator, and editor. The Renaissance Man lifestyle has provided him with the work ethic necessary to successfully execute all manner of projects on time, and under budget.
While graffiti has been a passion of his, Cuartas has avoided going down the gallery route, instead opting to keep his art as something both personal and therapeutic. Keeping it fun, and non-stressful has allowed him the freedom to evolve stylistically; while the lack of pressure to produce even when not motivated, has kept him from burning out. Now in his fifties, Cuartas paints weekly, while balancing a successful career in action sports, school activities, soccer, and the parenting of his three teenaged children.