Rafael Avila is an artist, illustrator, and former drawing instructor.
His current body of work, Rising—an ongoing series of large ink drawings—began with a simple shift in process. Each drawing starts with a single sweeping brushstroke made entirely by instinct. Every mark that follows is a response to what already exists on the page. Rather than working toward a predetermined image, the drawings develop through observation and revision until they reach the moment they ask to be left alone.
Rafael earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He later taught drawing for nearly a decade at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design and also served as an instructor for the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, while continuing to work professionally as an illustrator and graphic designer.
Alongside his studio practice, Rafael has worked professionally for organizations including the World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins University, UNICEF, and the National Geographic Channel.
He lives and works in New Jersey.