Carrying forward the enduring theme of feeling like an outsider throughout much of his life, Randy Morales centers his art on characters that may be deemed less 'obvious' to the mainstream, yet profoundly resonant to those who share that recognition. His selection of subjects within his artwork is deeply rooted in his upbringing during the 90s. Randy Morales, a US Navy veteran, brings together nostalgia and graphic expressionism to craft his street-pop artworks.
Morales has been creative all his life although he has not
always had the opportunities to show his expressive range. He says, “Being a
young African American and Puerto Rican male in Washington state already being
different from all the other kids I chose to hide my creative side and just go
forward with life day by day. I ended up in the military since I had no other
plans in life and found myself doing creative things during my free time just
to pass the time.”
After completing his
military service and his degree from FIDM, Morales began a successful career as
a fashion designer for major fashion brands. However, a chance encounter with a
broken TV would prove to be a pivotal moment in his artistic journey, “TVs are
meant to have pictures and even though my TV was broken instead of just
throwing it away, why not paint on it.” This sparked his venture into creating
visual artworks from recycled materials and eventually creating original
paintings on canvas.
Through his art, Morales
aims to evoke the nostalgia and joy of childhood memories while also inspiring
others to embrace their own creativity. He firmly believes that creativity is
a vital force in the world, giving shape
and color to our experiences and memories. By infusing his works with a sense
of playfulness and wonder, Morales invites his viewers to reconnect with their
own inner child and rediscover the magic of the world around them.
