Artist Statement
I try to illuminate stories I feel deserve greater recognition. Stories that can shed light on how the world has come to be as it is today, and that just might help to broaden our idea of what’s possible tomorrow.
Primarily rooted in realism, my artistic style occasionally incorporates abstract elements, and I have created a number of abstract pieces. The range of subjects I undertake is broad, spanning from portraits, animals, and nature to architectural renderings, astronomical scenes, and subatomic imagery. I draw upon my scientific background and research acumen during the conceptualization of murals, ensuring that the outcomes not only captivate visually but also reflect the deeper significance conveyed by the imagery.
Since 2020, there has been a notable shift in my work towards narrative-driven and representative creations. This led to the initiation of the Reframed Murals Project (RMP), driven by a dual objective: “To create murals within communities and locations that often go unnoticed in discussions about investing in public art. And to produce murals in highly frequented areas that specifically illuminate the stories, cultures, and peoples that are typically underrepresented.”
Artist Biography
Joshua was born in Ventura County, CA. His family moved to the Napa Valley when he was in grade school, it was around this time when he began drawing with pencil and paper. In his senior year of high school he participated in his first street painting festival, La Starda dell’ Arte.
After moving to Santa Barbara to attend college, he became fascinated with Philosophy. Years of drawing up to that point had taught him a great deal about the many shapes, forms and shades of nature; studying Philosophy kindled a desire to understand the inner workings of nature. Throughout his time studying in Santa Barbara, he began working with oil paints and he continued to participate in street painting festivals, in northern and southern California.
His hunger for understanding drove him to study Physics as well as Philosophy; eventually earning a bachelors degrees in both subjects from the University of California at Santa Barbara. And later a masters degree in Physics from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, where he also created large scale acrylic murals inspired by cosmic imagery.
Today, Joshua works primarily in Oil, but also works in Charcoal, Oil Pastel, and continues to create large scale murals in Chalk Pastel and Acrylic.
The murder of George Floyd, on May 25th, 2020, opened Joshua’s to the systematic injustices that are part and parcel to the Untied States. In the wake of these realizations he has come upon many inspirational voices; one in particular has become a driving force for direction of Joshua’s work today:
“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.”
James Baldwin
Joshua Ryan Murillo 