Brandon Maldonado was born in 1980 in Denver, Colorado and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he grew up on the graffiti art of his barrio surroundings. He rejected the academically painted southwestern landscapes which seemed a far cry from the graffiti filled streets of his personal reality. However, the culturally rich environment of New Mexico made a lasting impact on Maldonado's work, which often explores themes associated with Mexican culture. Being primarily of Northern New Mexico descent, Brandon has a fascination with the history and culture of the land, as well as its living and historical ties to the story of Mexico and its mestizo legacy.

 

Though primarily a self-taught artist, Maldonado holds a Bachelors degree from the College of Santa Fe in Humanities with an emphasis on Philosophy & Religion. He believes that art serves merely as a means to express an idea; the ideas brought forth from philosophy and religion have always been the realm of the muse for artists since the earliest cave paintings to the stained glass painted cathedrals. Maldonado is perhaps most well-known for his Dia de los Muertos themed images, which he has explored and evolved for over two decades. His image "Our Lady of Merciful Fate" was featured on the album cover of the Zac Brown Band's 2012 number #1 Billboard charting, Grammy winning and platinum selling release, "Uncaged."