Mercadito Chicago (108 W Kinzie st, Chicago) that opened in September 2009, was an incredible and fun project. It was the first chance working with this new team of owners and design team (http://seeddesignstudio.com) and the final product is now a thriving and successful Chicago Eatery, hosting 500 guests a night and voted best restaurant for business 2010. The only thing that can make that experience better is doing it all again, better, bigger!

Mercadito Miami (3252 NE 1st Ave, Miami) Like Mercadito, Chicago but as I hoped, bigger, better! 8 large scale murals in 8 very different styles all done by yours truly. Inspired by established art from Rosenquist to Warhol, pop art to cubism all with my distinct graffiti twist. The owners and designers, happy with the finished Mercadito Chicago loosen the reigns allowing me to be more artistic and daring while still implementing texture, color and multi themes in the works. I was able to be dramatic and humorous, use different techniques and challenge myself which is my favorite thing as an artist to do. Some of the pieces were a struggle, some just flowed right out of my brush. I can always create pretty paintings but a challenge in a commissioned piece (or several) is rare. I gladly accepted that challenge and now Mercadito Miami is born!

Now, when we are about to open, in March 2010, Mercadito Miami will not only offer great food and drinks, that it is famous for, but it will be the most artistic, edgy and creative space, that is bringing the whole new feeling to the guests. Its a creative culinary experience enticing the customer in more ways than just taste.

If Mercadito is the showpiece, Tacueria, located just next door is its artistic cousin. Daring design and warm colors making the image memorable. Boasting a mural that travels across the floor and climbing upwards along a wall so one has a feeling of being inside the artwork. The mural, based on a graffiti piece of mine actually is a word and Mercadito will offer a free dinner for 2 to the first to guess it correctly, sorry, no clues allowed.

But wait, there’s more! Coming this year on glorious Espaniola Way in South Beach, Miami Mercadito Miami Beach will launch! I am flourishing working with the same team again! Unlike the previous Mercadito’s, this one will have a little twist. Can’t tell all the secrets, but the new place is going to be fantastic with indoor and outdoor seating available in the warm Miami heat!

So if youre in Miami, come down and check us out, if not, well, what are you waiting for? Either way, we’ll be here, at least my paintings will!