ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Meet The Team
Luis F. Perez
Luis F. Perez is an artist and a co-founder of Lost Breed Culture. He was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. Being raised by non-English speaking parents, Luis was forced to learn the English language on his own. Not only did Luis learn English quickly, but he also excelled rapidly in all of his subjects. Art was no exception and his teachers soon recognized his talent. Art making was the only activity that created a sense of balance for Luis early on. Some of his earliest memories are of him drawing on every surface available to him, which allowed his creativity and imagination to manifest. Since he didn’t have the means for art supplies, he was resourceful and used whatever he found around him to make his ideas come to life: cardboard boxes, wood panels, walls—everything became a canvas. He "even scraped paint off the walls" to create imagery.
Luis collaborated on his first mural in 7th grade, a triptych for Sunset Park Pool, and subsequently received an award from the Mayor for his work. In junior high school, he became interested in graffiti and the underground culture that propagated the art form in NYC. This culture became the outlet he needed to stay out of trouble. During his high school years, Luis spent most of his time drawing and writing. Although he still excelled in all of his classes, he felt bored and unchallenged. It was around this time that Luis started working with children in an after-school program in his neighborhood. He started as group counselor and eventually became the Assistant Art Director of the program.
Although he has no formal training, Luis's background includes a comprehensive list of creative outlets. Aside from painting, he taught himself how to screen print and is a skilled graphic designer. Luis is also an accomplished carpenter, builder, and lighting designer. As a lover of all things creative, Luis counts music and writing as other life passions. While in pursuit of these other creative endeavors, Luis took a long hiatus from painting. It was his daughter's passion for art that rekindled his life-long interest in creating artwork again. He finds that his creative ventures have always been the foundation of who he is and that his development as an artist is an important—and inevitable—part of his life.
Fausto Manuel Ramos
Fausto Manuel Ramos was born and raised in The Bronx. As a child, he was exposed to the sights and sounds of New York City during the 1980's and became fascinated with graffiti and hip hop culture. His 17-year-old uncle and his friends, all of whom personified the culture, became his role models. By the age of 9, Fausto began exploring his visual expression. Most of his first drawings were cartoons and comic book characters, and as he continued learning about graffiti history, he took it on as a craft. When Fausto was 11, he studied illustration, animation, and fine arts at The Bronx Museum of the Arts on the weekends.
Fausto developed his artwork and was subsequently accepted to the High School of Art & Design, where he majored in Fine Arts. While at A&D, Fausto studied computer graphics, illustration, and photography. He was inspired by the urban landscape in which he was immersed, as well as interested in the study of human behavior and community structures. This interest prompted Fausto to pursue a concentration in psychology, sociology, and social work as an undergraduate college student. Fausto has a Bachelor's Degree in psychology from New York University and a Master's Degree in social work from Lehman College.
After graduate school, Fausto and his two brothers from other mothers (Luis F. Perez and Rigoberto Tomala) pursued their interests in art and entrepreneurship by starting Lost Breed Culture. Fausto and Luis are also established live/event artists in New York City. In his work, Fausto uses oil, charcoal, watercolor, pastels, markers, pen/ink, acrylic, and enamel. He also sculpts and is a photographer. His work incorporates themes inspired by NYC’s urban panorama and its elements, including its people, history, communities, architecture, transit system, and geography.
