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Preston Lopez was raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City and is of Dominican descent. In junior high school, he took an interest in drawing and painting and was encouraged by a teacher to apply to high schools specializing in the arts. He attended The High School of M Art and Design in New York City. After graduating Preston attended Kingsborough Community College in New York, to study music and vocal as a major for a short period of time.
Inspired by the innovations of Andy Warhol, the graffiti-style works of Keith Haring, and later the creativity, bold colors and message in the artworks of Jean-Michel Basquiat, he began to take a more serious approach to painting. "I truly felt very connected to these artists," says Lopez. "Although different, each had a place and space in my work and also they made it in New York City!"
Preston Lopez's paintings range from politics, poverty, injustice, message art, and reckoning to stick figures, doodling, elephants, and African-inspired faces. Lopez's works can be described as (but not limited to) Neo-Expressionism, Pop Art, Primitivism, global environmental, culturally diverse, and multifaceted. Preston Lopez sold his first painting in 2015 and continued to sell his limited edition one of a kind paintings and commissioned artwork in galleries and private collectors. On July 1, 2023 Preston Lopez had his first solo art show at EV GALLERY in New York City. He sold many paintings and the event became an instant success. In the summer of 2025 he started selling rare limited edition paintings on the online store Etsy.