José Ortega

Artist José Ortega, who was born in Ecuador, now makes his home in New York and Toronto. Trained at The School of Visual Arts, where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1988, Ortega works as a freelance artist creating commissioned art for clients such as Absolut Vodka, Apple, Sony Music, and Amnesty International. Recent commissions include mosaic murals for two subway stations and a stained glass window in New York City and the design of large-scale street murals as part of an urban beautification project in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

This award-winning illustrator has been the subject of numerous articles in Graphis and Communication Arts. Ortega is one of the founders of Open City, a non-profit community arts organization based in Toronto, where he also works as art director, programmer, and salsa DJ for Lula Lounge, a nightclub and performance art space. He has produced a series of recordings entitled “This is Lula!” that capture the energy and vibe of the exploding salsa scene in Toronto.

Ortega’s first project for the Postal Service was the salsa stamp in the Let’s Dance/Bailemos pane issued in 2005. He recently illustrated the ten stamps in the Garden of Love issuance (2011).