Artists

What do Frito-Lay, Pepsi-Cola, The Olympic Games, the NFL’s New York Giants and Budweiser have in common? New Jersey based artist Manuel Morales.

Morales has spent a lifetime developing a style and method of painting that lend new meaning to the idea of commercial art. At 13 years old, he was faced with choosing to attend the local high school or the vocational technical school which offered commercial art in its curriculum; the decision was easy. Later, after receiving his associate’s degree in photography from Burlington County College in New Jersey, he enrolled in Parsons School of Design. Financial constraints caused him to leave, though, after just one year.

In July 1977, following a two year tour of duty in the Air Force, Morales started his own business, called Manny’s Murals, specializing in custom painting motorcycles, vans and automobiles, many of which were on the show circuit.