A Brooklyn life in paint
About Me.
Welcome to my world. I'm a Brooklyn-based muralist known for combining the precise hand of a fine art draftsman with the playful sensibility of a cartoonist. My work includes large-scale outdoor murals, hand-painted shop windows, New York City firehouse doors, signs, and public art installations. At the heart of my practice is a deep commitment to remembrance, reflected in more than 50 large-scale memorial murals honoring community members and public servants who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001.
— Joe
The impact of September 11th, 2001.
After September 11th, 2001, I picked up a brush and walked to the nearest firehouse. What started as a single tribute door turned into a calling and a body of work that has grown for two decades.
Each firehouse door mural is an act of remembrance: a way to honor those lost, the fire company, New York City, hold space for the neighborhood, and let paint do what words sometimes cannot.
“It’s about the people who walk past my work and never forget. These memorial murals are a part of my communities’ everyday life.”
Beyond the firehouse, a working artist's range.
Hand-Painted Windows
I paint holiday windows, grand openings, seasonal storefronts and diners, neighborhood bodegas and restaurant fronts. All paint work that lives on glass.
Signs & Community Graphics
I create custom artwork for local businesses, New York City Police Department precincts, and New York City Fire Department firehouses, including logos, lettering, and hand-painted signage that gives each neighborhood its unique character.
Private Events & Caricatures
I travel when approached to do work beyond my neighborhood. I attend and work at block parties, weddings, family events, and corporate events. I set up with a sketch pad and turn the event into a celebration where attendees take home a forever keepsake. I also accept commissions for large-scale murals, celebratory memorials or communions.
The American Flag Series.
A fine-art exploration of Old Glory on canvas, in the studio, an extension of two decades spent painting it on brick walls.
Michael Paul Ragusa — FDNY 2981 Skyline
2002
Engine 153 / Ladder 77 — Broad St Bullies
2021
Gave Proof Through the Night — 9/11 Memorial
2011
A closing note
This site is a testament to my journey as an artist. A journey through culture, memory, patriotism, and creativity.