Luis Posada is not just an artist—he’s a force of nature. His vivid murals, infectious laugh, and defiant independence have earned him the trust of celebrities, the loyalty of wildlife, and the love of those lucky enough to know him.
From a childhood shaped by political violence and secret sketching under cover of night, to a life of bold color and creative freedom in Costa Rica, Posada has turned every struggle into a brushstroke, crafting a life -and a legacy that refuses to be anything but his own.
When I ask him, “Have you ever considered turning your large, colorful murals into wallpaper for upscale hotels?” he’s quick to respond: no. He only creates art if he loves it-and he makes no exceptions.
Today, from his studio in the Nicoya Peninsula, he continues a lifelong tradition of putting people at ease with his warm laugh and impeccable eye for detail. His life is inseparable from his art. Painting every day, and in his limited free time, he enjoys nature, salsa dancing, and spending time with his three daughters: Gabriella, Alinna, Diana and his son Emilio, who is also an artist and his best friend.
In The Beginning
Luis’s story began on his grandmother’s farm in El Salvador, but not under positive circumstances. He was born during political turmoil, as the son of a controversial politician marked for death.
He grew up watching armed men raid his home, searching for his father. This forced him to change schools, countries, and even his name, as his father’s identity became a target. The family thought it was best that he and his siblings go off to his grandmother’s coffee farm, for safe harbor.
Living with his grandmother, he learned the importance of precision on that coffee farm. By day, she taught him to care for the plants with exactness; at night, they painted decorative flowers together for crowns worn on Día de los Muertos. These meditative moments were when Luis felt closest to her, and the flowers: roses, violets, and Birds of Paradise-reappear in his art today.
His relationship with her was complicated. She was both a protector and a harsh critic. At the age of 8, she’d awake him at 4am to tend to the cows, but Luis’s curious nature had him go off in search of sweet treats, that he’d steal from his grandmother’s kitchen.
She’d notice something was off and question “Who did this?” while she struck him. But instead of crying, he’d produce an uproarious laugh and reply ‘It wasn’t me!” That laugh became so embedded in his being that it would eventually earn him the nickname: “The Laughing Painter”.
One memorable moment was when his grandmother asked Luis’s mom to bring her all of her grandchildren to her-except Luis. She didn’t want to deal with his mischievous energy. To prove himself, Luis tamed a wild horse from the farm that everyone thought was too dangerous. After a perilous ride, they arrived at a river where the horse peacefully drank. Horses would later become a recurring theme in his art.
Art as a Refuge
Luis’s early experiences with violence and abuse shaped two constants in his life: laughter and art. His painting journey began when, after his first communion, he was separated from the other children because of fears that assassins might target his father.
In that silence, he found solace in painting. By night, he would paint murals on the walls, losing himself in the act. His secret love for art intensified, especially afterwinning an art contest at a young age.
However, his father didn’t approve of his artistic ambitions. He wanted Luis to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer or intellectual. But art had saved him, whereas politics had destroyed the family. So he kept painting-in secret.
Another of his early passions was cars. Luis spent countless nights studying car designs, hiding the light under his door from his father. His only “crime” was falling in love with the beauty of machinery. He eventually helped his brother clean cars and, in return, attended races, fueling his lifelong obsession with sleek designs and speed. He’d own many over the years from Alpha Romeos to BMWs.
Entrepreneur in the Making
Luis’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged early. At 15, he opened a Salvadoran restaurant in San José, Costa Rica, which became a hit. He earned a nickname from the same name as his restaurant, “Pupusa,” named after El Salvador’s national dish. Despite doubts from others, the restaurant was so successful that customers lined up from dawn to dusk.
After his father’s death in 1983, Luis returned to El Salvador with his brother to buy and sell cars, while the rest of his family ran the restaurant in Costa Rica. In the 90s, he pivoted back to San Jose and back to the art world, brokering deals for over 200 artists from Central America and the Caribbean throughout multiple art galleries that he owned in San Jose. His connections to local galleries solidified his place as a key player in the Central American art scene.
From Local Celebrity to International Celebrities
Luis’s work caught the attention of celebrities, especially through his art displayed in the lobby of San José’s Palacio Hotel. The musician Alan Parsons, impressed by a mural in the hotel, commissioned Luis to paint a portrait of his wife. Later, he befriended Mel Gibson through a mutual connection, Richard Shakarian, former president of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International. The relationship between Luis and Mel was easygoing; Mel encouraged him to paint whatever he felt, even telling him to treathis home as his own.
Luis also credits hotelier and friend Guillermo Barcelo for helping him refine his technique for painting macaws. Barcelo’s conservation work in Costa Rica gave Luis access to observe these vibrant birds up close, capturing their intricate details.
His fascination with wildlife grew as he worked with guides and spent time observing animals in their natural habitat. Despite these high-profile connections, Luis remains uninterested in commercialism.
Coming Full Circle
Throughout the years, Luis continued to balance his art with travel and education. He studied law, architecture, and international relations to honor his father. In the 90s, he married and had three children: a son and twin girls.
A difficult divorce pushed him to relocate within Costa Rica, where his entrepreneurial instincts led him to open an art gallery in a swamp-a seemingly unlikely place. It was here that a coatimundi named Pancho became his unlikely savior. Pancho, fed daily by
Luis, grew so tame that he posed for portraits with tourists while Luis painted. This unique attraction proved highly lucrative, and Luis credits Pancho with saving his life.
The Art of Living
Luis’s art celebrates connection, emotion, and celebration. His pieces are larger-than- life, with design elements that set him apart from his contemporaries. He paints monkeys, sloths, birds, and even fish—his fish, in fact, resemble the sleek race cars he loved as a child.
One of his friends once remarked that Luis’s fish are shaped with the same sleek design of the Alfa Romeos and BMWs he admired as a boy. Over time, it has become clear that Luis, who once withdrew into the shadows, has now become art himself.
He embraces life with passion, saying, “I love my life. The world is art.” Through his art, Luis has built his own world-one that defies commercialism and embraces creativity. Of all the people he’s met, famous or not, his grandmother remains his most important teacher. “She taught me to work, and work hard,” he says, “and with that, I can go anywhere.”
Note: An edited version of this article first appeared in Vida Pacífica magazine’s August 2025 edition.
You can contact Luis Posada online: https://luisposadacr.com/ and WhatsApp +506 6261 8406
About the Author:
Anne-Marie Mascaro is a freelance writer for all media and founder of the wildlife nonprofit, Monkeyfriendly.com, which is involved in Costa Rica’s Esto No Es Pura Vida Campaign: https://www.estonoespuravida.org/english
