Originally from Miami, Florida, Juan Travieso and Katerina Santos combined their independent art careers to form TRATOS, a name that merges their last names. "Tratos" also means a deal, bond, or promise in Spanish, symbolizing their commitment to creating their envisioned reality through paintings and murals.

 

In addition to their artistic work, Juan and Katerina have begun teaching in their local community from their home studio. This initiative offers aspiring artists the chance to work in an authentic artist space and pursue an art career.

 

Juan holds a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the School Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, while Katerina has a Bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Their diverse backgrounds bring complementary strengths to their teaching, with Juan's precision in hard angles and fine details complementing Katerina's expertise in soft edges and bold colors. Together, they offer a rich, varied learning experience that fosters creativity and skill development.

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