Born in 1965 on the island of Puerto Rico, Miguel Criado grew up in a conservative and very religious Catholic environment. His father forbade any family member to allow him to paint.

Luckily, his Godmother used to invite Miguel to stay at her house in the mountains and there he was able to experiment with crayons and fairytale coloring books as well as spend immersed in the traditions of Catholic Holly Week and Christmas in the interior of Puerto Rico of the 1970’s.

Growing up Miguels Father did allowed him the use of his Super 8 camera which served as an early introduction to a modern medium. Creating a primitive form of a Caribbean soap opera in Super8.

When he reached the age to attend a formal art school education as was his dream his father allowed him to enroll in a program to study advertising and marketing in San Juan in Puerto Rico where he had the opportunity to learn media Production. However Miguel eyes always followed the art students by the big notebooks walking down the hall.

In1984 the opportunity for a more artistic endeavor came in the form of Massachusetts College of Art. As Miguel’s Father permitted him to move to Boston where he studied 2D and 3D design ,jewelry design, watercolor, Wood Work Techniques, and Glass Blowing, All in his freshman year. Glass was a love at first sight. Where Miguel showed promise causing the Glass department Dean to invite him to formally join Glass as a Major, that years graduation included some of Miguel’s works as a part of the Senior show.

In October 1986, after an accident, Miguel spent the following six months recovering at The Brigham and Woman Hospital in Boston. Ultimately as a result of this accident and in a span of forty years Miguel’s health and art became his life. Miguel ended up loosing both knees but that didn’t affect Miguel’s inner compass to keep following his love for Art.

In 1989 Miguel is called by past class mates to Work at the Bostons Children Museum where he managed the Upper Floor Children’s Communications/Membership desk. He was part of the Signage program creating signs all over the museum in multiple languages for the first time in a Museum in Boston.

In 1990, Miguel decided to return to his native Island of Puerto Rico. As he was attracted to work in a project that he dreamed of as a child in Ponce, turning a rum Baron’s mansion called “El Castillo” into a Museum and reception place. The time at the Castle offered the opportunity to collaborate with different designers to create signage and stationary, guides costumes, Landscape design, exhibit set up and Museum Store among other functions.

In 1995, live at a craft fair he created in clay a wingless Angel reminiscent of the Victorian tombstones of Hingham, Massachusetts. That sculpture was considered to be the memorial for disability by the President of the Senate Hon Roberto Rexach Benitez.

In 1997 moved to Mexico City with a studio two blocks away from Frida Kahlo blue house. The Saturdays were spent painting in the Zona Rosa Artist Walk close to the Angel of Independence statue. And Sundays at the Monument to the Mother Art Market.

In 1999 Miguel goes to work for Walt Disney World at Tomorrowland and WDW Travel Company for the Millenium Celebration. Was exposed to the WDW mainframe from topiary manufacture to Special Events ending with fireworks.

In 2004 There is an invitation to paint a dome for the Sacred Heart Chapel next to the Universidad Iberoamericana of Playas de Tijuana. Using a cherry picker truck to reach all over a 50 Feet diameter dome Gilding eight pointed stars randomly .

In 2005 painted a Sun Mural 9’x25’ celebrating indigenous people everywhere for the inauguration of LGBT Latino Services in San Diego.

In 2006 made 5’x35’ Sun Canvas banner for The First Congregational Church in Long Beach where he also taught art projects in to a children’s summer camp.

In 2007 taught art and crafts in the program MYTE , mentoring LGBT youth at the Long Beach LGBT Center.

 

2009 saw Miguel moving to the desert. Two hours inland from the coast to Palm Springs where Hollywood talent would retire and LGBT were not persecuted.

2014 saw Miguel’s Clay Art and pottery exhibitions at Silica’s Studios and Desert Art Center where he was a member.

also exhibited the Acrylic Painting of Lady in Red at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

2015 saw Miguel join Jack Farley’s Art Supplies in Yucca Valley providing customer service to artists in the region on the use of archival art materials and the use of creativity.

In 2018 Miguel traveled to the Dominican Republic where he participated in the creation of a Project with Ms Dolly Padua to incentivize the first barrio of America, Santa Barbara with an exhibition of wall murals representing diversity. Unfortunately she died before completion.

2020 started interviewing models for which I would paint shoes.

The Pandemia hit for three years allowing a meditative environment and the creation of larger format dot paints.

2024 stars align and Miguel is able for the first time to visit Europe. Using money left by his late Father he spent months preparing for Paris and Amsterdam.