I’m Elijah, a Spanish-American artist originally from Washington, D.C. My journey has taken me from New York to Valencia, Spain, the Netherlands, and now San Diego. I’m the founder of YumYumDesigns, a multidisciplinary creative studio specializing in murals and custom commissions.

Art has always lived in my heart, giving form to what I couldn’t express through words. My earliest inspiration came from my grandparents’ Chinese brush paintings and oil works. Over time, my artistic language evolved through street art, large-scale murals, and the raw visual energy of urban graffiti.

Today, my work brings these worlds together, blending the sensitivity and discipline of fine art with the restless energy of urban expression. Traces of the people, cities, and cultures I’ve lived among spill into each piece. Whether wandering unfamiliar streets far too late at night or studying the walls of museums and galleries around the world, I’m constantly observing, absorbing, and honing my artistic blade.

My journey has been defined by learning to dance with fear—taking on projects across the world before feeling fully ready, accepting failure as part of the process, and approaching life with an open heart. Deeply influenced by Samurai Miyamoto Musashi and his pursuit of mastery across disciplines, I explore painting, music, writing, movement, and combat as interconnected forms of art.

Becoming the 2024 Spanish National Heavyweight Champion in Combat Sambo, alongside years of competing in BJJ, reinforced my belief that pursuing excellence in one discipline sharpens every other part of life. To me, creativity, discipline, and resilience are inseparable—different expressions of the same pursuit: leaving a positive, colorful mark on the world long after I’m gone.