Cuban-American artist Ernesto Maranje, born in Chicago in 1983 and raised in Miami, discovered his passion for art at age 27 while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. His work explores flora and fauna, biological evolution, and the relationships between plant and animal life, rendered with acrylic and spray paint on large-scale murals and canvas. He is especially drawn to birds, bears, apes, and big cats, depicting their evolution, habitats, and connections to other living things. He has painted murals internationally in Ukraine, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Greece, and Spain, and has collaborated with brands including Chase, Cirque du Soleil, Disney Springs, Johnnie Walker, and Starbucks.