Rico Fonseca, was born in Lima Peru, to a very poor family. His father a carpenter, his mother, a needlepoint embroider specializing in church alters. At the age of three he developed the ability to draw, which he did throughout his neighborhood. At 5, he drew the Fonseca family portrait. His mother died when he was 6, and the grief he felt changed every- thing. At the age of 8, feeling unloved after the death of his mother, he ran away from home after being abused by his father beating him with a frying pan. He survived by begging for food at wealthy people's doorsteps. He became a homeless child sleeping on the streets, empty Iots, on benches, and other people's cars.

As he grew older, he began shinning shoes on the streets of Lima and sketching portraits of the well to do American tourists, drinking in the city cafes. After gaining capability of the English language, he was soon able to give tours of Lima to the many visitors that came visit his country. His need to survive the grin realities of his existence did not however, limit his developing imagination and desire to dream. His dream to become a world known artist arose when he was 16, and formed the ambition to immigrate to the United States. Fortunately, an american sponsor asstisted him with his preparation for his residential visa, and at 17, he was ready to depart on his journey northward. With twenty-five dollars in his pocket, and a knapsack on his back, he hitched-hiked the five-thousand mile Pan-American Highway.

After walking through the jungle, tired, feeling lonely, with many good friends helping him along the way, he arrived in Miami three months later on August 28, 1961. Living in both New York and California, he waited tables, washed dishes, and was hired as an extra in a few beach blanket movies of the sixties. It was in California where he started as one of the few original black-light poster artists of the sixties. He was discovered by a poster company who sold thousands of his designs. In 1965, he created his first pen and ink historical collage style mural on canvas titled, 'The Famous World'and later painted other great masterpieces such as, 'Human Race,' 'The Miracle,' 'Master of Masters,' 'The World of Cartoons,' 'The Creator,' and many others which amazed millions of people by his talent. He has exhibited his murals for the past thirty years throughout the country, in various malls, gallerys, out door art shows and fairs. And for the past twenty-four years, he has been exhibiting and selling his artwork in,Greenwich Village, in front of the arch in Washtngton Square Park, and most recently, at the corner of MacDougal and West 4th. st, where some people say he is the Michaelangelo of the 20th. century, to others, he is the Bob Dylan of art.

Over the years, he has sent copies of his artwork to various office- holders, and has carefully saved thank you notes from people such as, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, Ted Kennedy, George Wallace, Brook Sheilds, Johnny Carson, Farrah Fawcett, Donald Trump, Leona Hemsley, Mayor Ed Koch, and many others. His artwork has been used many times as a backdrop for T.V. commercials, talk shows, and the news. He has also appeared on many T.V. talk shows, as a main guest, giving interviews, and blographial programs. Along with his art- work, he has appeared in many newspapers and magazines such as, The New York Times, The Daily News, The Post, The Village Voice, Downtown, The Aquarian, The New Yorker, Playboy, science-ficton magazines, Japanese tourists books and many other international newspapers and magazines.