About Madcharcoal

Josh Hernandez (b. 1995, Los Angeles, CA) is a self-taught American artist of Hispanic heritage, widely recognized for his visceral charcoal portraits that fuse chaos and control, abstraction and realism, faith and raw emotion. Raised in the urban heart of Los Angeles and now based in Phoenix, Arizona, Hernandez transforms the grit of his upbringing and the depth of his faith into powerful visual meditations on humanity.

From an early age, Hernandez was known as “the kid who draws,” finding solace in sketchbooks rather than textbooks. His artistic breakthrough came in late high school when he first picked up charcoal. Drawn to its darkness, immediacy, and freedom that moment became a lifelong pursuit of mastering the medium’s expressive potential.

After a brief stint in graphic design, Hernandez began sharing his charcoal portraits online in 2020. His work quickly went viral, resonating across cultures and continents. Today, Hernandez’s art is followed by over 9 million collectors and admirers worldwide. His work is represented by The Marshall Gallery (Scottsdale), Krause Gallery (New York), and Lucca Gallery (Atlanta), and held in collections across the globe.

In addition to his fine art practice, Hernandez leads a creative collective, The Mad Charcoal Team, and has developed his own professional-grade line of drawing tools, Mad Art Materials; a reflection of his relentless innovation and passion for the craft.

Driven by faith, family, and an unyielding pursuit of truth and beauty, Hernandez continues to shape a new era for contemporary charcoal art.