The Art of Josh Hernandez
From Chaos, Beauty Emerges
Each portrait begins with disorder, layers of charcoal, smudges, and noise. What unfolds is a face, a feeling, a moment of stillness. Art that reflects the human experience, raw, imperfect, and real.
The artist behind the Madness: Josh Hernandez
WHO IS MAD CHARCOAL?
Artist Bio
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.
Artist Statement
My work is an exploration of the tension between chaos and clarity, darkness and light, spirit and flesh. I work primarily in charcoal because the medium feels alive, unpredictable, and brutally honest. Its black dust becomes a metaphor for human existence: fragile, transient, yet capable of extraordinary beauty when shaped with intention.
I am captivated by the human face and figure because it is the most recognizable form to us, and the purest vessel for emotion. In my portraits, I seek to distort and reconstruct reality, allowing abstraction to mirror the unseen layers of thought, struggle, and faith that define who we are. The realism in each piece serves as the anchor, a reminder that amid disorder, there is still control, mastery, and truth.
My inspiration is deeply rooted in my faith in Christ and my desire to confront the dark depths of the human condition with the light of redemption. Each mark is a conversation between imperfection and divinity, between the broken and the whole.
I hope that when viewers encounter my work, they see not just a face, but a reflection of their own humanity as we are fragmented, beautiful, and seeking truth in the shadows.
Collector Testimonials
"My art piece of the last supper just got framed and hung. It looks beautiful! Even the frame guy who's been doing this for years said it's stunning. Never seen anything like it!!" - Catherine Romno
"Good morning! I received my order last night of two prints, and I just have to say, they are amazing. They are as fantastic as I had hoped. I hope that I’ll be able to buy an original, because I would love to see the texture of your work first hand, but these prints are a close second. Thank you!" - Ben Hardt
Master the Art of Charcoal Drawing
Unlock the full potential of charcoal with my signature course, designed to help you create bold, expressive portraits from scratch. Learn the exact materials I use, the techniques behind my process, and how to bring emotion into every mark. Whether you’re just starting or refining your voice, this course will push your work to the next level.
FAQ
Yes,
every original piece is a one-of-one, created entirely by hand and never reproduced. Once it’s sold, it’s gone forever. You’re collecting a truly singular work of art.
All original pieces are made using professional-grade, archival materials, charcoal, pastel, and acrylic, on premium paper or canvas. Each work is sealed for longevity and presented unframed unless otherwise noted.
Yes. Every original artwork and limited print includes a signed certificate of authenticity and provenance details for your records.
Yes, we ship worldwide. Please note that international buyers may be responsible for customs duties or import fees depending on your country’s regulations.
Yes, shipping is free for all original artworks. For prints, standard shipping rates apply and are calculated at checkout.
Yes, your artwork is packaged with the highest level of care to ensure it arrives in perfect condition.
- Original artworks are layered with acid-free glassine for surface protection, then securely encased between solid plywood boards for stability and strength during transit.
- Prints are carefully rolled with protective layers and shipped in heavy-duty archival tubes to prevent creasing or damage.
All shipments include tracking, and original works are fully insured. If your order is ever damaged in transit, contact us immediately, we’ll make it right.
Yes, Each piece is produced using high-resolution giclée printing on museum-quality, archival paper to ensure rich detail, deep contrast, and long-term preservation. These prints are made to honor the spirit of the original and hold lasting value for collectors.
WHO I WORK WITH
