Carlos Lopez (b. 1975) is a Nicaraguan American, classically trained, realist painter. Born in Nicaragua, he began to show interest in drawing and painting at a very early age. In 1986, he moved to Miami, Florida, where he spent his formative years and early adulthood. While still in high school, he attended evening uninstructed figure drawing classes at the University of Miami. Shortly after, he became an apprentice to Luciano Franchi de Alfaro III at the Byzantium Mosaic Workshop, where he gained hands-on experience in daily studio operation in regards to the creation of public, and private, mosaic projects. In 2005, he relocated to New York City and, within a year,  enrolled in classes and workshops at the Grand Central Academy of Art, where he undertook rigorous training in traditional drawing and painting for the next five years. With knowledge and confidence in his art, he set up his own studio and produced a body of work that has led to many different opportunities, including painting commissions, exhibitions, and art competitions. In 2015, he was awarded one of the top prizes from the highly reputable Portrait Society of America. After fourteen years residing in New York City, he moved back to Miami to establish his studio, First Line Atelier, where drawing and painting instruction is offered.