Julio Cotto is a self taught Puerto Rican multimedia artist, actor and writer originally from Bronx, NY. The award winning artist has lived in the South for the past three decades. From ages 15 to 23, Cotto inked and lettered several comic books for Bugged-Out Comics, painted carousel horses, illustrated greeting cards and worked as a graphic artist in Greenville, SC. He moved to Charleston, SC in late '98 to work on his comics and begin painting.
Since 2001 Cotto has shown his works all over Charleston and the South East. The artist has participated in over one hundred shows over the past eleven years, including Charleston Contemporary 2010: Influence and all Kulture Klash Festivals. Julio has been voted 'Best Local Visual Artist' 2004, 2006 and 2008 by Charleston City Paper readers. In 2005 he received two Silver Addy Awards for his cover of Barfly magazine. In 2008 the artist moved back to Greenville for a year to paint murals for Liquid Highway and to be with his family. A year later he moved back to Charleston to show new work and begin his acting career. He signed with Scoop Contemporary Studios July 2010 and Matthew Campbell Gallery September of 2011. Check out Cotto's earlier work at juliocotto.com.
Like visual arts, acting comes natural to Cotto. He started with a lead role in a music video and played an Iraqi Sniper in the season three finale of Army Wives. Julio has played major characters in the indie short, 'Butterflies Wake' and in the online web comic, 'Blood Rose'. The artist turned actor signed with Tout talent in 2010. In 2011 Cotto starred in the short film, 'Box Fan' and made his theatre debut in Sam Shepard's 'A Lie of the Mind'. He also played major and lead antagonistic roles in the Kickstarter film 'The Eternal Individual' and dramatic indie short 'My Sister Sam'. At the end of Army Wives season five Cotto played photo/stunt double to Drew Fuller. Julio is currently working on a graphic novel, several childrens books and comic strip concepts. He is also writing a short film and a play. The highlight of the artist's career thus far, he states, is speaking at Pecha Kucha (Charleston). Bill Murray was in attendance.
The bulk of Cotto's current work can be found on the walls of Social Wine Bar on East Bay Street in downtown Charleston. Julio has donated his art and time to several charities and nonprofits including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Hunger Hurts Greenville, Low Country Aids Services, My Sister's House, Sidewalk Chalk and the SPCA. Cotto moved back to New York on Christmas Eve, 2011. He lives in Brooklyn with his dog, Clive.

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