Alfonso Rendon (Masplata) (1957-2025)

Alfonso Rendon, known professionally as Masplata and affectionately as “Mas,” was a Miami-based artist whose work centered on spirituality, compassion, and the belief that art could carry hope. More than an image-maker, Mas was a presence—drawing daily in public spaces, engaging strangers in conversation, and offering his work freely as a gesture of connection.

Masplata began creating seriously later in life, following the death of his mother, when he experienced what he described as an unrelenting need to draw and paint. He worked across ink, pastel, acrylic, and mixed media, developing a distinctive visual language of elongated figures, angels, birds, and symbolic forms. These recurring figures—often referred to as custodians—act as stewards within his imagined world, reflecting themes of care, faith, endurance, and quiet guardianship.

He received formal recognition as an artist-in-residence at Artopia, a Miami arts organization, before ultimately choosing an independent path. Masplata believed art should circulate beyond traditional boundaries. He gave drawings to strangers—hospital workers, mechanics, neighbors, and passersby—seeing each exchange as an opportunity to spread hope.

Following his passing, stories poured in from across the Miami community, recalling moments of generosity, encouragement, and connection through his art. The Estate of Masplata is committed to preserving, cataloging, and thoughtfully sharing Alfonso Rendon’s work, honoring both his artistic vision and the human spirit that shaped it.