Mike Ratley
Began custom painting in 2000
About the Artist:
Mike’s style is all about bold, custom paintwork, with a focus on vibrant, lowrider-inspired designs. His artistic range spans mini-truck details, flames, pinstriping, and leaf work—essentially everything beyond stock paint. Mike thrives on the creative freedom his work provides, allowing him to bring unique visions to life with his signature bright, detailed finishes. Outside of painting, he’s also passionate about BBQ, traveling to try different spots, and smoking meats for family, joking that if painting ever fell through, he’d open a BBQ joint.
Artistic Inspiration:
Mike has always been captivated by custom paint, heavily influenced by artists like Craig Frazier, K-Daddy, and Dion Giuliano of Kal Koncepts/Air Syndicate. His passion began as a kid, building and customizing model cars, which he would cut and paint to make them unique. This early hobby eventually evolved into full-sized car projects. After gaining experience working in various shops and doing custom work on the side, he opened his own shop several years ago and has been dedicated to full-time custom painting ever since.
Favorite Tropical Glitz Product:
He finds it hard to choose just one favorite Tropical Glitz product, as he appreciates the entire range. From flakes to pearls, custom basecoats, and intercoat clears, he values the variety and quality that each product offers.
Special Achievements:
Over the years, Mike Ratley’s custom work has achieved hundreds of awards nationwide, including numerous Best Paint and Best of Show titles. His notable projects include the trike Jack on the Box, which earned 2nd and 3rd place Lowrider Trike of the Year and various Best Paint accolades, as well as the 1976 Impala Return to Oz. This Impala has won nearly a hundred Best Paint awards, was named 2023 Original Lowrider Radical of the Year, and was featured in Kustom Paint & Graphics and Lowrider magazines.
Contact Info For Custom Paint Work:
Instagram: @Stripesbymike
Facebook: Mike Stripes Ratley
