In my inquiry, “What does it mean to be Puerto Rican?” I explore the emotional and cultural significance of the Puerto Rican identity, focusing on themes like diaspora, resilience through hurricanes, and conflicting cultural identities. My work celebrates Puerto Rican culture, highlighting its vibrant and rich heritage despite challenges.
Experimentation with materials has been vital in my creative process. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone, using acrylic, digital painting, and mixed media. For example, in Mente Contra Alma, I transitioned from mixed media to digital, and in La Tierra te Duele, I found that cut paper was most effective to cut out expressions for the mirrors.
Que Dios Cuide Mi ‘Canto- Inspired by Bad Bunny’s “Una Velita,” this digital painting symbolizes hope after Hurricane Maria, showcasing praying hands with a lit candle.
La Tierra te Duele- This piece reflects the pain of leaving Puerto Rico, featuring a heart bleeding the Puerto Rican flag and broken mirrors to represent conflicted emotions.
Vida de Rico- This drawing emphasizes experiences over material wealth, depicting Caco and Yal caricatures interacting with each other lovingly against a vibrant natural environment.
Si Soy, Soy Jíbaro- This artwork focuses on the Jíbaro, highlighting its cultural significance in Puerto Rican life, even after the sugar industry’s decline.
My 3D AP Selected Works: How do people represent themselves in their homes?
House- The model represents traditional Puerto Rican architecture. Houses in this style are seen throughout Puerto Rico, specifically in Viejo San Juan. Original Spanish architecture was customized to the Caribbean through means of nature and vibrancy. These old buildings are resistant to time and storms because of their cement walls, which inspired me to use the ceramic as the main medium.
Room- This showcases pride in personal heritage through interior design. Slightly modeled after my room and adding features traditional to my culture or personal to me, I created a lively living space.
Bed- This piece reflects the cultural connection to comfort in everyday living. On it, there is a teddy bear and a keychain, the bear is meant to make a softer and livelier ambience in the living space. On the keychain are boxing gloves; in Puerto Rico, boxing is a significant cultural element symbolizing unity and pride for our country. It is common to see people hang a pair of boxing gloves from their car mirrors to represent their nationality. I incorporated this idea into my project by placing boxing gloves on a keychain as a tribute to this custom.
Vanity- Inspired by my grandparents’ house, I created a classic antique vanity adorned with orchids, my grandmother’s favorite flowers, which are native to Puerto Rico’s rainforest, El Yunque. As well as a flag to display cultural pride.
Finally submitted both of my AP Art portfolios, so excited to share the work I’ve made this year with you all.
My 2D AP Selected Works: Actualizing Puerto Rican idioms into reality.
“Gallo de Pelea,” meaning “fighting rooster,” refers to a strong-willed and valiant person. When reflecting on brave Puerto Ricans, I was inspired by those who served in World War I and II. I incorporated symbols of liberty and a Greek helmet resembling a Vejigante mask, framed by poppies that honor those who fell in both wars. The fighting rooster holds a broken machete as a tribute to Victory’s broken sword.
“Boricua Hasta en la Luna” means “Puerto Rican even on the moon,” highlighting the Puerto Rican diaspora’s connection to their culture regardless of location. “Boricua,” derived from the native term for the island of Puerto Rico,”Borinquen,” represents the people of Puerto Rico. I included indigenous symbols, a coquí astronaut, and hibiscus flowers to reflect this heritage.
“Hijo Del Cañaveral,” or “son of the Sugarcane Field,” recognizes Puerto Rican cultural heritage, rooted in the history of slavery and sugarcane plantations. To symbolize this, I depicted a mother and child formed by sugarcane, framed by machetes, with processed sugar spilling onto coffee.
“Más Vale Pajaro en Mano Que Ciento Volando,” which translates to “A bird in hand is worth more than a hundred flying,” addresses animal and habitat endangerment in Puerto Rico. The artwork features native Cotorras, endangered by the destruction of El Yunque Rainforest, and coquí’s escaping from grabbing hands, all framed in the shape of a turtle, highlighting the impact of exploitation on the environment.
Quite a bit of snow where I’m at! Good part about being snowed in is being able to work on some art away from school stuff, expect some content soon ❤️
Mariposa Arts
Mariposa Arts
Check me out on art fight guys!
6 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Mariposa Arts
My AP 2D Art Portfolio!
I was surprised to see I got a five but hey I ain’t complaining about being part of the 12%. This has been such an incredible experience and I hope you all enjoyed the art I made along the way! For a more in depth explanation of my portfolio please look towards my previous post where I explain my entire portfolio.
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#apart5 #apart5score #ap5 #2dapart #apportfolio #apartportfolio #apartportfolio2025 #puertorico #boricua #art #portfolio #jibaro #vejigante #artist #diaspora
6 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Mariposa Arts
My 2D AP Sustained Investigation:
In my inquiry, “What does it mean to be Puerto Rican?” I explore the emotional and cultural significance of the Puerto Rican identity, focusing on themes like diaspora, resilience through hurricanes, and conflicting cultural identities. My work celebrates Puerto Rican culture, highlighting its vibrant and rich heritage despite challenges.
Experimentation with materials has been vital in my creative process. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone, using acrylic, digital painting, and mixed media. For example, in Mente Contra Alma, I transitioned from mixed media to digital, and in La Tierra te Duele, I found that cut paper was most effective to cut out expressions for the mirrors.
Que Dios Cuide Mi ‘Canto- Inspired by Bad Bunny’s “Una Velita,” this digital painting symbolizes hope after Hurricane Maria, showcasing praying hands with a lit candle.
La Tierra te Duele- This piece reflects the pain of leaving Puerto Rico, featuring a heart bleeding the Puerto Rican flag and broken mirrors to represent conflicted emotions.
Vida de Rico- This drawing emphasizes experiences over material wealth, depicting Caco and Yal caricatures interacting with each other lovingly against a vibrant natural environment.
Si Soy, Soy Jíbaro- This artwork focuses on the Jíbaro, highlighting its cultural significance in Puerto Rican life, even after the sugar industry’s decline.
Mente Contra Alma- This piece illustrates the dual identities of a Puerto Rican in the U.S., contrasting the heartfelt Puerto Rican identity with the socially ingrained American identity, represented through masks around the figure.
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#2daparte #2dapart #apart #apartportfolio #2dapartportfolio #puertorico #boricua #art #artist #badbunny #unavelita #latierrateduele #vidaderico #caco #yal #jibaro #cañaveral #diaspora #mentecontraalma
8 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Mariposa Arts
My 3D AP Selected Works: How do people represent themselves in their homes?
House- The model represents traditional Puerto Rican architecture. Houses in this style are seen throughout Puerto Rico, specifically in Viejo San Juan. Original Spanish architecture was customized to the Caribbean through means of nature and vibrancy. These old buildings are resistant to time and storms because of their cement walls, which inspired me to use the ceramic as the main medium.
Room- This showcases pride in personal heritage through interior design. Slightly modeled after my room and adding features traditional to my culture or personal to me, I created a lively living space.
Bed- This piece reflects the cultural connection to comfort in everyday living. On it, there is a teddy bear and a keychain, the bear is meant to make a softer and livelier ambience in the living space. On the keychain are boxing gloves; in Puerto Rico, boxing is a significant cultural element symbolizing unity and pride for our country. It is common to see people hang a pair of boxing gloves from their car mirrors to represent their nationality. I incorporated this idea into my project by placing boxing gloves on a keychain as a tribute to this custom.
Vanity- Inspired by my grandparents’ house, I created a classic antique vanity adorned with orchids, my grandmother’s favorite flowers, which are native to Puerto Rico’s rainforest, El Yunque. As well as a flag to display cultural pride.
Vejigante Mask- I explored the tradition and celebration through the design of a customary Vejigante mask. Vejigantes masks represent a playful and mischievous folkloric character, often associated with the devil or a monster figure. Vejigante masks are part of Puerto Rican Carnival and other celebrations, seen as lively celebratory figures.
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#3daparte #3dapart #apart #apartportfolio #3dapartportfolio #puertorico #boricua #art #artist #miniature #viejosanjuan #house #vejigante #vanity #orchid #flag #badbunny #teddybear #boxinggloves #bed #guiro #cuatro #rug #miniaturehouse #handmade
8 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Mariposa Arts
Finally submitted both of my AP Art portfolios, so excited to share the work I’ve made this year with you all.
My 2D AP Selected Works: Actualizing Puerto Rican idioms into reality.
“Gallo de Pelea,” meaning “fighting rooster,” refers to a strong-willed and valiant person. When reflecting on brave Puerto Ricans, I was inspired by those who served in World War I and II. I incorporated symbols of liberty and a Greek helmet resembling a Vejigante mask, framed by poppies that honor those who fell in both wars. The fighting rooster holds a broken machete as a tribute to Victory’s broken sword.
“Boricua Hasta en la Luna” means “Puerto Rican even on the moon,” highlighting the Puerto Rican diaspora’s connection to their culture regardless of location. “Boricua,” derived from the native term for the island of Puerto Rico,”Borinquen,” represents the people of Puerto Rico. I included indigenous symbols, a coquí astronaut, and hibiscus flowers to reflect this heritage.
“Hijo Del Cañaveral,” or “son of the Sugarcane Field,” recognizes Puerto Rican cultural heritage, rooted in the history of slavery and sugarcane plantations. To symbolize this, I depicted a mother and child formed by sugarcane, framed by machetes, with processed sugar spilling onto coffee.
“Más Vale Pajaro en Mano Que Ciento Volando,” which translates to “A bird in hand is worth more than a hundred flying,” addresses animal and habitat endangerment in Puerto Rico. The artwork features native Cotorras, endangered by the destruction of El Yunque Rainforest, and coquí’s escaping from grabbing hands, all framed in the shape of a turtle, highlighting the impact of exploitation on the environment.
“Mancha de Plátano,” or “plantain stain,” refers to someone who looks undeniably Puerto Rican. This saying reflects the cultural significance of plantains. I depicted a plantain man in the style of a traditional Jíbaro, surrounded by plantain leaves and dishes, illustrating the deep-rooted connection between identity and food.
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#2daparte 2dapart #apart #apportfolio #2dapportfolio #puertorico #boricua #art #artist #gallodepelea #boricuahastaenlaluna #hijodelcañaveral #manchadeplatano
8 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 0
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Mariposa Arts
Quite a bit of snow where I’m at! Good part about being snowed in is being able to work on some art away from school stuff, expect some content soon ❤️
10 months ago | [YT] | 1
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