Contemporary Illustrations with Ink



i am a self-defined Nuyorican creative (that is a Puerto Rican who is from both the isles of Manhattan, NYC and the Caribbean). I share daily in the joy of education and live in a cute port town in New York, in a 'teensy-weensy' apartment with my two dogs and canary named Valentino. Check out my Etsy shop for purchasable pieces. Please do not reproduce imagery off of this site without explicit credit and no derivatives may be made of my original imagery- Thank You.
So the newest direction I have been growing into with my work is illustrating both on and with wood. This piece is a self-portrait and has pencil drawing on it along with image transfers of pomegranate slices. For many years, in fact from my first glassblowing experience around 16 years ago, I have been deeply affected by the work of the Sufi poet Rumi. Therefore this is the only piece in which the title is an inherent part for me of experiencing the art.
The title,
"The friend comes into my body Looking for the center, unable to find it, Draws a blade and strikes anywhere"- Rumi
Was the guide on how I developed this work, which is often NOT how I work, a title is usually secondary in my thought process, not first. The choice of pomegranates for me was at once about a forbidden fruit, as much as, a visceral, color and textural internal effect. The choice to image transfer allowed me to present them as slices or metaphorical 'cuts' on the analogy of wood as flesh.