Support Puerto Rican Artists and you will see more Puerto Rican art!
All of the participating artists in Cultural Corridor are members of the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts, Inc. (PRIDA). This non-profit organization was created by Puerto Rican artists in NYC in 2015. We welcome and encourage all Puerto Rican artists to join PRIDA today. Our mission is to promote and provide support for the Puerto Rican artists and the arts.
Visit our website for more information: www.prida.org
Cultural Corridor EXHIBITORS
Luis Cordero Santoni
Cordero is a graphic artist born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and currently residing in Yonkers, NY.
He has been very active in the Puerto Rican community in NYC for many years and has
volunteered in many organizations. In 2015, he and several other artists founded the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts, (PRIDA) Inc. which has distinguished itself as one of the few organizations advocating for
the rights of the Puerto Rican artists. He serves as the president and founder of PRIDA. PRIDA’s mission: to promote and provide support for the Puerto Rican artists and the arts. Luis designs, produces and sells his own line of tee-shirts with Native American Taíno and other Puerto Rican cultural icons. He has made several travels to the Caribbean to photograph Native
American Taino rock carvings. He is also developing Taino Digital Works which is art developed from photographs of art created
by the Native Indigenous Taino people of the Caribbean. It is a reinterpretation and production of rock art created by reproducing these photographs with added color. Most are photos of actual sacred objects and not of reproductions. They are intended to be reproduced on Acrylic or metal and then arranged in a pattern of limitless size.
Since 2006 he has been on the Board of Directors of Comite Noviembre and produced and coordinated Comite’s Noviembre Puerto Rican Artisan Fair, one of the largest Puerto Rican artisan fair outside of Puerto Rico and the largest in the US.
Contact Info:
Email:
Facebook: @Luis Cordero Santoni
Twitter:
@LCorderoSantoni
Instagram: @cemi_threads
Websites:
Etsy Shop: CemiThreads
Olga Ayala
Olga, a lifelong artist, is experienced in a variety of fine art techniques and has been primarily working with polymer clay since discovering it in 1997. Her rich culture, sense of humor, and love of music strongly influence her pieces. She believes that art should be something not only to look at, but to touch and interact with. She creates fine figurative sculptures and designs pieces that are functional and decorative such as vessels, magnets, jewelry pieces and other functional and fine art pieces.
Her belief that “Art should be something to enjoy on a tactile level” is evident in the majority of her body of work. She also sculpts portraits depicting her subjects true, and often times, alter egos and uses a variety of techniques in her clay work to achieve various effects and finishes. Olga’s art work shows and sells online and at various venues nationally and internationally and in festivals and street fairs throughout the 5 boroughs of her native New York City. During the past decade, Olga has added
teaching artist, costume designer, and film and theatrical prop designer to her list of professional creative credits. She has led classes and workshops in schools, museums, The NY Botanical Garden and at senior citizen centers, throughout NYC and along the East Coast. She is a co-founder of PRIDA (Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts), and is the creator and designer of the annual Latina 50 Plus Awards.
www.olgaayala.com
Instagram @olgaamano
718-448-0730
Felipe Rangel
The experience with my students inspired me to develop my own artistic form. I became interested in creating the traditional Puerto Rican mask from Ponce Puerto Rico and researched a variety of paper mache techniques. I further researched the historical meaning of the Ponce mask and its cultural significance to Puerto Rico. My passion for expressing culture through art, also lead me to joining the Puerto Rican Brotherhood of Folk Artist in New York City. As their President for six years, I supported spreading the cultural knowledge of Puerto Rico by integrating artists and conducting workshops. We partnered with several institutions such as La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, Henry Street Settlement, El Museo del Barrio, Hostos Community College, and DC 37 Union to mention a few.
Contact Felipe:
Phone: 347-531-8271
Email: JFRangelF@yahoo.com
Vivian Lipman-Denis & Sara Morales
Saviana Arts is a collaboration between Nuyorican* artists Sara Morales (The Bronx) and Vivian Lipman-Denis (Loisaida**).
We began collaborating artistically in 2009; participating in weekly art sessions both indoors and en plein air. We draw our inspiration from interactions with our community, attending cultural events, and observing everyday moments on the streets of our beloved New York City.
Using oil on canvas media, we try to depict the unadorned yet intricate events that make up the robust New York experience paying particular interest to the culturally rich Nuyorican community.
On occasion, we also capture vignettes of our island heritage from our collective memories and commit them to canvas.
Our goal is to expose, as well as, educate others to our unique yet prodigious community through our art.
Contact:
Email: savianaarts@gmail.com
Please visit our Etsy shop through www.SavianaArts.com
Instagram @SavianaArts
Twitter @SavianaArts
Ramona Ferreyra
Social media: @Ojalathreads
Website: www.ojalathreads.com
Company bio:
Ojala Threads creates infant bodysuits that honor heritage. Our designs shine a spotlight on the traditions, and experiences, of indigenous cultures. We look past modern day borders, instead focus on the original peoples. Our first collection highlights the Taino people of Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Ojala Threads currently offers bodysuits, in sizes newborn to 24 months that feature non-toxic ink, and are made of a premium cotton and spandex blend.
Yari Pares (aka Porta Rock)
Mr. Pares attended the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, where he earned a bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and two years later, his master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling. While living in Puerto Rico Mr. Pares worked with the Upward Bound Program helping the youth there. Upon his return to Newark, NJ he was hired by NPS to work in his childhood high in which he attended for 2 years. He is currently a school guidance counselor at East Side High School in the city of Newark. Yari is a known writer, poet and activist using his talent to transmit lessons and messages of identity and social protest to the masses. He has been a speaker at various colleges and universities in both Puerto Rico and New Jersey including many schools throughout the city of Newark. Yari has also collaborated with various organizations within the city of Newark to help and serve the community. This year Mr. Pares was recognized by the Newark Municipal Council as Puerto Rican Poet of the year as well as received a Senate Citation commending and praising Mr. Pares for his dedication, commitment and willingness to help. Mr. Pares has also realized his dream of publishing his first book of poetry titled FROM THE BRICKS I RISE: REFLECTIONS FROM A PORTA ROCK.
Contact Info:
Yari Pares
973-234-0543
https://www.portarockwriter.com
https://www.facebook.com/boricuawriter
Marta Iris Rodriguez-Olmeda
Marta Iris Rodriguez-Olmeda was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico. Cidra is known as Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera (the City of Eternal Spring) and is located in the mountains, the central zone of the island. Citizen of the world, living in a country in the middle of Puerto Rico, known as la Isla del Encanto, she learned to love her homeland and its customs. She inherited the devotion for the Saints and the Three Holy Kings from her maternal grandfather. She recalls with nostalgia Las Fiestas de Cruz and the Rosaries prayed on the Three Kings Eve that were celebrated at her maternal grandparents' house.
Her first formal meeting with the wood took place in 2007, while working in Cayey (Puerto Rico), where she took basic classes to learn the art of Woodcarving Saints (Talla de Santos de Palo). She began her woodcarving journey to honor her family roots, Life and the tradition gifted from the devotion to the Saints and the Three Holy Kings. She obtained the Certification from PRIDCO (Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company) and from the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Puerto Rican Culture Institute). As an Artisan, she has participated in Fairs and Festivals such as, El Encuentro Nacional de Talladores de Santos de Palo in Orocovis, El Festival de la Paloma Sabanera in Cidra, Festival de Santos de Palo in Plaza Las Americas'.
Currently she resides in the Bronx, New York, and continues offering her talents to teach and pass on the tradition of Saints' Woodcarving. As part of the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA), she participates in different art festivals and cultural activities such as Comité Noviembre, Loisaida Festival, 116 St. Festival, Super Sábado at El Museo del Barrio, SOMOS conference and many others. Her art promotes the oldest Puerto Rican folk art and gives the Diaspora the opportunity to remember the long gone but never forgotten wooden Saints that many of them saw as a child back in Puerto Rico. It also teaches the new generation about a tradition that defines our culture as a Nation. She continues participating in woodcarving competitions in Puerto Rico, and have won several awards and prizes.
CONTACT:
Marta I. Rodríguez Olmeda
caminoartesanalmiro@gmail.com
Tel: 646-725-3896
http://caminoartesanalmiro.wixsite.com/santosdepalo
Grizelle Esther Medinare
Grizelle was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Fashion Industries,
where her passion for painting developed. At Hunter College she obtained a bachelor's degree in Fine
Arts, and a Masters in Creative Art Therapy from Pratt Institute.
For Grizelle, art is a way of expressing her perspective on life and marking her journey. Through art, she
is able to express her thoughts, emotions and dreams. When painting, the brush becomes the tool that
communicates the deep meaning of her message. In turn, the paint becomes the attire to the canvas
giving it its own personality. In this manner, each piece of art becomes a being, capable of creating an
emotion on the observer. In her own words, "painting is a healing tool that opens the possibilities of
departing from the existing world to create a new one."
The series of work she titles Fearless focuses on self-realization, and is designed to create a space within
the person. It invites the individual to take introspective looks into their soul, hence reflecting upon their
journey. Grizelle wishes that her work will help people feel complete and accepted. Her message,
thorugh her artwork, is for people to become fearless in moving towards reaching their dreams.
Contact Grizelle:
Email: GrizelleM16@gmail.com
Instagram: gem-arts16
Marta Medina
The reason I am who I am, is because “I am standing at the shoulders of giants” women who loved art and culture. My grandmother, Theresa Lopez, may she rest in peace, had very little formal education, but that did not stop her from being an entrepreneur, a seamstress, who made and sold dresses.
She was creative, unwavering and made beautiful 3D painting of flowers, dolls, and vases. My mother Marta Colon (75) continues to demonstrate perseverance and stamina today. She was determined to survive! As a mother, wife, and provider coming from Puerto Rico with 4 children and a husband in 1978. She went to Hostos Community College and was awarded associated degree in Early Childhood Education. When we first came to the USA, my mom and dad use to sell art pieces and jewelry on 116 street, EL Barrio. She dedicated the rest of her life to foster children and now there is 9 of us from 53 years old to 14. She also had a knack for art and worked for the Police Athletic League as arts and craft teacher. In the church she was the wedding decorator, an art teacher, always ready to create.
I was born out of a great woman who is my friend, my mentor and my first art teacher. I am Marta Medina, born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, an artist by birth. I grew up surrounded by crafty artistic, determined women who did many things for their families not just to survive but to succeed. I completed the legacy in my family. I have been the first one to go to school for the arts. I hold a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Fine Arts from Lehman College with a concentration in painting, a minor in computer graphics, education and photography.
The legacy continues I am so proud to have inspired my nieces and nephews to pursue the arts, but most of all I am excited to have inspired and passed on the legacy to my niece, Grizelle Medina. In 2018, she Graduate from Pratt Institute with a Masters in Art Therapy and has a Bachelors in Fine Arts from Hunter College. Grizelle has her own story of steadfast and fearless expression. She had difficulty at school and was diagnosed at 19 with diabetes. Her work of art is an amazing combination of inner struggle and strength.
In 2010, I finally graduated with a MFA after pursuing it for 10 years. Life happened! After determining myself, leaving a good job and miscarrying a child, I was finally able to teach what I love to children and I accepted a position as a license Art Teacher for Department of Education in September 2013. My latest work is a focus on moving forward through hardship. “MOVING FORWARD,” is a series I began in June of 2018. This series is a combination of cultural pieces inspired by other artist in Puerto Rico and my own personal persistence. The determination of others; like those that have moved forward after Hurricane Maria, and cancer survivor Evelyn Suarez. I dedicate this series to you all. Moving forward has been a process of development and encouragement. It has been a strive to achieve the unexpected and to move into a new place of hope and determination. I hope this series bring you to a place of hope in your situation.
Finally, I say to you, “stand up, head up, chest out and move forward into your purpose, and stay determined; you too will find a way”.
Contact Marta:
Cell Phone: 347-675-2469
Email: Cordsof3photo15@gmail.com
Website: Artbymartamedina.wordpress.com