Leaves, the protagonist of this collection, often serve as a barometer indicating the health of the tree. They serve as a mechanism to diagnose whether a tree may or may not bear fruit and if the soil is providing nutrients for growth or traumas for stagnation. After Hurricane María ravaged his homeland of Puerto Rico in 2017, a once lush green landscape turned brown and barren; there were no leaves.
For over a year, thousands of people were left without a home, without food, power and water. The losses were devastating, but the aftermath was worse; a gross mismanagement of federal relief funds deprived the island and its people of a desperately needed lifeline. One might say the hurricane stripped the trees, but corruption poisoned the soil.
Now Puerto Rico recovers as new leaves grow and slowly paint its mountains green. Soto’s newest work is a tribute to that renewal; he seeks to highlight the divinity he sees in trees and leaves as they bring new life and hope to his homeland still in the process of recovery.
]]>Leaves, the protagonist of this collection, often serve as a barometer indicating the health of the tree. They serve as a mechanism to diagnose whether a tree may or may not bear fruit and if the soil is providing nutrients for growth or traumas for stagnation. After Hurricane María ravaged his homeland of Puerto Rico in 2017, a once lush green landscape turned brown and barren; there were no leaves.
For over a year, thousands of people were left without a home, without food, power and water. The losses were devastating, but the aftermath was worse; a gross mismanagement of federal relief funds deprived the island and its people of a desperately needed lifeline. One might say the hurricane stripped the trees, but corruption poisoned the soil.
Now Puerto Rico recovers as new leaves grow and slowly paint its mountains green. Soto’s newest work is a tribute to that renewal; he seeks to highlight the divinity he sees in trees and leaves as they bring new life and hope to his homeland still in the process of recovery.
]]>Chris Soto is a local DC artist born and raised in Puerto Rico. He has won multiple national art competitions and has received prestigious accolades for his remarkable creativity. Recently, he had artwork exhibited in the U.S. Capitol building, located in the nation’s capital Washington, D.C. Also, his artwork has surfaced in various art galleries in the nation, as well as abroad; to include California, Canada, and Shanghai, China. His artwork was selected to be exhibited in the DC Art Expo “Hello Again”; spearheaded by the Lincoln Motor Company which helped him to acquire the RAW Visual Artist of the Year Award 2013. Chris has a unique eye for color and a love for creating upbeat paintings. His new inspiration in painting relies on the significance of dreams. Inspired by Greek ancient tales, his recent paintings reflect the resemblance of Greek gods mixed with scenes of his own dreams.