Rebecca Flores
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A prominent and leading influence of our time, Rebecca Flores is acknowledged as the women with vitality. She is an international visual artist, designer, art coach, accomplished author, poet, speaker, educationalist, producer and TV personality. Rebecca have been an artist for most of her life and gallery owner. For years people have been collecting her art and used as a means for fundraising to help raise funds for causes. She is of Puerto Rican ethnicity who was born on June 18, 1957, in New York City, raised in the South Bronx and the oldest of 8 children. Rebecca considers herself a Nuyorican artist and poet. She remembers living through the artistic expressive sounds of dance moves and tunes of the hip hop era, salsa era, the spoken word, along with graffiti art and writing during the 70’s and up to the mid 80’s at a time when the Puerto Rican migration and movement was materializing steadily and prompt, she witnessed how the transformation in neighborhoods characterized the exertions of cultures to preserve their significance and value. In spite of this, she took in consideration the mayhem of perseverance and respect over the years that came with independence and those who wrote about it, including both her parents being poets themselves, her father an artist and and her mother a seamstress, and how this did not stop them from surviving. At age 10, Rebecca had an affinity for painting and writing compositions that won her first award in writing in elementary school. As a young girl growing up poverty- stricken in the South Bronx she had dreams and a fascination for the arts, although she helped raise her siblings, she still kept her passion alive. She knew in her heart that one day her love for painting, poetry and speaking along with her other talents would later be the Spiritual highlights of her foundation. In 200l, 2002 and 2003, Rebecca exhibited her art and was a speaker at the Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce during Business Med Week in Providence. In the same year, she was warded the Community Merit Award for her community participation in the arts at the Providence State House, where Senator Patrick Kennedy and other community leaders presented her with numerous accolades. Her daughter Natasha Love, recited the Stars Bangle Banner. The following year after the loss of her father she wrote, illustrated and self-published her first book, Elements of Life – Elements de Vida. Later, Rebecca was involved with the Rhode Island School of Design Art Committee, writing for the schools’ Museum’s Hispanic photography exhibition, which entailed speaking on behalf of the Latino artist and interpreting for the artist. During that time she joined the Writer’s Circle, and the Women’s Guild. Shortly after, an opportunity for hosting television came to play. Rebecca now broadcasts and produces her own TV program on Public Education and Government (PEG), Rhode Island Stations. In 2007, she was a guest art exhibitor and speaker for The Girls Inc., at the Latina & Empowering Symposium, in Hartford, Connecticut and also the Guest Artist/Speaker at the Connecticut State University, in Hartford. Rebecca also had the privilege to exhibit her art, speak and recite her spoken word poetry at The Community Renewal Team, Inc, Hartford, CT., for “Grandmothers raising children Again” and for Johnson and Wales University for the Latino Business Networking Evening Event in Providence. She also performed her spoken word poetry at the Rhode Island Black Repertory Theatre Entitled “An Evening with Rebecca.” Since the loss of her daughter in 2008, Rebecca’s art and language, and measures of life continue to arouse our spirits, essence and the vitality of our mind by energizing, healing our heart and soul in a therapeutic form. 2010, was a year of greatness when she received a call from Daniel Padilla, the Executive Director of the Francisco Oller Museo de Arte, Bayamon, Puerto Rico who asked her to come and exhibit her work and speak to the Scholars on violence and education. She was greeted by dignitaries and received applauds from the people of her heritage with a ribbon cutting ceremony that took place in her honor with her son Joshua Elijah, after her uplifting speech of the tragic loss of her daughter and how her son encourages her life with his blessing, strength and courage. Ms. Flores continues exhibiting her art and speaks to the world with her spirituality. Her aim in life is to inspire every age especially the younger generation to embrace life and realize that they can account for its change in an expressive manner and belief. Currently, Rebecca mentors high school students and works with women and underprivileged youth as an Therapeutic Artist and Poet in hopes of improving and enhancing physical, emotional, social and
psychological awareness. She is surrounding herself with knowledge and wisdom in the area of her culture on Puerto Rican Literature. Painting is my key to the secret of my spirit, my way of freedom, my communication feeling torn between two cultures. The images I create are a therapeutic process of art making revealing stories of spiritual truth with movement of how my life has manifested into what I truly believe in as a second – generation Puerto Rican born in New York City. Change can exist through the arts in any shape or form. My art has helped me convey acceptance and acculturate the willing to raise awareness using methods creative to the eye that spells out and articulates in detail how the world is being Nuyorican; what is taking place and how we as a society still need further evidence of expression through the world of art genres in order to notice the significance of trust, hope, and belief. A balance surrounding my two worlds while being a Puertorriqueña.
