Bio
Jocmarys Viruet Feliciano is a visual artist from Arecibo, Puerto Rico with a focus on hand papermaking and Book Arts. She holds a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and a master's degree from the University of Iowa, Center of the Book. Jocmarys worked as an intern at the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, Ohio. Her first experience with handmade paper was in 2014 as an exchange student in South Korea. Jocmarys has taught several bookbinding and handmade paper workshops in Puerto Rico and in the United States at places such as Penland School of Crafts in Bakersville, North Carolina, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Taller Lapaduma in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Her Artist's Books are part of special collections such as University of Miami, University of Iowa, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.
Artist Statement
My art practice focuses on my experiences as an islander, the good and the bad, the joys and hurricanes that come with living in Puerto Rico. Through my art I explore my ancestry, the idea of healing and the possibility of a post-resilience mindset. Through the creation of my pieces I explore the potential of imaginary spaces and invisible energetic bodies, attributing surreal qualities to the paper objects I create. Book Arts and handmade paper have allowed me to manipulate aspects of my works from the beginning and in conversation with the material, giving me the opportunity to conduct research and experiments with my materials until I achieve the aesthetic and form I desire. Harvesting, cooking, sewing, tearing, stretching, kneading, and rubbing are some of the processes I most incorporate into my work as I focus on exalting the qualities of fiber.