We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wilfredo Morel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Wilfredo, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience started during my childhood. I was born in the Dominican Republic- one of the poorest countries in the Caribbean. My mother was Haitian and my father was Dominican. I was very young when my parents divorced, and I was left to live with my Grandmother. She did the best she could to support us with the money my mother sent her while living and working in Venezuela. There were 10 of us living with my grandmother (siblings, uncles and cousins). I became a shoe shine at the age of 7 to help financially contribute to our well-being. Although I was around those with money, who didn’t always treat me with respect, I was determined to continue and help my family. Years later, my mother returned with great news- she had petitioned for my 3 siblings and I to go to Puerto Rico- a U.S. territory. This was life changing. The beauty of the island was a complete transformation for us, but I never forgot where I came from, and who I was. While in Puerto Rico, I continued to work and contribute for my family. At 9 years old, I worked at an auto mechanic, washing parts. The difference here was a much cleaner environment, and respect for children. I was very proud to do my work and help my family. These experiences instilled in me, that in order to achieve something, you need to believe that there is something more than what you are experiencing in that exact moment, but knowing it requires hard work. As a result of this, I have a tremendous amount of courage, and always keep my head held high.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a sculptor who uses reclaimed/repurposed materials to create subjects that relate to the human condition. By creating these compositions, it allows me to tell the stories of the life and sacrifices of others. For the past 17 years, I have been using my work to bring awareness to the plight of migrant farm workers. This an often silenced community. My work consists of selected former metal farm equipment that is already naturally sculpted, but repurposed to reflect the harsh realities of what it means to be an immigrant, to be impoverished in a foreign country and be confined to a place where your only purpose is to work and support your family. This is the life of a migrant farm worker. I try to tell those stories and raise conciseness around this reality, and ideally be part of a solution in terms of increasing value and respect for the migrant farm workers’ contributions.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My own childhood journey was the trajectory for my art. As an immigrant, to grow up impoverished, and being isolated from my own culture when I came to this country served as an impetus for my art. Art saved my life. Before I became a metal sculptor, I started sculpting with leather to make my own clothing, and then to sell clothing to survive. I think its important to be in touch with yourself, and find contentment within yourself, as that’s what will give you the courage to explore and expand upon your art.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
My biggest challenge right now is finding time to do my art, for me. The more you achieve in your art, the more people can seek you out. While this is wonderful, there is not a break. I still struggle with balancing commissions and community projects with creating art just for myself. Self-care is a process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.steelimaginations.com
Image Credits
N/A
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