Upcoming Exhibition: STRONGER TOGETHER, June 20

Edwin G Cadiz: Bio
Edwin G. Cadiz holds a Masters in Science of Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine
Arts. His colorful canvases, collage and provocative designs grace many community spaces,
libraries, offices and private homes. Cadiz has exhibited his work here in New York City and
Latin America; bridging the gap of cultural experiences that is not only his birthright, as a Puerto
Rican, but also the inspiration for his work. His well organized collage work and bright images
capture not only his cultural heritage, but his unique vision that, like a prism, creates a spectrum
of colors. Thematic aspects of his work promote the tension created between historic reference
points and imagery that guides the viewer to his use of hands and faces integrating the resolve
of humanity’s struggle for peace and harmony. He has produced over 50 collage pieces on
Black History as one of his more popular subjects. As a multimedia visual artist he has
undertaken many different ways to explore methods and materials including his pioneering
work in the 1970’s with the creation of pieces using photoceramics that were exhibited in Latin
America. He also was part of a team of students teaching silkscreen technique in the Dutch
Antilles. Closer to home, in 2000, Cadiz designed one of the cows, called “Tropicow” for the
New York City CowParade exhibition. He also designed a “Tropidog” for the Art Unleashed in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Cadiz received his early art training at Henry Street Settlement House where he was taught
photography, community mural making and ceramics. Most notably there are mosaic
sculptures, he was a part of designing as a youth at Henry Street Settlement, that can still be
viewed in the Lower East Side and at Grant’s Tomb. Years later, he produced many murals with
students of Louis Armstrong Middle School, and worked with youth to create a mural at the
People’s Headstart Program in Long Island City. He also taught art at the Children’s Art
Carnival; the Greek American Institute and the College for Children Program at both Queens
College and Laguardia Community College. Over the years, he has continued to reemerge with
his art through special commissions to produce art for public spaces, residential treatment
settings and new housing developments.

Élan Cadiz: Artist Statement
Élan Cadiz an interdisciplinary, multi ethnic, multi racial, North American, native New Yorker, and
Visual Artist that deconstructs and balances her intersectionality through her projects. Élan’s art
and practice are grounded in the documentation of her personal narrative through the use of
portraiture, domestic and historical imagery.

Cadiz’s artworks explore the ways societal and personal histories overlap and affect individual
relationships, power dynamics and identity.

The materials she works with are influenced by the subjects she discuss which is why she
moves masterly through mediums, collaging the best materials to convey her visual language.

Élan Cadiz’s intention is to speak to the boundless potential in humanity despite impediments
and ways our pasts can inform our future for the better. Her goal is to have viewers question
their condition(s) in ways that bring about helpful inner inquiry and thoughtful discussion.

Bio
Élan’s formal training began in the High School of Art & Design. After graduation she was
accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology where she studied Advertisement and Design
and Photography for two years. Cadiz graduated from City College of New York City with a BA
in Studio Art and Education in 2008. Elan received her Masters in Fine Art from the School of
Visual Arts May 2018 and received the Martha Trevor Award/ Worldstudio AIGA Scholarship,
Paula Rhodes Memorial Award and the School of Visual Arts Merit Scholarship.
She’s instructed young people in the arts for 25 years and taught for or was in collaboration with
programs/institutions such as the Harlem School of the Arts, Thurgood Marshall Upper and
Lower Academies, Harlem Children Zone, No Longer Empty, Cool Culture, Bank Street College,
Weeksville Heritage Center, the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York Historical Society, Center
for Arts Education, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the Boys Club of New York
City, Foster Pride, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan and the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum
of Art and Storytelling, Bridgehampton Museum and more.

Dr. Sharon M. Cadiz: Artist Statement
As a published author and poet, I have primarily focused my work on themes of female
empowerment; human rights and social justice. Using poetry for private reflection and public
pronouncements, I have sought to foster an evolving spirit of unified, healing human connection;
and the possibility of inspired action. Over a period of more than four decades, my work has
appeared in newspapers, literary publications, newsletters; as well as being featured by
organizations that work with women and vulnerable populations. My work appeared during the
early years of Witness Justice; a nonprofit that addresses violence and trauma, and in “The
Cutting Edge” Newsletter for people living with self-inflicted injury. Some of my poetry has
appeared in “A Place for Poets” organized by Alberto O. Cappas, the Puerto Rican poet,
journalist and community activist who went on to create The Poetry Foundation. Many years
back, a couple of my poems received special recognition from members of the Fresh Meadows
Poets group. My commitment to this literary art form has led me to opportunities that bring
poetry to communities at local venues such as book stores and libraries. I am very proud of a
collaborative project entitled: “Things a Woman Needs to Know: A Poetic Conversation in Three
Movements” that was performed at the Langston Hughes Cultural Center. In keeping with my
commitment to bring poetry to new audiences, I coordinated an event entitled: “Poetry Speaks”
on March 13, 2025 at Chateau Le Woof in Astoria, Queens which was presented on behalf of a
local youth enrichment program. I opened the program with the tragic story of a fourteen year

old youngster who was recently stabbed to death by another fourteen year old youngster
outside of a fast food establishment in the neighborhood of Sunnyside, Queens. My point was
that we need to find words for our strongly held emotions. Feeling that I had made my point
about the necessity for words in addressing anger, rage and frustration without violence, I went
on to say that poetry is a way, not only to express these emotions, but to also to give words to
deep feelings of love, loss and longing. My intent was to encourage the diverse audience to
embrace the power of words in helping us to individually and collectively assert our creativity as
a way to help heal ourselves and our communities. Finally, it is my hope that my words will find
their way into shared spaces where they can help begin a process of fashioning a new world
that keeps hope, possibility and our positive creative visions alive.