Artist Statement

Luis Jiménez is a pyrographer who works with wood, resin, and mixed media. Originally from

San Juan, Puerto Rico, grew up surrounded by color, culture, and symbolism. With endless

festivals and street parties, Jiménez was immersed in a beautiful and colorful Caribbean

environment, with stunning historical buildings and street murals plastered on everything

                                                   from bridges to parking spaces.

Puerto Rico is steeped in rich indigenous Tainos, Spanish, and African-influenced traditions,

and Pyrography is part of those traditions. Pyrography, or Pyrogravure, involves heating metal

tools to burn designs into wood surfaces. The word Pyrogravure translates to “writing

                                                     with fire.”

Throughout his life, Jiménez has held diverse positions, including working for the University of

Puerto Rico, from where he retired. Years later, he picked up his creative passions and began

exploring the unique skills involved in pyrography. Rediscovering the love and passion for

ancestral arts, Jiménez began incorporating symbolic and cultural elements to connect

                                                     spiritually with his viewers.

Jiménez is an artist who believes in the self-realization of being. He has a special connection

with meditation, which he feels guides his creative process. Blending a distinct personal style

with hints of eccentricity, the pieces pay homage to his ancestors and homeland traditions.