Growing up in El Barrio and seeing her mother doodling Mickey Mouse characters immediately moved Olga Ayala to delve into her lifelong passion—art. As a young child growing up in El Barrio, Olga’s newfound interest was nurtured by her parents when they took her to museums and art exhibits in the East Village. Soon, Olga would begin creating her own artwork, some of which was recently on display here at the Bronx Library Center’s Latino and Puerto Rican Cultural Center.

Olga’s Crowns = Coronas exhibit featured ten pieces that represent the artist’s varied interests in Nuyorican culture, African heritage, and Santeria. Here are some of Olga’s work that captivated our thoughts and imaginations.

La Magdalena, a polymer clay and acrylic on canvas work features a stoic woman bearing a beautiful golden halo above her head as she is adorned in a palette of earthy brown colors and hues. Olga’s motif of using flowers in her work is seen here as the subject is flanked by floral patterns.

One of Olga’s most beautiful pieces on display is Frida’s Crown, an acrylic on canvas work that captures an iconic image of Frida Kahlo featuring an artistic twist. Olga admits that many artistic works of Frida Kahlo are usually rehashes that use the same images over and over again, but Olga’s work is different as it features vines emanating from Frida’s head attached to paintbrushes. The botanical imagery and brushes serve as links between the artist and subject as they both shared a love for gardening and art. 

At the center of the exhibit is Gallo y Paloma, another acrylic on canvas piece that reflects on the artist’s identity and culture. The subject is seen holding a rooster and a pigeon, both birds representing Olga’s upbringing in Puerto Rico and New York. The background of a building and waves also represent her time in the urban city and in the Caribbean. The yellow dress that the subject is wearing represents the Santeria religion of the Yoruba people (un grupo étnico proveniente de África). The yellow and gold also represents the Oshun, or the goddess of love. Finally, the subject’s grey hair represents the artist’s age juxtaposed with a crown of flowers. 

You can see more of Olga Ayala's work on her website.