Meet Danielle de Jesus, the 29-year-old Boricua who is dominating Instagram with her paintings on dollar bills.
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The Bushwick-born artist garnered attention after painting a portrait of Lin-Manuel Miranda on a $10 bill. She's gained traction on Instagram for her portfolio of Disney characters and pop culture references but most importantly for her drawings inspired by Puerto Rico's rich history and culture. An activist herself, De Jesus also shines a light on the issues close to her heart such as resisting gentrification. In three words she describes her work: Passionate Political Educational. Get to know the New York-based artist and her amazing artwork below.
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1. How old were you when you started drawing?
Well, for as long as I could remember, I always loved to draw. I used to love drawing Puerto Rican flags and Chupacabras when I was little. Clearly not much has changed. However, when I was 12 years old, that passion was snuffed out when I was rejected from every art High school that I applied to including Art and Design, Fashion industries and LaGuardia. That’s when I picked up a camera and put drawing and painting away for many years.
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2. You have Puerto Rican roots and you grew up in Bushwick, how has that inspired your art?
I’ve always been heavy into my Puerto Rican roots since going to the parade every year with my mom as a kid, but Bushwick is where I grew up. It feels weird saying that now because the Bushwick that people know now is not the one I grew up in. The Bushwick I grew up in was rich with culture and love. Don’t let anyone tell you different. A lot of my work, well at least the stuff that I am most passionate about definitely reflects my culture as a Boricua and our experiences both on the island and the diaspora. However, most of my photography focuses on my experiences growing up in Bushwick.
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3. Why do you draw the subjects that you draw? And can you tell us a little bit about the process?
I usually paint what I am passionate about most and stories that I want to tell. A lot of people don’t want to pick up a book and learn about our culture, which is fine, but that’s where my art comes in. It gives you a quick history lesson or maybe even teaches you about current events, without having to pick up a book. You see the painting, and hopefully, it tells you a little bit about what I am portraying. I love my people very much so I paint them and their stories every chance that I get. As far as the pop culture paintings, those are mostly just movies and characters that I like and paint them for my followers and me to enjoy.
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4. From etch-a-sketch to dollar bills to dominos, what's your favorite canvas to paint on? And why those canvases?
Definitely dollar bills. My work is very political. Whether I am painting a cute cartoon character or telling the story of Puerto Rico’s struggle under colonial rule, it’s all political when it’s on money. People put too much value on a piece of paper. I like to take that power and make people see it differently. The Etch a Sketch is just a fun toy that I love to play with and happen to be pretty good at. The dominos began when I felt so helpless and needed to raise money to help my people after hurricane Maria. I painted a few and decided to sell them to raise money to help people on the island. I also helped curate a show at a gallery in Brooklyn called Grumpy Bert where a bunch of my incredible artist friends donated work to raise money too.
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5. Do you sell your pieces?
Yes, I do. I do not sell my Puerto Rico work though. Only prints and extremely limited. I am hoping to display the entire collection together when I feel it is ready. Its purpose is to educate and I am very passionate about it.
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6. What is your favorite drawing that you've ever drawn?
I really love the painting I did portraying Gag law 53 in which Puerto Ricans were not allowed to own a Puerto Rican flag, sing any patriotic songs or hold any assembly in support of independence. Yes the United States did that.
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7. What kind of feedback have you gotten from your followers on Instagram?
I get lots of different opinions and feedback from my followers on Instagram, but mostly positive. I have several different demographics in my following so it gets a little complicated sometimes. I have kids and teens who follow me for my Hamilton and Disney art and then I have followers who follow me for my more in your face political work. Then there are those who just enjoy my work in general which is awesome. Pleasing everyone is impossible, so I just paint what makes me happy and hope that it makes someone else happy too. I do get a lot of “oh my gosh, I could have bought something with that dollar!” and it’s gotten real old real fast though!
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8. Where do you go to for inspiration?
Prepare for a super cliché answer, but my heart. It’s extremely difficult for me to paint something that I do not feel personally connected to or love in some kind of way. I’ll take a commission here and there to pay the bills, but my best work comes from my heart. This is why I am most proud of my Puerto Rico work. My whole heart, mind, and soul go into each one of those pieces. They’re a part of me.
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9. What characters are the most challenging to paint?
I think the most challenging paintings for me are the Disney ones. One wrong move and it’s over,
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10. Any upcoming exhibits or any new paintings that you are currently working on?
As of right now, I don’t have anything coming up, but I am actively painting every day. I have a few things up my sleeve, but I can’t really talk about them here. What I can tell you though is that they will be very political and possibly offensive to those who do not share similar political beliefs. I mean, but what’s art if you can’t ruffle a few feathers and raise a few eyebrows, right?
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