“I like getting my hands fairly messy,” explained Angel Ortega, BFA Fine Arts (Drawing) ’25. The senior drawing student stood in his studio, surrounded by artwork in charcoal, graphite, and oil pastel for his upcoming thesis exhibition. Mere weeks away from receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts (a major in drawing and a minor in art and design education), concluding a work-study position at the Center for Art, Design, and Community Engagement K–12, and passing down his role of social media manager for the Latinx Student Alliance, Ortega shared his thoughts on the creative path that led him to where he is today.
“It was the charcoal.”
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![A black-and-white graphite drawing of a cowboy boot decorated with a stylized cross and intricate textures.]()
Untitled work, 2024, graphite on newsprint by Angel Ortega. Image courtesy of Angel Ortega. -
![A grid of nine detailed graphite drawings pinned to a wall, featuring stylized faces, boots, and figures in bold compositions.]()
Drawings displayed in Angel Ortega’s studio.
The Brooklyn native first heard of Pratt when a teacher in his first year of high school encouraged him to apply to the Pratt Young Scholars program. He showed up to the interview with his sketchbook, not yet having created a portfolio to showcase his talent. He was surprised when he was accepted to the program; since he hadn’t gone to a specialized art school or had extracurricular art experience, he worried that he would be too far behind. But once there, he learned quickly. The program introduced him to charcoal, his medium of choice, and just like that he was hooked. Since then, he’s been using charcoal, graphite, and oil pastels for most of his art. “It just feels so satisfying, knowing that my mark-making is going into the paper,” he said.
Pratt Young Scholars gave him a strong foundation in drawing. “I really fell in love with the basics, to the point where I was like ‘I think I want to pursue this as a career,’” he said. The experience inspired him to apply for Pratt’s undergraduate program and pursue the path of an artist.
Work in progress
Living locally, Ortega commutes from home to campus, where his studio in Cannoneer Court gives him space to work on both small and large-scale works, the latter of which can exceed lifesize. His process leaps directly from conceptual research into final drawings. “My mind is always swirling with ideas,” he says. “I typically don’t sketch or sketch out the plan,” he said. “I am often going to go straight for the paper and start drawing it out.” For his larger drawings, he begins by laying down a blue acrylic underpainting, which gives the final work an almost glowing quality. From there, he builds up form and color with his distinctive spiral marks, which give each piece a feeling of spontaneity and movement. He progresses quickly, completing one of his larger drawings in under two weeks.
Ortega is inspired by artists like Pepón Osorio, a Puerto Rican artist whose large-scale installations explore masculinity in Puerto Rican culture. “I actually had the privilege of seeing his show, thanks to one of my seminar classes where we were gallery hopping and we passed by the New Museum, and his work was still on exhibition. I just remember going to the show and gasping,” he said. “It was such an honor.”
Ortega is attracted to similar themes in his work: toxic masculinity and ancestry, culture, and family. “I’m using the idea of familial trauma as an heirloom being passed down through generations,” he says in reference to his latest works. Inspired by historical artifacts of Mesoamerica, he has turned familial figures into ones of “worship and divinity.”
Art education
As a sophomore, Ortega approached the Center K–12 office for a work-study position. Many of the general assistants in the office are former Pratt Young Scholars who returned for part-time jobs when they got into Pratt’s undergraduate program. “It’s very touching to me,” said Ortega. “It just shows how important the office is.”
His work in the office eventually led to helping out at its Saturday Art School, an experience that inspired him to pursue a minor in teaching art and design in New York City. He joined Pratt in Puerto Rico, where he was able to instruct children in his native language of Spanish. Seeing their enthusiasm was life-changing. “I fell in love. I want to go back.” He’s now considering opportunities to teach in New York City, with an emphasis on teaching art to English learners so he can continue to use his Spanish language skills.
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![Four finalists for the Charles Pratt Memorial Scholarship pose together.]()
L–R: Nominees for the Charles Pratt Memorial Scholarship: Priyanka Dey, Shiva Saham, Angel Ortega, and Alba Cortorreal. Image courtesy of Angel Ortega. -
![Angel Ortega stands beside two large, colorful drawings — one of the Last Supper and another of a historic cathedral — displayed on easels in a gallery setting.]()
Ortega presenting his work for the Charles Pratt Memorial Scholarship. Image courtesy of Angel Ortega.
Last year, Ortega was a finalist for the prestigious Charles Pratt Memorial Scholarship, which recognizes exceptional artistic talent, leadership, community service, and self-motivation in junior undergraduate students.
As he approaches graduation, Ortega also has his eye on possible residency programs that would support him as he continues to develop his art. He’s reminded by his Professional Practices class that an art career isn’t made in a vacuum. “Some of us forget that the art world is about networking yourself,” he said. “The advice I would say is don’t be afraid of putting yourself out here. Don’t be afraid of being a bit extroverted.”