Isabel Bernal
San Sebastián, PR, 1935
Biography Details
Painter and graphic artist. Studied design, drawing and silkscreen at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1952, and painting at the University of Puerto Rico under Professor Osiris Delgado. After graduating in 1957, she started working as a graphic artist at the Division of Community Education (DIVEDCO) until her retirement in 1987. She’s had several solo exhibitions and has participated in several group exhibitions in Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain and United States. The subjects of her work are the urban and rural landscape, and portraits.
Artist Statement
“Within this panorama, Isabel develops her artistic abilities quietly and laboriously without making noise or fuss. Her reluctance to “show off”, so of our time, is exemplary. Even so, her work is appreciated by collectors and connoisseurs. Her devotion to our landscape manifests through all of her work, her heartfelt figurations of our towns and cities could be said that are unique in our visual arts. The artist applies in this work her vast experience as a silkscreen artist, a technique that surely meshes with her perception of the changing hues of this landscape of ours. It must be said that like the masters of impressionism, Isabel situates herself in front of her target: the landscape; she paints directly from nature transporting the product, that is, the work to the silkscreen with a meticulous and careful application.”
Source: Antonio Maldonado
Formation
Education
1957
- Painting Studies. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1952
- Studies in Design, Drawing and Silkscreen. Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Professional Experience
1957-1987
- Printmaker. Community Education Division (DIVEDCO), Departamento de Instrucción Pública, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Exhibitions
Individuales
2013
- Isabel Bernal: cartelista, ilustradora y pintora puertorriqueña, Sistema de Bibliotecas, Colección Puertorriqueña, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1998
- Entre mi gente y mis pueblos: mi sentimiento, Centro de Bellas Artes de Guayama, Guayama, Puerto Rico
1991
- Exposición de serigrafías de la artista Isabel Bernal, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Arecibo Campus, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
1972
- Colegio de Ingenieros, Arquitectos y Agrimensores, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Colectivas
2012
- Interconexiones: lecturas curatoriales de la colección permanente del MAPR, Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- Navidad, Galería La Pintadera, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2001
- Muestra Nacional de Arte, Antiguo Arsenal de la Marina Española, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1987
- La Estampa Serigráfica en Puerto Rico: Cuatro Décadas, Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1985
- El Cartel en Puerto Rico: 1946-1985, Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1981
- Sala de Gráfica Puertorriqueña en saludo a Latinoamérica, Luna Street, San Justo Corner, Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1958
- El dibujo como medio de expresión, Museo de la Universidad, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- I Bienal Interamericana de Pintura y Grabado, México
Collections
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
- Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, United States
- Library System, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Bibliography
Books
Fernández Méndez, Eugenio. Enciclopedia Clásicos de Puerto Rico, Tomo VII, Barcelona: Ediciones Latinoamericanas, S. A., 1971, pp. 65-80.
Delgado, Osiris. La Gran Enciclopedia de Puerto Rico, Tomo VIII, Artes Plásticas, Madrid: Ediciones R, 1976, p. 392.
Bloch, Peter. “Painting and Sculpture of the Puerto Ricans”. New York: Plus Ultra Inc., 1978, p. 210.
Gaya Nuño, Juan Antonio. “La Pintura Puertorriqueña”. España: centro de Estudios Sorianos, 1994, p. 171.
Hermandad de Artistas Gráficos de Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Arte e Identidad, Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1998.
Catalogues
Interconexiones: lecturas curatoriales de la colección permanente del MAPR. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2012.
Imagen y Presencia en la Pintura Puertorriqueña del Siglo XX, Recurrencia y Recreaciones del Arte. Galería La Pintadera, 2002.
La Estampa Serigráfica en Puerto Rico: Cuatro Décadas. Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1987.
Sala de Gráfica Puertorriqueña en saludo a Latinoamérica. Calle Luna, Esquina San Justo, Viejo San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1981, p. 25.
El Cartel en Puerto Rico: 1946-1985. Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1985, p. 49.