This project was carried out remotely in the Machuchal community with the support of El Taller Comunidad la Goyco from October 2020 to January 2021. The artist Adriana García, through workshops via Facebook Live, Zoom and open house, presented the following topics to the community:
- Humans are part of, and therefore responsible for, the estuarine ecosystem.
- The impact of waste on the city, on our community and on the Estuary, particularly grease in sanitary and storm sewers.
- Communities as an engine of change
- Accessibility to works of art in the context of the pandemic, from home.
The artist led five workshops in this series, beginning with how to draw two species found in the estuary: the Brown Pelican and the Red Mangrove. Next, she covered how to use free tools to digitize their images and create a basic augmented reality filter. The series concluded with a comprehensive workshop for communities, "Creating Content for Community Organizations," which utilizes free tools to create an effective visual identity.
In addition, during her residency, the artist created seven augmented reality filters using the “Spark AR” tool, collaborating closely with the Machuchal community and the Estuario staff. These filters can be used on Instagram and Facebook (@estuariosanjuan).
Adriana García Soto is an artist, graphic designer, illustrator, and branding specialist based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities with a concentration in Fine Arts and a specialization in Drawing, a second concentration in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and a Master of Digital Design with a specialization in Branding from the European Institute of Design in Madrid. She works from her design studio, AGar Estudio, creating brands, designing and laying out books, UI/UX, Augmented Reality, and illustrating. She also develops other projects such as comics and zines, including Miscelánea Vols. I, II, and III. She was the artist-in-residence at the San Juan Bay Estuary in 2020. She has been a speaker at events such as Tecnológicas and professional sessions at Atlantic University College, a guest artist at the Bayamón Museum of Art, and has exhibited at events such as Santurce es Ley and other artist exhibitions. She is currently a member of the Les Insu collective.
