Gloria Hernando, Artistically Known as "Latin for Glory" Ignites the Collective Spirit Through Art
There is nothing out of reach for Gloria Hernando, a Dominican-American creative who explores different platforms to convey her encouraging message. Over the years, her discipline has evolved to combine art, design and transpersonal psychology as a path to spiritual rebirth. She says, "I consider myself a spiritual pyro who aims to awaken the inner bull in others."
Gloria began her creative journey as a child. Self-taught in the arts, she decided to study architecture at the University of Miami, followed by interior design at the University of Florida, where her alias was born. "Latin for Glory" is a direct translation of my name Gloria. It is a connection to my identity as a Latina woman and honors the glory of God. I created it to unite my various creative activities under one roof During this time, she also experienced a traumatic period in her life, which she refers to as her "dark times."
After losing almost everything, including her home and family, she began searching for a symbol that represented strength. In ancient literature, Gloria connected with the symbol of the archetypal bull, found in prehistoric caves, Egyptian and Greek mythology, and astrology. Drawing after drawing, she began to incorporate the bull into everything she created until she harnessed her own inner strength and ability to heal
"The bull saved my life, and now I want to share it with others to support my community". Since then, the bull - one with towering horns - has become the emblem and DNA of Latin for Glory. This symbol not only served as a guiding principle for her work, but also inspired her to live a life of perseverance and drive.
This leap of faith led her to an artistic practice that explores the sacred relationship between the human spirit and the natural environment as expressed in ancient symbolism. She uses the natural elements - especially fire and earth - as both metaphorical language and materiality. This is expressed in the form of setting objects on fire, burning paper, experimenting with clay, and making her own LED boxes. "I am driven by the freedom to make something out of anything. My work will never be limited to one style or form. It will always break out of the norm and try to capture the magic of life"
Her commitment to personal growth was recently featured in the series "Terra Mater: Burn to Bloom." During the pandemic, Gloria began learning the mediums of oil paint and ceramics to add dimension to her sculptural work. These two years of development focused on the element of earth as a symbol of identity, growth and transformation. She recalls that this process was emotionally challenging because it took her through difficult memories, memories of destruction that eventually led to rebirth. During this process, she also lost the person who anchored her roots and family - her grandfather.
Through intense introspection and grief, she was able to use art as a tool to transform the darkness into light. Gloria began incorporating the orchid into "Terra Mater" as a representation of her dual identity as Dominican and American. She grew up in Miami surrounded by the hundreds of orchids her mother had grown after immigrating from her native country. But one day, they were all gone. When she lost her home, all the orchids disappeared as well, becoming a painful memory. After many years of healing, Gloria began to see this flower with a new perspective: Hope
It was with great joy that she inaugurated this new element in the exhibition "Terra Mater: Burn to Bloom" at Art Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was the first exhibition outside of Miami and the first formal presentation of her ceramics "Pandora's Box" and "Burn to Bloom." "Santa Fe was a defining moment on an artistic and personal level. It was always my childhood dream to visit New Mexico, and I was able to travel there through art. I felt like I was home and like I was blossoming again."
Since then, Gloria has created a new line of "Petite Pieces" that includes all of her signature elements such as the bull, match, stars and orchids. This collection of unique ceramics, paintings and sculptures will launch this November in time for Miami Art Week and the holidays. All pieces will be available at Latin for Glory Studio in North Miami or through their website at www.latinforglory.com. Join the tribe and follow her on Instagram @latinforglory.