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128 NW Eleventh Ave, Portland, OR 97209 · 503-445-3700 · www.pcs.org
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Art Installation: Demonio Adormecido by Candy Girl Pińatas

Event Details
September 15 – October 20, 2024
The Armory: PGE Gallery
FREE

Portland Center Stage will host an art installation Demonio Adormecido by Carolina Dulanto of Candy Girl Pińatasas part of Hispanic Heritage Month, from Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2024.

ABOUT THE WORK
The sleepy demon sculpture is the artist's direct reaction to coping with mental health struggles. What an imaginative mind turns suffering into; a monster, subdued. Inspired in part by traditional costumes used in la diablada, a dance originating in Puno, Peru, which represents the fight between good versus evil.

Materials: cardboard, papier-mache, crepe paper, metallic fringe.

This gallery exhibit will be on display daily in the PGE Gallery Lobby during performances and events like First Thursday, BIPOC Affinity Nights, and by by appointment. 

Please contact Jonas Angelet, Community Programs Manager, at jonasa@pcs.org to make a viewing appointment. 

Meet Carolina Dulanto, Candy Girl Pińatas (Founder)
Meet Carolina Dulanto, Candy Girl Pińatas (Founder)

Carolina's piñata-making journey began in the spring of 2022, sparked by a thoughtful idea for a little boy she cared for who was obsessed with recycling bins. Wanting to create a unique gift for his second birthday, she decided to craft a recycling bin piñata.

With guidance from her mother, who had taken a piñata-making class while pregnant with her, she learned the basics and quickly became captivated by **cartonería**—the art of cardboard and papier-mâché construction. After completing her first piñata, she immediately felt a surge of creativity and began making more. What started as a personal project quickly evolved into a passion, leading to custom orders, an Instagram account, and eventually the launch of her LLC.

Through this journey, Carolina developed her own voice and refined her techniques, with each piñata requiring over 25 hours of meticulous sculpting and decoration. Despite moments of doubt during construction, she learned to push through and trust the process—a mindset she calls "Keeping Going." None of her creations have failed, and she continues to fine-tune her craft with each new project.

By embracing the organic and sometimes uncertain path of business ownership, Caro avoided the trap of perfectionism and focused instead on her creative growth. She reflects that if she had waited for the perfect moment to start, she might still be waiting. Her unconventional journey has allowed her to thrive as an artist, and she wouldn’t change a thing.

Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).

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