Bio
Iris M. Cintrón (b.1995) is a self-taught abstract artist based in Puerto Rico. She started exploring abstract painting in 2025 as a form of emotional release and a renewed understanding of the self.
Full of depth and movement, her works try to answer "what happens when you confront the darkness instead of fighting it?" Iris holds a BFA in Art History with a minor in Art through the University of Central Florida and acquired her MA in Graphic Design from Atlantic University College in Puerto Rico. Her abstract paintings serve as a mirror to her innermost struggles and fears, and she hopes it encourages others to acknowledge their own without shame.
I paint to process my inner world. My work revolves around rediscovering, redefining and reclaiming what we fear most. To confront the darkness instead of suppressing it — to not fear the self but accept it wholeheartedly.
Using many layers of paint, I aim to express a depth that creates wonder and curiosity while fluid brushstrokes in bold, exciting colors convey warmth and beauty in order to highlight that our deepest fears can be one of our most beautiful strengths.
My approach to painting is specifically done to promote grounding by quieting my mind before I start. I do this by making random marks in the beginning stages as an initial intuitive practice that allows me to not fear the canvas and see it instead, as a mindful exercise that in the end adds character to the final artwork.