El Papá de los Helados

30 x 40 inches
Mixed media: Acrylics, air-dry clay, and birch wood panel on canvas
2025

Venezuela saying series

We call el papá de los helados (the father of the ice creams) anyone who we consider to be the leader, the boss. Often used to refer to guys who are cocky and pretentious as well.

I wanted to depict the literal visual of the saying even though it doesn't relate to the actual meaning. When I was a kid I thought el papá de los helados we're the guys who pushed the Efe carts down the street ringing that funny bell. I think it's ridiculous yet so beautifying how Venezuelans adapt different words that don't have a correlation to create a complete different terminology, and I think it must be celebrated.