Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elly Pagan . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Elly , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents, both Puertoricans, did a great job in raising me. They raised me to be a strong, loving, understanding and smart person.
Born different from the rest, I was always feeling odd and out of place but my parents always taught me that odd and different can also be a good thing. Because of them, I learned to adapt to my surroundings, environment and/or situations. Which then taught me to be open minded about the world, humans and the way life works. I then, aquired the desire to explore art and all the beautiful ways art can make one feel, think and even react.
Overall, my parents, will always be my foundation and I will be forever grateful for them.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Helbaliz, but everybody calls me Elly. I was born and raised in San Germán, Puerto Rico. I was born with Scoliosis and a few other minor “disabilities”. Growing up “different” was not easy. I grew up with a lot of challenges and the toughest one was feeling rejected and excluded. But thanks to my Mom and family, I always managed to stay positive no matter the situations.
My family and I were always moving back and forth from PR to the states. After going to too many different schools and 6 surgeries later, we finally settled in Atlanta,GA where I graduated High School. Then I went back to PR where I got my BA in Graphic Arts and a Minor’s in Photography.
Now, I am a single mother, working as a Vet Assistant and owner of, Pet Nurse Jelly~At Home Petcare Service Provider. In 2018 I decided to open my Artist Instagram and expose my art to the world. My goal was and is to make everybody feel included, especially my Latinx community. I like to incorporate Spanish wording and Hispanic culture to my art. Knowing that the USA is mainly an English speaking country, nowadays, you also have to know Spanish as your secondary language. We, latinx and hispanos, have also struggled and thrived just like the rest of the world. Some families have suffered more than others just to get here. I want all my gente to know that they are not alone. Everybody has their story and everybody is going through something, so when they see my art, I want them to know and feel like they are, WE are, included and not forgotten. Loved and not rejected. 
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding thing about being an artist to me is, knowing my art may brighten someone’s day.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn was that messy is not always bad. I like to have control of my things and what I can in my life but sometimes you have to just let it go. Just like art, I’ve had to unlearn a few thing or two. 
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jellybinzkyart.bigcartel.com/
- Instagram: @jellybinzkyart