Shriners Children's Boston Patient Angel Helps Spread Holiday Cheer

Angel has always enjoyed drawing and sketching. He has a designated art space at home stocked with a variety of supplies to support his creativity.

Recently, however, Angel lost a bit of that creative spark, spending less time sketching and drawing. So when Angel’s family members Dyani and Laura learned that Shriners Children’s Boston was seeking patient artwork for the annual holiday card, they weren’t sure what Angel would think. While they didn’t want to push Angel, his family wanted him to be aware of this special opportunity to share his talent. That request for a simple drawing inspired Angel to immerse himself once again in his art.

Angel knew he wanted to focus on a recognizable Boston image for the holiday card. He decided on the iconic bronze sculptures depicting a scene in the children’s classic book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Visitors can find the beloved installation featuring Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings in the Boston Public Garden.

Angel started by sketching and then painted out the scene that would become the cover art for the 2022 Shriners Children’s Boston holiday card. He gave the painting a wintry flair to fit the season, complete with snow-dusted evergreens. Laura shared that Angel studied the technique of the late American painter Bob Ross to perfect his depiction of the trees. Ross was well known for his educational program The Joy of Painting. “Angel watched lots of Bob Ross, studying how he drew trees. He felt initially overwhelmed when drawing the trees, but soon grew comfortable and more confident in his design,” she shared. The result was a beautiful rendition of a classic Boston scene.

Now 13, Angel has been a patient at Shriners Children’s Boston since the age of 3, after he was severely burned in his home country of the Dominican Republic. Not only did Angel receive life-saving burn care in Boston, he also found his forever home.