If Erick M. Ramos’ younger self could see him now, “he would be amazed,” says Ramos. Growing up as an Afro-Latinx queer in Puerto Rico, Ramos dreamed of imaginary worlds as a way to escape the confines of his physical reality. Now, a full-time illustrator based in Vancouver, Ramos is getting to live within those dreams—empowering himself and others through his artwork.

Looking at Ramos’ work, you get a peek into his colourful and bold imagination. These days, he’s using that imagination less to reflect the realities of our world, and more to suggest what is possible.

“I’ve always been inclusive in my work, but then again, for some reason, I’ve put a ceiling on things needing to be ‘realistic.’ And now, it’s just fun to be like, ‘I can make this black woman be this magical person, or I can put a nonbinary person in a business illustration’. I know that seeing myself in that way when other people make things is great for me. Also, giving that to other people is exciting where I’m not necessarily putting a ceiling on what can or can’t be done.”

While living in Puerto Rico, Ramos didn’t feel accepted for being queer. He also felt like the environment around him only supported conventional careers. These “ceilings” took Ramos on an artistic journey, overcoming barriers to express himself.

Some of Ramos’ first creative forays were photography with his art transposed into images, having learned how to use Photoshop from his aunt. Eventually, he felt this art form stifled his visions of creating what he imagined. He couldn’t put a finger on it, but knew he wanted to pursue something greater, something that only he could create. “Growing up with TV, VHS, and cartoons—seeing these worlds being built from nothing, made me want to pursue that in a way,” says Ramos.

By the time Ramos made it to the University of Puerto Rico, he decided to pursue an education that felt ‘practical,’ signing up for courses on publicity—but it wasn’t long before the arts drew him back in. Ramos switched his major to graphic design after noticing it had become a more established profession.

Although closer to finding his creative spark, he still wasn’t making the art he dreamed of growing up. “I think there was a long pause where I wasn’t making many things. Then, Instagram was starting to come up. That’s when I became more familiar with illustration. I was like, this is something that I can do that also reminds me of design,” says Ramos.

Just as Ramos was discovering the possibilities of illustration, Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico. Despite its devastation, it forced him into unexpected focus. “It was a weird time for me. We had no electricity for three months and that made me reevaluate my life. I didn’t have internet or anything. It kind of brought that spark back and I started drawing a lot more. The days were eternal because there was nothing to do. So, I would draw a lot.”

As soon as Ramos and his partner were able to move to Vancouver in 2018, they went without a second thought. Having never visited and only just starting to pursue his career in illustration, the new territory brought more challenges yet more opportunity. Switching to more of an English persona on his social media accounts, Ramos quickly gained more traction with his art. “The crazy thing that happened to me was that my first big editorial was for The New York Times,” says Ramos. He was discovered by a New York Times Art Director on Twitter.

Following the Times editorial, work has been steady for Ramos. “At first, I wanted to get work because it was a big goal, and now I want to make it fun and work for me in an enjoyable way. I feel like I’m in a transitional period where my mind has opened up to the whole world-building aspect of things,” says Ramos.

Now, three years into living in a new city and free from previous barriers, Ramos is shifting the focus in his work to reject social limits in society. Finally creating the worlds he envisioned when he was younger, Ramos is letting the imaginary seep into reality, showing us the possibilities of a better tomorrow.

Erick M. Ramos is on Instagram and you can visit his website here.

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MEET JULY ARTIST OF THE MONTH: Erick M. Ramos

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