Hello! I am Erika!
Welcome to my artist portfolio!
Recent Project
Features of “The Grim Reefer”
An undergraduate thesis crochet installation, 2025.
Standing in front of my installation on my thesis defense day
“The Grim Reefer”
The Grim Reefer was my undergraduate thesis for the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts. It is a crochet installation depicting and simulating the bottom of the West Philippine Sea amidst the maritime conflict between China and the Philippines.
The installation takes viewers through a simulated experience of being on the ocean floor, coming face-to-face with the state of our once beautiful coral reefs. Harvested and destroyed by the Chinese, the corals are left in devastation, and our giant clams are taken from their homes for the sake of jewelry. The installation depicts a net hanging from the ceiling at the heart of the reef, harvesting corals and clams, disturbing the peace and the underwater ecosystem.
A collaborative effort of 18 volunteers who believed in the cause, this thesis installation is a tribute to my late grandfather, Albert del Rosario, who led the arbitration case against China at the International Court of Arbitration in 2016.
A closer look
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Posing with my installation on the thesis exhibit opening day
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Detail shots of Chinese coins hanging from the harvesting net
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Detail shots of the brain corals and sun corals with the lights on
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"The Grim Reefer"
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Detail shots of the lettuce corals with the lights on
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Detail shots of the lettuce corals
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Detail shots of the tube corals with the lights on
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Detail shots of the fishing net
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Detail shots of the corals with the lights on
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Detail shots of the corals
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Work in progress of building my installation
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Detail shots of the corals
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Detail shots of corals and a giant clam
Acrylic Paintings
My current preferred painting medium, acrylic, caught my favour due to the excitement of trying to capture the essence of objects or people before the paint dried. I also enjoy layering, which creates unique textures. With acrylic paint, I often like to paint food, objects, or landscapes.
“Fluffiest Buttermilk”
Acrylic on 9x12” canvas board
“Comfort Bangsilog”
Acrylic on 9x12” canvas board
Year
2025
“Hot for Hotsilog”
Acrylic on 9x12” canvas board
Year
2025
“Same Time Next Year?”
Acrylic on 3x3ft canvas board
“Mama’s Spaghetti”
Acrylic on 9x12” canvas board
Year
2025
“Shall We Split?”
Acrylic on 9x12” canvas board
“Dependa Pandesal”
Acrylic on 9x12” canvas board
“Time Will Tell”
Acrylic on 3x3ft canvas board
“Taste of Tuscany”
Acrylic on 12x18” canvas bag
Year
2025
Year
2025
Year
2025
Year
2025
Year
2025
Year
2024
Watercolour Paintings
I love the versatility of watercolor and how it can be used in different ways: dry on wet, wet on wet, wet on dry, etc. I find the process of building up the color from light to bold humbling, since it is really hard to control where paint falls when water is soaking up everywhere! It is always a challenge and adventure whenever I choose watercolor as my medium for either food or portraits.
“Evermore”
Watercolour on 9x12’’ watercolour paper
“Berry Good Souffle”
Watercolour on 12x18’’ watercolour paper
Year
2020
“My Hero”
Watercolour and acrylic on 9x12” watercolour paper
Year
2020
Year
2024
Year
2020
“Pinoy Classics”
Watercolour on 9x12” watercolour paper
Oil Paintings
As my least used medium, oil remains to be a endless learning experience. I love the richness of the colour and the seamless blending of the paint, but the struggle of using paint comes with the time it takes to dry! Oil users know the struggle, and I am hoping I become more familiar with it in the future!
“Tiff’s”
Oil on 12x18” canvas
“Still Life Plate of Vits”
Oil on 12x18” canvas
Year
2021
Year
2021
Drawings
My first love—hand drawing! My fear of drawing without sketching first with a pencil disappeared over the years as I learned the excitement and creativity release with the spontaneity! I enjoy crosshatching with a ballpoint pen and have more recently gotten into alcohol and acrylic markers, which I find so fun to layer and blend with! I think viewers would notice at this point that I love using food as a reference, if I don’t eat it first!
“Foodie Faves”
Acrylic markers on A5 sketchbook
“Just Keep Swimming”
Acrylic markers on A5 sketchbook
Year
2025
“Mama at 21”
Coloured pencil on 6x9” watercolour sketchpad
“My Goodest Boi”
Ballpoint pen on 18x24'“ sketchbook
“Chic in the 80’s”
Alcohol markers on A5 Sketchbook
Year
2025
Year
2025
Year
2021
Year
2025
“My Kind of Bfast”
Work in Progress: Acrylic markers on A5 Sketchbook
Year
2025
Prints
In my last year of college, I enrolled in a printmaking class and really, really enjoyed it! From the satisfaction of carving on different textured blocks to the challenge of repeatedly rolling intricately prepared ink on the same block, there’s nothing like the suspense and excitement of seeing your print come out of the press, wondering if it was a success or a flunk!
“Juno’s Bird”
Ink on an 9x12” on wooden block
“Jiufen Lilies”
Ink on an 8x9” rubbercut block
Year
2024
“Daily Poses of Goodie”
Ink on 9x8” wooden block
Year
2025
Year
2025
Year
2025
“Forbidden Friendships”
Leaf, hand-drawn stencil, and ink pressed onto 9x12” watercolour paper
Year
2024
“Sugar & Syrup”
Ink on 8x9” watercolour paper using Intaglio technique on pexiglass
Digital Art
During the pandemic, I rediscovered my love for digital art during long days and nights of lockdowns. After mastering the tools of Procreate, it became a favourite pastime, and I really enjoyed making fan art of my favourite media. I have more recently been attempting to conceptualize and produce originals from pure creativity, which is a skill that I am hopeful in developing. Digital art also sparked an interest in pursuing a career in Concept Art and Illustration.
“2016”
Digital art on Procreate
“Under the She”
Digital art on Procreate
Year
2021
“Welcome Pawty”
Digital on Procreate
“Visual Study for “Goodie”’
Digital on Procreate - Concept art for a painting plate
Sticker Designs
I have been fortunate enough to be commissioned to create designs for stickers by businesses that were interested in my art style and concepts. Being given creative freedom has helped me develop my personal style and has increased my appreciation and love for quirky collectible stickers, as someone who loves to collect and craft with them. I also created designs to gift loved ones with their own personalized stickers.
Commission for “Frankie’s In Style”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker commission for “Frankie’s In Style” business
“Breakfast Compliments”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker designs
“Vander’s Prodigy”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker designs: “Arcane” Fanart
“The Boy Saviour”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker designs: “Arcane” Fanart
“4 Seconds?”
Digital on Procreate - “Arcane” Fanart
“What the Hey Dude?!”
Digital on Procreate - unfinished “Superman” Fanart
“Hiccup & Astrid”
Digital on Procreate - “How To Train Your Dragon” Fanart
“In Every Universe…”
Digital on Procreate - “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse” Fanart
“Okey Dokey!”
Digital on Procreate - “Fallout” Fanart
“Peter!”
Digital on Procreate - “Peter” by Taylor Swift Fanart
“Jung Ho-Yeon”
Digital on Procreate - Drawing of Jung Ho-Yeon
“The Argonath”
Digital on Procreate - “Lord of the Rings” Fanart
“Souper Trouper!”
Digital on Procreate - “Mamma Mia” Fanart
“When the Moon Comes Out”
Digital on Procreate - “Wednesday” Fanart
“Visual Study for “Goliath”’
Digital on Procreate - Concept art for a painting plate
Sticker Commission for “Budol Besties”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker commission for “Budol Bestie’s” business
“Coffee Puns”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker designs
“The Misfit”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker designs: “Arcane” Fanart
“The Loose Canon”
Digital on Procreate - Sticker designs: “Arcane” Fanart
Fan Art
Consumption of my favourite media often inspires me to create frames of my favourite scenes in my own art style. I enjoy illustrating characters in motion and using unique colours to bring on-screen favourites to life. Take a peek at some of my favourites!
“Welcome to the Underground”
Digital on Procreate - “Arcane” Fanart
“Last Son”
Digital on Procreate - “Superman” Fanart
“Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!”
Digital on Procreate - “Gilmore Girls” Fanart
“Golden Hour”
Digital on Procreate - Drawing of Zendaya
Year
2025
Year
2023
Year
2021
Year
2025
Year
2022
Year
2021
Year
2021
Year
2024
Year
2025
Year
2022
Year
2023
Year
2024
Year
2024
Year
2021
Year
2021
“Tea Pawty”
Digital on Procreate
One of the first pieces made when I was learning the ropes of Procreate, hence the stray line at the bottom that I was unfortunately unable to undo due to prematurely merging the layers—rookie mistake!
Year
2025
Year
2022
Year
2021
Year
2021
Year
2021
Year
2025
Year
2023
Year
2023
Year
2024
Year
2024
Year
2022
Year
2021
About the artist
Erika Isleta is a Filipino artist based in Taguig City, Philippines. She is a 2025 graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts, with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Painting. Creating has been a part of her life for as long as she could hold a pencil, and she loves to translate the whimsical nonsense in her head into art. Though she loves to paint with acrylic, she likes to experiment with different mediums, such as watercolor, acrylic markers, sometimes gouache and oil, and of course, a classic ballpoint pen. She has basic academic experience with wheel throwing, pottery, working with plaster, and welding from UPCFA, but thoroughly enjoyed learning about printmaking above all! She has more recently been sharpening her digital art skills and loves to experiment with different art styles on Procreate. In her free time, she enjoys journaling, scrapbooking, crocheting, and experimenting with different arts and crafts.
Beyond art, she is passionate about advocating for mental health, animal rights, and the Philippines’ sovereignty of the West Philippine Sea.
She hopes to pursue a career in Concept Art and illustration, along with an interest in helping others with the use of Art Therapy in the near future.
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