Raymond Bonilla (American 1983) is a nationally recognized illustrator and painter based in Massachusetts. He earned a BFA from SUNY Fredonia and an MFA from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco. A recipient of Gold Medals from the Society of Illustrators in New York and Los Angeles, his work blends Impressionism, animation, and abstraction to explore memory and human experience.

In 2009, Bonilla embarked on documenting the Puerto Rican experience and a quest to learn more about his late grandfather. The resulting paintings reflect time spent with his great uncle Guego, his grandfather’s only living brother and his best friend. While inquiring about their religious upbringing, the great uncle shared the memory of their relationship with their parents. Bonilla recounted that if they were addressed by either parent, they were forbidden to make eye contact and were expected to look down and fold their hands as a sign of listening. Inspired by this story, Bonilla created these portraits to reflect on this foundational aspect of his grandfather's life.