A winning smile inspires a winning design

William Feliciano was inspired by an iconic Office of Protection Services police officer to create a poster that reflects OPS’ values of service and support.

Unit Control Room Operator William Feliciano has been drawing since he was a kid and was first inspired by his uncle.

“When he used to come over, he would have all these drawings that he used to make like comic book characters and Hollywood stars,” said Feliciano. “I would see him and be like, wow, that’s such a cool talent. As a kid, I wanted to do what he was doing.”

Feliciano’s original artwork won the recent Office of Protection Services poster contest, which came with a $300 prize and a certificate of recognition. The winning design will be used throughout OPS in print and digital signage.

Feliciano said he had stopped drawing for a while, but the poster contest inspired him to create again. It’s something that I’ve been passionate about since I was really young,” he said. “I’m glad that it brought me back into drawing again. I’m happy doing that again.”

Feliciano explained that his drawing represents OPS’ interaction with visitors ­­–– greeting, protection, and providing costumer service.

“The drawing displays exhibits from different museums,” he wrote in his submission. “Children (and adults) can get inspired by the people they meet and the things they see and interact with. Visiting the different museums can help spark an interest or plant an idea for a hobby or even a career in the future.”

Feliciano imagined the child in the drawing as loving to travel, which is apparent by the passport sticking out of his backpack. (Ed. note: Don’t try this at home. It’s a good way to lose your passport!)

“At first, [the child’s] inspiration was the Wright brothers, like he wanted to get into flight,” he said of the image. “If I would title that artwork, I would title it ‘Get Inspired.’ It not only inspired me, but the child was inspired –– it could have been from the officer, from his customer service, or it could be the things he’s learning in the museum. I wanted to incorporate that in my artwork when I did that drawing.”

William Feliciano grew up in Puerto Rico and left the island for a job with the Smithsonian 19 years ago. During his time with OPS, he was promoted to corporal and worked at the Air and Space Museum, where he would often draw quick, cartoon versions of his co-workers. For the past five years, he has been a Unit Control Room Operator at NASM’s Udvar-Hazy Center.

The winning poster design was actually inspired by NASM Ofc. Darryl King.

“A lot of people know him and that’s one of the reasons why I chose to draw him,” said Feliciano. “He’s always been a face of Smithsonian to me –– his smile, his customer service, the way he is with everyone. Drawing portraits and drawing people is probably the hardest because you always want to capture that person. That’s the challenge for me. Trying to figure out how to do that. You have to get it right.”

Feliciano created his design with an app called Sketchbook on his iPad. Over time, he’s explored different art styles, from pen and pencil, to painting and airbrushing. His recent focus on digital art using the iPad started with practicing on his phone.

“Digital art is like a portable, all-in-one studio with countless tools and brushes at your fingertips,” he said. “I’ve created digital artwork for podcasts, company designs, logos, murals, a mobile app, and music album covers. I’m able to do things like if I want a t-shirt, I can just send the image to the t-shirt company. The digital art makes it a little bit easier, a little bit more organized. I can carry my iPad anywhere.”

Feliciano is a self-taught artist. “When I learned, it was a time when there was no YouTube or anything like that,” he said. “It was just watching, observing, playing around. Thankfully, my parents were very supportive when it came to my art.”

“It’s been a nice journey, being in D.C, and now working in the Control Room at Hazy,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for anything else. The Smithsonian literally changed my life. I left Puerto Rico, I left my family and I started a new life here. I’ve met my wife, I have a stepson who I’ve raised as my own, and now I have a daughter. I couldn’t be happier. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity.”

More of Feliciano’s artwork can be seen on his Instagram and Facebook pages.  

This post by Technical Writer Kelly Andrews was originally published in the June edition of the Office of Protection Services newsletter, OPS Insider. Reprinted with permission.

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