It might seem unlikely that a sculptor would consider professional-grade construction cement a key part of their artistic toolkit. But for Felipe Jiménez Marcel, an internationally recognized Puerto Rican sculptor, Rapid Set® Mortar Mix and Concrete Mix have become the foundation for some of his most ambitious and expressive works.

From monumental public art installations towering over 50 feet tall to intricate private commissions, Felipe’s work is celebrated for its emotional depth, material complexity, and structural ingenuity. His journey into the world of mixed-media sculpture is as inspiring as his art itself, and Rapid Set® products have helped make his visions a reality.

A Sculptor Born from Curiosity and Resilience

Felipe’s creative journey began early. Born into an art and science household where his father was a painter and his mother a Ph.D. mathematician, Felipe grew up breaking and rebuilding toys, fascinated by how things worked. He later became a champion gymnast, representing Puerto Rico on the national team and representing Temple University in Philadelphia. But a knee injury ended his gymnastics career and forced him to return home to Puerto Rico, where he began to explore new paths.

It was his mother who pointed him toward sculpture. “She saw I was frustrated,” Felipe recalls. “She said, ‘Why don’t you try sculpture?’ I didn’t even know what that meant at the time.” But the moment he picked up the tools and began experimenting, he felt something click. 

Cement as an Artistic Tool 

After years of working with ceramics, metal, wood, glass, and other traditional sculpting materials, Felipe began exploring cement, in part due to the encouragement of a mentor who also experimented with concrete in art. His first experience with conventional portland cement was less than ideal.

“It was hard to work with—stiff, not plastic, and difficult to control,” Felipe says. “It didn’t let me express what I wanted.” He shelved cement for years until a serendipitous visit to a local supply shop introduced him to Mortar Mix.

“I was there looking for acid stains and the shop owner said, ‘You have to try this mortar.’ I was skeptical—it was just another cement, I thought. But the first time I used it, I knew it was something special.”

What Felipe found in Mortar Mix was a unique combination of flexibility, strength, and speed. “It has plasticity, like working with clay. You can shape it in your hands, layer it on metal or wood, and it just sticks,” he explains. “You can carve it, sand it, paint it with acid and it doesn’t shrink.”

For an artist whose sculptures often combines materials—metal mesh, wood, crystal, fiber optics—this compatibility is crucial. “It bonds beautifully with everything,” Felipe says. “You don’t have to worry. Whether it’s stainless steel or another cement, it holds.”

Rapid Set products have enabled Felipe to work at impressive scale without compromising on detail. One of his most well-known pieces, “Cardenal Jibaro” in Lajas, Puerto Rico, is a 20-foot-tall mixed media sculpture composed of cement, stainless steel, stone, and marble. Despite hurricanes and power outages during construction, the sculpture stood firm.

“I didn’t cover it during the hurricane—I just left it there. When I came back, it hadn’t moved,” Felipe recalls. “That’s when I knew I could trust this product completely.”

From Studio to Monument to an Advocate for Artistic Innovation 

Felipe’s process is as meticulous as it is intuitive. He often begins with a skeletal structure of wire and metal mesh. Using small batches of Mortar Mix, applied with a simple trowel and brush, he sculpts the outer surface layer by layer—sometimes just three feet per day. “It dries fast, so you have to work in sections,” he says. Once the outer form is complete, he may fill the interior with conventional concrete for added structural integrity. 

Felipe also uses Rapid Set® Concrete Mix for texture, sometimes sieving out the larger aggregates. He has also begun experimenting with fiber optics embedded within concrete sculptures. In daylight, the surface looks like solid concrete. But shine a flashlight through, and the piece glows from within, giving it an ethereal look that blends technology and craft.

Felipe doesn’t keep his discoveries to himself. He is passionate about inspiring other artists, particularly students, to think beyond traditional materials. “Most artists don’t consider cement as an artistic medium,” he says. “They don’t know it can be so versatile.”

He envisions a future where products like Mortar Mix are marketed specifically to the arts community. “Just change the packaging,” he jokes. “Put it in a bag that says ‘for sculpture’ and people will open their minds.”

In Puerto Rico, where material access can be limited, he’s grateful that Rapid Set products are available at Home Depot. “I used to drive three hours to find the product,” he laughs. “Then I found out my local Home Depot had it the whole time.”

Commissioning a Masterpiece 

Over nearly four decades, Felipe’s sculptures have been featured in prominent public spaces, sculpture parks, museums, and private collections throughout Puerto Rico, the mainland United States, and beyond. His pieces have appeared in North Carolina’s WNC Sculpture Park, the Vogel Schwartz Garden in Little Rock, and the Florida Museum of Hispanic and Latin American Art.

He welcomes new commissions and collaborations. Whether it’s a monumental public installation, a private sculpture, or an architectural mural, Felipe brings passion, technical skill, and artistic imagination to every project. To see more of his work, visit Felipe Jiménez Marcel's website. To inquire about commissions, contact him at jimmar@ymail.com or (787) 456-2751.

CTS is proud to see Rapid Set products helping artists like Felipe Jiménez push the boundaries of creativity. His work proves that cement can do more than build infrastructure, it can also build cultural legacy, beauty, and meaning.