In the 1932 he carved an artwork of Satan at the insistence of professors of the University of Puerto Rico.  He used an engraved image as guide that he obtained from a priest from a church of Lares, Puerto Rico.  He also made musical instruments including cuatros, guitars, guiros and maracas.  He carved roosters, birds and flowers.  By this time, by profession, he was officially a Santero and his specialty were carvings of the Three Kings on Horseback…In 1936 with the advent of P.R.E.R.A. (Puerto Rican Emergency Relief Administration) and P.R.A.A. he designed women’s clothing including blouses, housecoats, and slips which were produced in Puerto Rico for export.  In 1940, he graduated to sculpting and created a four foot sculpture of a “Jibaro” in cedar wood, complete with machete in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other.  This work was for none other than Luis Munoz Marin.² 

Cortes repaired sewing machines. He manufactured wooden coffins which he donated to needy people because by that time the Great Depression had hit.  After all of this, he dedicated himself to making furniture, all carved by hand with knives.  The Diaz, Lecaroz and Reboyra families still have some of his works.  In addition, his son, Salvador, still possesses the lathe that Cortes built himself to facilitate his work. 

All that Cortes achieved was possible only because of his own efforts, strong will and determination.  His physical barriers and eternal paralysis did not stop him and I have not managed to know any other man as strong willed.  Marcelino Cortes Morales died in 1954 being The First Craftsman of Angeles and we should say The First Artisan of Puerto Rico.