Nelson Cárdenas has already received acclaim for his art. However, the self-taught artist who is a prep cook at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital recently embarked on another project to promote positivity and healing during the COVID-19 pandemic, for which he’s now receiving a different type of praise.

On Monday, an exhibition of Mr. Cárdenas’ portraits of hospital staff who provided care to COVID-19 patients during the pandemic will open at the Orange County Regional History Center in downtown Orlando.

Titled Healthcare Heroes: Portraits of Orlando Health’s Frontline Workers, the group of thirteen large, stunning portraits by the Central Florida-based artist will be displayed in the museum’s atrium through August 15. His artwork honors and provides an intimate look at the community’s frontline healthcare staff who have worked tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic.