Manuel was a Puerto Rican patriot, a humanist, a teacher, a devoted father, and an amazing versatile artist. Manuel was the only one of his siblings to graduate from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras, where he majored in art. In 1985 Manuel completed a MA in Ceramics and Sculpture at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Subsequently, Manuel participated in many ceramic exhibitions, including the Bienal de la Cerámica Contemporánea (Premio Casa Candina). He offered workshops around the island, and taught ceramic classes for many years at the University of Puerto Rico, Taller de Bellos Oficios. Manuel A. Pagán Rivera, 74, died November 19, 2016, outside his ceramic workshop in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.