Oil painting on canvas. I’m self-taught , no art school, just a lifelong passion and constant research. I’m drawn to the human figure because the body and face never lie. Every brushstroke captures what words can’t: raw emotion, vulnerability, sensation. For me, painting isn’t a hobby — it’s how I make sense of the world.

My inspiration lives in life itself in what I’ve lived, in what I feel, in what I see. I left Cuba with nothing but my strength and an unbreakable hunger to build something real. That journey opened me in ways I never expected, and it was here, in this new land, where I also became a mother. All of it the uncertainty, the reinvention, the love lives in my work. I believe the human body is the most honest medium for expressing every possible emotion. A gesture, a gaze, a shadow on skin tell

Winning this would transform my practice. I’d invest in quality materials, a dedicated studio space, and formal training to keep growing. But a meaningful portion would go toward helping people in Cuba — my homeland. Art gave me a voice; this prize would let me give back to those who never had the chance I did.