Osbel Susman-Peña, Cuban Artist

Between Religiosity and Erotism

English version

By: Roxana Rojas-Luzon

The Artist/Journalist

Member and blogger of  TLAL

Osbel Susman-Peña

This Cuban artist paints deities, flowers and plants of his island, as if they were genital organs.  Or perhaps in fact, does he paint genitals disguised as colorful flowers, palms, and Cuban deities? Oshun, Shango and Yemaya are deities from Africa that gave rise to Santeria in Cuba, and to other religions in the world.  Oshun is the god of the rivers, Shango the god of thunder, and Yemaya is the goddess of the ocean. They are also three of  Susman-Peña's paintings. His style has permeated them with an erotic and island air. Adding to the theme is his use of brilliant color in an explosion of vibrant, springy, tropical tones. "I work from elements like religion and poetry," says the artist. Susman-Peña has no religion; he comes from a family of freethinkers, yet his work interestingly has much to do with deities and beliefs.

In Cuba people dance salsa and in their mouths always have an expression of gratitude to God, a saint, or a deity who is often of African origin. In the midst of all this grew Susman-Peña. He arrived in the United States 13 years ago, in 2004.  He was an artist before he came. He graduated from the San Alejandro National Academy of Fine Arts in Havana, and then became a professor of design and illustration for several years at the Superior Institute of Industrial Design (ISDI), also in in Havana. 

He had already seen how on his island, women wear small clothes all the time, and men can walk shirtless in the streets without censorship. From that close contact with the natural state of the human body came to Susman-Peña the erotic touch he expresses in his works. He was still an art student when a teacher, after analyzing one of his works, told him that this was an element that should continue to explode. From there everything started.  Susman-Peña had been looking for an identity as an artist, and he had found it. By the contents of his works, one gets the impression that the artist has no set ties (other than to the tropical nature of his homeland) or prejudices. One of the images in the following video is a work called "La Aldea" (the Village), that represents an island, in which the trunks of the palm trees have the form of penises. In this painting you can feel the movement of the waves and the wind.

With intense colors, he expresses his freedom of being able to create. What he calls the explosion of colors came to him, paradoxically, during a gray and snowy day in his home in Maryland.  It was that day when he realized that the colors of the Caribbean had come with him in his memory and that he had to let them out.  Susman-Peña painted with crayons before he was two years old, painted on paper, on the walls, in his cradle, on the floor, his mother says. And his uncle exhibited his works "...as if they were those of a great artist," says he gratefully.  Susman-Peña has three children, works as an art teacher in a bilingual school, travels to Cuba frequently to visit the family, and is a member of our Latin Art League of Greater Washington DC.

It was a great pleasure to interview you, thanks Osbel!
To know more about Osbel, please visit his web page.

Raúl Tolentino (Versión en español)

Raúl Tolentino

Llevando Arte al Mundo

Por Roxana Rojas Luzón

La Artista-Periodista

TLAL

Nunca tuvo duda de que su vocación era el arte. Nunca quiso ser doctor, abogado o ingeniero. Empezó ganando un premio por dibujar flores en primavera cuando tenia 6 años, y a continuación pintó héroes peruanos durante la primaria. Ahora, a los 45 años de edad, su arte viaja con él e intenta impulsar a otros a hacer lo mismo.

Raúl Tolentino está convencido de que “Todo artista crea una obra para ser exhibida. El artista busca que su obra sea lucida y vista por la mayor cantidad posible de personas. Si la obra es bien cotizada, es mejor, para poder expandir el arte y llevar las obras a otros países, ya que viajar es costoso. Pienso que un buen artista es el que hace una buena propuesta y procura que sea exhibida en la mayor parte del mundo”.

Sus proyectos

Para Raúl no hay obstáculos para ser artista. “Pienso que sí se puede, y yo soy un ejemplo de eso. Durante toda mi vida me he sustentado mediante el arte. Como artista en un país en vías de desarrollo, doy fe a que sí se puede, es bastante difícil y complicado, pero no es imposible”.

Tolentino nos concedió esta entrevista durante su reciente visita a Maryland en diciembre del año pasado,  mientras exponía sus trabajos, por segundo año consecutivo, en Artomatic. Tiene proyectos, como representante de TLAL en el Perú, de impulsar a nuevas generaciones de artistas a que muestren sus trabajos en los Estados Unidos, y a los miembros de TLAL a exhibir sus obras en Sudamérica. Vea este corto el video al respecto.

Su estilo

Este artista peruano utiliza acrílicos y oleos, con pincel y espátula, para ofrecer una temática “que es relativa a mis estados de ánimo, al lugar donde estoy, y a la situación que atravieso en el momento en que pinto. Mi obra, en general, la describo como algo muy personal, busco darle una esencia característica”, afirma.

Tolentino, en su página web, ha dividido su obra en tres series: Arte abstracto, Impresionismo étnico y Arte figurativo. Sus abstractos asemejan cintas enredadas de colores en composiciones coloridas y armoniosas. Su impresionismo étnico esta compuesto por grupos de mujeres andinas con largas trenzas, que lucen sombreros blancos y coloridas vestiduras típicas de la sierra del Perú. Por ultimo, sus figurativos muestran, en su mayoría, bodegones en los que predominan frutas en vívidos colores.

Tolentino afirma que observar sus obras en retrospectiva le permite apreciar las diferentes etapas de su vida. Se confiesa influenciado por Vincent Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo y Miguel Ángel Buonarroti. “Con mi obra trato de transmitir alguna emoción, pienso que una obra de arte debe tener una conexión con el espectador, a partir de ese punto se puede originar un diálogo y transmitir sensaciones”, recalca.

Raúl ha sido artista siempre en Perú y ha viajado a otros países mostrando su arte. Sobre sus viajes y sus pinturas, vea el siguiente video.

Su opinión

 Raúl opina sobre la situación del artista hispanoamericano lo siguiente, “Pienso que es poco el apoyo que reciben los artistas de parte de las autoridades gubernamentales. En mi caso, viajo a Estados Unidos desde hace más de 15 años y siempre ha sido por mis propios medios. Nunca me han subvencionado y no he sentido apoyo del gobierno”.

Tolentino considera que el gobierno debería realizar convenios con las empresas privadas para promover que los artistas viajen hacia otros países para compartir su arte. También cree que se debería dar incentivos a las empresas que apoyan el arte, a través de la disminución de impuestos.

Gracias, Tolentino y buena suerte en tus proyectos como representante de nuestra Liga TLAL en Perú!

 

Raúl Tolentino (English version)

 

Bringing Art to the World  

By Roxana Rojas Luzón

Edited by Judith Levine

TLAL

He never doubted that his vocation was art. He never wanted to be a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. He started by winning a prize for drawing Spring flowers at age 6, and then he painted Peruvian heroes during elementary school. Now, at age 45, his art travels with him, and he encourages others to do the same.

Raúl Tolentino is convinced that "Every artist creates art to be exhibited. The artist wants his work to be seen by as many people as possible. If his work is well appreciated, it is even better, in order to expand the art and take his work to other countries, since traveling is expensive. I think a good artist is the one who makes a good proposal and tries to have it displayed in most of the world. "

His Projects

Tolentino sees no obstacles that can be overcome in order to be an artist. "I think you can, and I'm an example of that. Throughout my life I have been sustained through art. As an artist in a developing country, I have faith that you can do it, it is quite difficult and complicated, but it is not impossible. "

Tolentino was interviewed during his recent December 2016 visit to Maryland. The artist was exhibiting some of his pieces at Artomatic for second consecutive year.  He has developed projects, as a representative of TLAL in Peru, that encourage new generations of artists to show their work in the United States, and for TLAL members to exhibit their works in South America. Please, watch this short video  to learn more about it.

                                             
His style

This Peruvian artist applies his acrylics and oils with brushes and spatulas, to offer a theme "that is relative to my moods, the place where I am, and the situation I go through at the moment I paint. In general, I describe my work as something very personal. I seek to give it a characteristic essence, "he says.

Tolentino, on his website divides his work into three series,: Abstract Art, Ethnic Impressionism and Figurative Art. His abstracts resemble tangled ribbons in colorful and harmonious compositions. Ethnic impressionism is composed of groups of Andean women with the long braids, white hats and colorful garments typical of the sierra of Peru. Finally, his figurative work is comprised mostly of still life paintings in which fruits in vivid colors predominate.

Tolentino states that observing his works in restrospective allows him to appreciate the different stages of his life. He confessed having been influenced by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, and Italian Sculptor Michelangelo. "With my work I try to transmit some emotion, I think that a work of art must have a connection with the viewer, from that point on, a dialogue can be generated and feelings can be transmitted," he emphasizes.

Tolentino has always shown his paintings in Peru and travels to other countries to exhibit his artworks. Watch the following video to experience his travels and his paintings.

His opinion

Tolentino says about the situation of Latino American artists. "I think there is little support for artists on the part of government authorities. In my case, I've been traveling to the United States for more than 15 years and it's always been paid for on my own. I have never been subsidized and I have not felt support from the government. "

Tolentino believes that the government should enter into agreements with private companies to encourage artists to travel to other countries to share their artworks. He also believes that incentives should be given to companies that support art, through the reduction of taxes.

Thank you, Tolentino and we all wish you good luck in your projects as a representative of our Latino League in Peru!

Artista Olga R. Signoret (Versión en español)

“Una Artista que Respira Arte”

Por: Roxana Rojas-Luzon

Olga R. Signoret

La Artista/Periodista

Miembro y blogger de  TLAL

Cuando vi sus pinturas, antes de conocerla, 

quedé con la sensación de que la brisa del mar 

caribeño soplaba sobre mi cara con vigor. Cuando la 

entrevisté, Olga Signoret me contó que amaba la 

naturaleza, “…me fascina, me encanta estar al lado 

de todo lo que sea naturaleza, eso me da vida. Yo 

recibo vida, oxígeno de la naturaleza.” Le pregunto si 

eso tiene que ver con el hecho de haber nacido y vivido en Puerto Rico, y me dice que sí. 

“En Puerto Rico llueve mucho, hay huracanes y se puede llegar a la playa en 

cualquier dirección,” me dice sonriendo con orgullo. 


“Todos los colores son mis favoritos”

En su obra, cada pincelada, larga y fina, pero firme, denota movimiento y fluidez. Cada uno 

de los muchos colores, entre los que predomina el azul, parece dejarse llevar por el viento, 

ese viento de Puerto Rico. “Para mí, todos los colores son mis favoritos, depende de mi 

estado de ánimo, depende de lo que yo esté pintando. Todos los colores forman una gama 

de belleza. En mis cuadros utilizo colores pálidos, brillantes, así como rojos de pasión, de 

vida. Trato de utilizar todos los colores y me gusta mezclarlos.” 

Vea la entrevista de Olga en vídeo,

Entre sus obras encuentro una que se llama “Ola de Mar”. Es un fragmento de ola que 

cubre toda la pintura. No se ve el cielo ni la arena. Es de color azul, en ella observo 

pinceladas que parecen hilos multicolores ocultos entre las diferentes gamas de azul, 

desde un azul claro celestial hasta un azul nocturno muy brillante. "Me gustan los colores 

brillantes porque son los colores nuestros, de nuestra isla. Me encanta contraponer un 

color brillante contra uno más matizado para que se noten los contrastes”. 

Incansable exploradora

Sus conocimientos artísticos sobre diferentes técnicas son profundos y variados. “He 

experimentado con varios medios como el óleo, el acrílico y también con medios mixtos. Mi 

arte ha pasado por varias etapas, desde lo completamente figurativo hasta el arte 

moderno, pasando por el arte experimental. También me gusta mucho el expresionismo,” 

agrega. Olga es una exploradora incansable. “Cuando empecé a estudiar en la universidad 

empecé a estudiar dibujo. Tuve maestros que me enseñaron la teoría del color, lo básico 

que debe aprender un artista. Luego pasé a la Liga de Arte de San Juan y tomé varios 

cursos. Varios maestros allí influenciaron mi trabajo. Entre éstos, los españoles Guillermo 

Sureda, José Azaustre y la puertorriqueña Marta Matos. También estudié bajo la tutela del 

pintor italiano Piero Rosati, con el que aprendí figura humana aplicando pastel, carboncillo 

y otros medios plásticos. Luego empecé por mí misma un proceso más experimental, 

trabajando con la forma y el color. Me gusta mucho hacer cosas improvisadas, creativas, y 

así a través de los años he tenido experiencia con todas estas cosas.”


Inspiración 

La imagen de su óleo, llamado “Camino de Luz” ha sido 

utilizada para la portada del libro  The Fermentation of 

Light, sobre poemas de su hermano Arsenio Rodríguez…. 

Publicado en … Sobre esa pintura, que se me había 

quedado grabada en la mente por su aire onírico tan bien 

logrado, me dice, “Es un cuadro que tiene un camino. Para 

mí, la vida es un camino, es un pasaje. Uno siempre va por 

un camino para llegar a algún sitio. Filosóficamente me 

gusta mucho por eso, porque lo veo como parte de mi 

naturaleza”. 

Casualmente en Maryland, Olga está de paso. Visita a su 

hijo, su nuera y sus dos nietas en Silver Spring. Ahí 

también ha encontrado esa naturaleza que la inspira, y le 

gusta respirar. Cerca de la casa hay un camino al bosque, al que sale a caminar con su 

hijo. Ha contemplado los arboles altos, verdes y abundantes, y unas piedras con brillos. 

Sus próximos destinos en este verano son Méjico y Miami. Cuando regrese a Puerto Rico 

va a pintar un nuevo cuadro. En sus viajes, Olga busca más caminos para continuar 

respirando arte. 

Doña Olga tiene ocho nietos. Sus cuadros están en varias partes del mundo. Ella disfruta 

de los cambios de estación cada vez que visita Maryland (¿será por los colores?). Y es 

miembro de nuestra Liga Latina de Arte de Greater Washington DC. 

¡Gracias por la visita, Sra. Signoret! 

Artist Olga R. Signoret (English version)

"An Artist Who Breathes Art"

By: Roxana Rojas-Luzon

The Artist/Journalist

Member and blogger of  TLAL

Ologa R. Signoret

Before I met her, I saw her paintings and felt the 

breeze of the Caribbean Sea blowing strongly over my 

face. When I interviewed her, Olga R. Signoret told me 

she loves nature, "...it fascinates me. I love being close 

to all that is nature. It gives me life. I receive life and 

oxygen from nature." I wondered how much that has to 

do with the fact that she was born and resides in 

Puerto Rico. She responds, “Yes. In Puerto Rico it 

rains a lot, there are hurricanes and one can reach the 

beach in almost any direction,” then she smiles proudly.


All colors are my favorite"

In her work, every brushstroke is long and thin, but firm, denoting movement and fluency. 

Every color, including predominant blues, seems to be carried away by the wind, that 

wind of Puerto Rico. "All colors are my favorites, but which ones I choose for a painting 

depends on my mood. It depends on what I'm painting. All colors are a range of beauty. I 

use both pale and bright. For example, I sometimes use passionate reds mixed with other 

lively colors."

See Olga's video interview,

Among her works, I found one called “Ola de Mar” (Sea Wave). It is a close-up of a wave 

that covers the entire canvas. You cannot see the sky or the sand. In it, her brushstrokes 

look like multicolored threads hiding between the different shades of blue, ranging from a 

light, celestial blue to a bright night blue. She likes intense colors "because they are the 

colors of our island. I love to use bright colors against more nuanced ones, so that you can 

notice the contrasts."

Tireless explorer

Olga is a tireless explorer. "I began to study drawing when I studied at the university. I had 

teachers who taught me color theory, basics you should learn as an artist. Then I went to 

The Art League of San Juan and took additional courses. Four teachers influenced my 

work. Among these, the Spanish painters Guillermo Sureda, José Azaustre, Puerto Rican 

multimedia artist Marta Matos and the Italian master Piero Rosati. Under Rosati’s guidance, 

I studied the human figure using pastels, charcoal, and other media. Then I started a more 

experimental process. I began to focus on shape and color. I like to improvise and to be 

creative. Over the years, I've strengthened my skills through experimentation."

Her knowledge about different artistic techniques is deep and varied. "I've experimented 

with oil, acrylic, and mixed media. My art has gone through several stages, from figurative 

to completely modern art. I also really like expressionism,” she adds.

Inspiration

The image of her oil painting titled “Camino de Luz” (Path of 

Light) appears on the cover of The Fermentation of Light, a 

book of poems written by Arsenio Rodríguez. About this 

particular painting, which stuck in my mind for its dreamlike 

air, she added "It's a painting that shows a path. For me, life 

is a journey, it is a passage. One is always on a path to 

reach somewhere. Philosophically, I like a lot about that 

theme because I see it as part of my nature."

Coincidentally, Maryland is temporary destination for Olga. 

She is visiting her son, her daughter-in-law, and two 

granddaughters-she has eight-in Silver Spring. There too 

she has also found that nature which inspires her and she likes to breathe in. Near the 

house is a path to the woods on which she walks with her son. She admires the tall, green, 

abundant trees and the glittery stones. Her next destinations are Mexico and Miami. Upon 

her return to Puerto Rico, she will paint yet another new picture, because in her travels 

Olga is always looking for more ways to continue breathing art.

Her paintings are in several collections in the United States. She enjoys seasonal changes 

each time she visits Maryland (is it because of the colors?). She is a member of the Puerto 

Rican Visual Artists Coalition and of our Latino Art League of Greater Washington DC. 

Thank you for the visit, Señora Signoret!

Artista Isabel Castañeda

Versión en Español

Entre Sueños y Memorias de su Cultura

Visite su sitio web: http://isabelartistfuego.wixsite.com/artwork

Isabel ha pintado tres veces las Ruinas de Machu

Picchu con acrílicos, en diferentes estilos y con

diferentes colores. Y las llamas que conoció a

3,332 msnm., en su hábitat natural, ahora las ha

plasmado en lienzo con pieles blancas que en

realidad son multicolores. La artista solía viajar

desde Lima, la ciudad donde vivía antes de venir a

los Estados Unidos, a la tierra de su abuelo en la

sierra peruana.


En ese pueblito llamado Muqui, donde actualmente viven 1,171 habitantes, Isabel se impregnó de

recuerdos cada año durante sus viajes con su familia. Cuando era niña le encantaba montar

en burro y  cosechar los cientos de tipos y colores de papas que le ofrecía la tierra limpia. Allí

contemplaba la  inmensidad de las montañas, el cielo azul y el río cristalino. Allí aprendió a bailar

huayno con su abuelo. De todo eso le nace la inspiración a Isabel.


Había descubierto su talento artístico en la primaria, en Perú, cuando no dejaba de usar sus crayolas

y plumones. Cuando vino a Estados Unidos a reunirse con sus padres, en 1992, tenía 19 años y

muchos sueños. “Desde muy chica siempre he soñado en colores vivos y fuertes.  Yo siento que

esos sueños durante mi infancia, adolescencia y aun como adulta son mis fuentes de inspiración.

También, la gente que conozco en mi vida diaria son mis fuentes inspiradoras, mis familiares,

amigos, y personas que veo caminar en las calles. Yo veo, siento, huelo, toco, escucho a mi alrededor,

por lo tanto, me inspiro, y mi espíritu artístico se mueve gracias a esas experiencias en mi vida”.

Sepa mas sobre Isabel Castañeda en la siguiente video-entrevista:

En 1999, Isabel celebró su primer logro en los Estados Unidos, recibió su título profesional de

Asociada de Bellas Artes, Magna Cum Laude, de la Northern Virginia Community College en el

estado de Virginia, véase su biografía. Antes de su graduación, “Yo estaba cautivada con la foto de

una niña hondureña y decidí hacer mi primer retrato en acrílicos, nunca antes había pintado un rostro

en mi vida. Ese retrato fue premiado con el primer puesto de pintura en ese año de graduación.

Recibí un cheque de motivación y un diploma de honor. Sentí que estaba volando en las nubes

y que me había ganado también el título oficial de artista.
Sobre su obra, Ia artista explica, “Mi estilo es realista pero también me gusta complementar mis

pinturas con la abstracción de mi imaginación. Mi paleta siempre está llena de colores cálidos como

los rojos, morados, anaranjados, magentas, etc.”. De ahí que haya pintado, por ejemplo, loros

de color rojo pasión, caballos azules con melenas de colores, y un águila con plumas que parecen de

fuego.

En medio de la diversidad cultural en la que ahora se desenvuelve en Virginia, desde hace ya más

años de los que había vivido en su tierra natal, Perú, surgió una anécdota que la marcaría. Madre y

Bebé, es el retrato de una joven mamá guatemalteca cargando a su niña en la espalda. A Isabel le

hacía recordar a las mujeres de los años de su niñez. “Regalé una copia de esa pintura a una pareja

americanos que estaban pensando en viajar a Guatemala. El regalo los conmovió hasta las

lágrimas ya que la pareja había estado contemplando la idea de adoptar una niña de Guatemala.

Entonces le comunicaron que el regalo les había aclarado la mente para proceder con la adopcion,

relata Isabel emocionada.

Madre y Bebé

“Estoy aprendiendo que el ser artista no es sólo una

profesión, más que eso, es una herramienta para tocar

los corazones y las vidas de los seres humanos. ¡Qué

gran honor!”, finaliza.

Isabel vive en el estado de Virginia.

Ella es miembro de nuestra  Liga Latina de Arte 

de Greater Washington DC.

Por: Roxana Rojas-Luzon

La Artista/Periodista

Miembro y blogger de  TLAL

Artist- Isabel Castañeda

English Version

Between the Dreams and Memories of Her Culture

Visit her website: http://isabelartistfuego.wixsite.com/artwork

Three times Isabel has painted the ruins of Machu

Picchu using acrylics, in different styles and each

with different colors.  And the llamas she met in

their natural habitat at 3,332 meters above the sea

level, are now shown on canvas with white skins,

which are in fact, multicolored.


The artist used to travel from Lima, the city where

she lived before coming to the United States, to the

land of her grandfather in the Peruvian highlands.

In that little town called Muqui, where currently only 1,171 inhabitants live, Isabel drank in

memories every year during her travelings withe her family. When she was a child, she loved to ride a

donkey and reap potatoes that grew there in hundreds of types and colors from that clean soil. She

used to contemplate the immensity of the mountains, the blue sky, and the crystal clear river. There

she learned to dance huayno (a genre of popular Andean Music and dance originally from the

Serranía mountains of Perú) with her grandfather. All of these things are part of Isabel’s

inspiration.


She discovered her artistic talent in elementary school in Peru, using her crayons and markers. When

she came to America to join her parents in 1992, she was 19 and had many dreams. "I’ve always

dreamed in vibrant and strong colors. I feel that those dreams during my childhood, adolescence and

even as an adult, are my sources of inspiration. Also, people I know in my daily life are my sources

of inspiration, my family, friends, and people I see walking on the streets. I see, I feel, I smell, I play,

I hear around me, therefore I am inspired, and my artistic spirit moves through such experiences in

my life."

Learn more about Isabel Castañeda in this video interview:

In 1999, Isabel received her first scholastic and artistic achievements in the United States. She

received her Associate Degree of Fine Arts, Magna Cum Laude, from the Northern Virginia

Community College in Virginia, (See more at her bio) Before graduating, "I was intrigued with the

photo of a Honduran girl and decided to make a portrait in acrylic. I never had painted a face in my

life. That portrait was awarded first place in painting in that year of graduation. I received a check of

motivation and a certificate of honor. I felt I was flying in the clouds and had also won me the

official title of artist”.
Regarding her work, the artist explains, "My style is realistic but I also like to compliment my

paintings with abstraction of my imagination. My palette is always full of warm colors like red,

purple, orange, magenta, and so forth." Hence she has painted animals such as passion red parrots,

horses with blue manes, and an eagle with feathers that look like they are on fire.

Amid the cultural diversity in Virginia where she lives now, where she has lived longer that in her

home homeland of Peru, emerged a story that marked her life. Mother and Baby, is the portrait of a

young Guatemalan mother carrying her child on her back. That woman reminded Isabel women from

her childhood years. "I gave a copy of that painting to an American couple. They were thinking of

traveling to Guatemala. The gift moved them to tears, since they were contemplating the idea of

adopting a little girl from Guatemala." The couple told her the gift made it very clear to proceed with

the adoption," says an excited Isabel.

"I'm learning that being an artist is not just a profession,

more than that, it is a tool to touch the hearts and lives of

people. What a great honor!” she concludes. Isabel

continues painting on a solid and heavy easel bought to

be used her lifetime. She lives in the state of Virginia.

She is a member of our Latino League of Greater 

Washington DC.

By: Roxana Rojas-Luzon

The Journalist/Artist

Member and blogger of  TLAL