In participation with Laguna Art Museum’s annual ART & NATURE event.

Osmeivy Ortega is an artist who celebrates physical ties to the flora and fauna of Cuba, a connection that began during his childhood living with his grandmother outside of Havana, surrounded by nature. Ortega has done much to promote and progress the Cuban tradition of printmaking, graduating from the ISA (Instituto Superior de Arte) and then becoming a professor there, fostering new and exciting techniques that rest on a foundation of tradition, reaching new heights out of the dedication Ortega applies to his craft.

His carvings are oversized and lush, printed by hand using a large dinner spoon. How he uses the prints he creates is fascinating and multifaceted. Elements of ink, string, wood and paper are brought together to create objects of metaphor, conveyed through graphic and compositional mastery that form not only compelling works on paper but immersive installations and wall sculpture. His work is dominated by his connection to animals and the natural world, each “portrait” speaking to a metaphysical sense of shared emotion between animals and humans.

Already a sensation in Cuba, Ortega has had solo exhibitions of his work in Washington DC and the Cleveland Institute of Art as well as numerous group exhibitions within the United States as well as Mexico and Spain.