Donated Artwork
HISPANIC OFFICE FOR LOCAL
ASSISTANCE (H.O.L.A.)
INFORMATION HOTLINE - 407-254-HOLA (4652)
Primrose Community Center - 595 North Primrose
Drive
Donated Artwork
 Amaury Diaz
Although he is often described as a contemporary realist, Puerto Rican artist Amaury Diaz says he’s not sure what that means. The basis of his landscape
paintings, the majority of which depict urban and rural settings of his native
Puerto Rico, develop the atmosphere of a place rather than any particular
subject within. “I’m more interested in the mood and light than subject matter,
which is secondary. I sense a mood, and that’s what I’m trying to capture –
not necessarily what I see. I paint what I see, but I twist it to paint it the
way I see it.” Full of contrast, Amaury’s paintings emphasize color over form.
Energetic brushstrokes join lush darks with glowing bright hues. He has resided in
Orlando since the 80s.
 Margarita Diaz
Margarita Diaz was born in Havana,
Cuba on January 28th, 1944.
She lived in Cuba until the age of 26.
She now resides in Oviedo, Florida. Although she studied nursing in Puerto Rico,
she always had a talent and passion for the art of painting. She took painting
classes in California from Professor J. Yarnell and completed a seminar on framing so she
could frame her own paintings. “To me, the art of painting is, and will always
be, a very special way of expressing my feelings.”
 Obed Gómez
Puerto Rican contemporary artist Obed Gómez expresses himself in a variety of
media, including acrylic on canvas, watercolor, pencil, ink and pastel. As a
Latin American artist his passion for life and art is vividly depicted in his
colorful pieces. Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1966, Obed has demonstrated an
interest in drawing from a very early age. He studied at the League of Art of
San Juan, attended art classes at the Andrés Bueso Academy of Arts and earned a
B.A. degree in Visual Art at the University of Sacred Heart in Santurce, Puerto
Rico. He lived in Puerto Rico until he relocated to the United States in 1995.
Gómez has evolved as a children’s art instructor,
editorial cartoonist and as a prepress graphic artist. His work has indeed found
its niche and its own voice. This is most evident in his use of exuberant
colors, inspired by his boundless passion towards his ancestral past and
traditions. Some of Obed’s private collectors are Florida’s former First Lady Columba
Bush, former Governor of Puerto Rico Sila María Calderón and world
international golfer Ernie Els. The artist's work is now part of the
permanent collection of the University of Connecticut's Institute for Puerto
Rican and Latino Studies. He was a nominee for the 2004 prestigious
Paoli awards. His artwork was selected by Hollywood’s set designer Lance
Lombardo for season 4 of Lifetime Network's program, “The Division" in January
2004. Obed is currently working on an art project for the University of Houston.
His artwork has been featured on Art Business News Magazine and the cover of
Orlando Arts Magazine. It has been in exhibits at SeaWorld Orlando, Epcot, the
Orlando Museum, the Brevard Museum of Art and Science and Galeria Latina in
England.
 Tania Levy
Tania Levy was born in Puerto Rico and is an oil artist, composer, writer and
craft artist. Through her work in abstract paintings, she explores social
problems in humanity. Coming from the Caribbean, her paintings are full of her
roots and memories of the past century, including beautiful scenes of “woman
washing clothes in the river”, “grinding coffee” and “cooking in stones”. She
has participated in many different art events at Latin Museum of Arts in Miami,
Osceola Center of the Arts, Open House of Arts, HPWA in Tampa, as well as other
galleries and art shows. She is a member of Centro
de Cultura Puertorriqueña. She has
also participated in talks in high schools and libraries promoting the arts and
good education amongst young people. Her book “A Donde Han Ido Los Poetas” has
the same feelings of her motherland and memories. One of her goals is to promote
art among young people and teach them how to be proud of their heritage.
 Rosita Lopez
Rosita Lopez was born in Puerto Rico in 1925. She grew up on the western side of
the island and lived in San German during her teenage years. In three years at
the Polytechnic Institute (now the Interamerican University), she completed her
bachelor degree in arts with a major in fine arts. She took post graduate
courses at Louisville State University. In 1946 she married Armando Lopez and
had two sons. She worked as an art teacher at the elementary school and
university level as well as running her own art studio for 10 years in Puerto
Rico and 3 years in Hampton, Virginia. She retired in Virginia and currently
resides in Lake Mary, Florida. She has six grandchildren, all living in Florida.
 Muriel H. Prieto
Muriel H. Prieto was born in New York of Puerto Rican parents in 1933. They moved to
Puerto Rico in 1947 where she studied. She has a BA in Education from the
University of Puerto Rico, an MA in Education from New York University and a
Doctors in Education from Boston University. She taught English at the
University of Puerto Rico for more than 25 years. At the same time she
studied art as a hobby with well known Puerto Rican painters like Soto-Muñoz, Bueso and
Gantes, and Bart Mayol. In 1991, she completed the North Light Art School Program
in the Fine Arts of drawing and painting. She has exhibited her work at the
Tampa Aquarium and at the Spring Hill Fall Art Festival at Weeki-Wachee, where she won
an award in 2005. She has also exhibited at the Withlacoochee River Electric
Cooperative in Spring Hill. She likes to paint landscapes, seascapes and
portraits. She is also the owner of Muriel H. Prieto’s Gallery and her artwork
can be seen there or on her web site.
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