ARTIST
JOSÉ LUIS ZAYAS BAZÁN

BIOGRAPHY

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José Luis Zayas-Bazán (1964-2024) 

Miami, Florida

José Luis Zayas-Bazán, son of exiled Camagüeyans from Cuba, his first painting studies were carried out with Professor Mercedes (Mérchu) Álvarez. In his adolescence he had the distinction of being selected by the renowned Cuban painter Bertha Randín, to continue his training as a painter under her patronage. He studied at Miami Dade Community College, and the University of Miami (UM).

His art has allowed him to move his creativity in branches as diverse as book illustrations, commercial designs, oil paintings, and for fifteen years in advertising where he worked for the prestigious firm Beber & Silvertein. Zayas-Bazán's held the position as a high end custom card designer for weddings, birthdays, Bar Mitsvahs, Christmas, and other holidays, for the firm Arleen Siegel Designs.

Currently, he spends most of his time doing special requests, and occasionally designs assorted invitations for the Winstead firm. Many of Zayas-Bazán's compositions could be defined as Cuban costumbrista paintings, in which he portrays typical Creole characters. Delineating among others the figure of the Mulata, and the Guajiro, in his own style, and full of folkloric, and rural nuances of Cuba. The color and luminosity that he gives to his work, project sweetness, and placidity at the same time, connecting us with the Cuba of yesterday. 

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