Cubart with Aniel La Rosa Abascal

Residents strolling through Domino park during Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays)

So my husband and I have this ritual... we like to go out on walks in the middle of the night and somehow our walks always end at the register at our nearest McDonald's (enter snickers and giggles here). My older brother would rather die before touching the stuff (he's an Army Medic) but i'm addicted to my McChicken and fries. The McDonald's is about 6 blocks away from our home, definitely a reasonable walking distance located in the most trafficked tourist area of 8th street (Calle Ocho), and it's on the same block as Domino Park. As soon as you hit Calle Ocho you can feel the booming rhythms of traditional cuban music escaping the local restaurants with their doors wide open and strategically placed Congo players in full view through the doorways as you walk by. It's kind of hard to resist breaking out into a dance number as you walk by, and i've seen plenty of folks give in.

Painting by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal

Viernes Culturales has become a neighborhood staple of sorts, to the point where i'm embarrassed to say, many of us have ended up taking it for granted and not appreciating what a Jewel and melting pot this truly is for our Latino community of Little Havana. So as usual, the last Friday of the month rolls by and in my home it's like any other night.

But this Friday was different, the crowd seemed larger than usual and I couldn't deny there was some pretty interesting Art work begging to be admired, adored and discovered from the distance. So I insisted we go check it out before going to grab our munchies and head back home for the night. I was definitely in for a treat. 

                                         Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal photograph by +Eva Peralta 

This was the first thing that caught my attention, I mean, my eyes were sparkling in awe at these portraits. There was a young man casually standing nearby dressed in a plain Army t-shirt whom I had mistaken for an assistant of sorts. I leaned in and asked whom the Artist was, he smiled and responded, "I am". I took a second look at him and was immediately impressed by his ensemble. I am so used to "Artists" expressing themselves by the way they dress and dying their hair, or using body mods (Body modifications, such as piercings and tattoos); but this young man looked more like a regular wholesome kid just hanging out. Curiosity took over...who was this kid?!

Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal photograph by +Eva Peralta 

Meet Aniel, a humble and professional young Artist in his early 20's with an impressive brush stroke and an affinity for color. He creates masterpieces by using Oil and Acrylic paint on Canvas. As we conversed I noticed his accent, an all too familiar accent in my community...I instantly identified him as a Cubanito (Cuban boy). When I asked him how long ago since he had arrived from Cuba, he answered "4 months ago". 

 Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal  

I guess that unless you live in Miami, you don't really pay much attention to the whole Cuban Embargo Scandal that's been going on. For us in Little Havana, it's pretty much Headline news, I mean...I walked past the Torch at the Cuban Memorial on Calle Ocho the other day and I couldn't help but notice a few cuban viejitos (old folks) chained to their seats on a full on protest of the Lifting of the Embargo. A progressive idea I hold dear and truly believe is the idea that in order for a Country to grow and prosper in all areas, it needs to be exposed and come in contact with other folks of different countries with different ideas. The Cuban people have been denied this basic right and we can blame their own country all we want but in the end America shunned them into themselves. 

 Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal  

The other day I saw a clip on the news, a reporter was asking Cuban youths in Havana, Cuba, what they thought and how they felt about America lifting the Embargo. They smiled and said they were excited, more than that, they said they were going to change their name to the "Window Generation" because for the first time, they felt like they had a window to look through and peer into a Better, Brighter future for themselves and their life in Cuba. 

Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal  

I'm not Cuban, i'm Nicaraguan...I understand there's a lot of bad memories and broken families because of the Castro regime, but I think it's time to stop trying to conjure up ways to hurt the Castro regime and instead help the Cuban people that are still living there. We are the Now generation, we want change now, but change takes time. The Castro regime is there today, but the youth will be the leaders of tomorrow. They are Artists, Musicians, Dreamers, and they need our support. To me, Aniel represents "The American Dream". With the memories of the old life still fresh in his mind, he boldly steps out into a New country brush in hand to create the Life he envisioned in his Dreams.  

 Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal  

Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal  

Paintings by +Aniel La Rosa Abascal  

Find  Aniel's  Cubartwork  online  at  aniel-art.blogspot.com
and don't forget to follow him on Google+ at +Aniel La Rosa Abascal for updates on his latest Artwork and showings! You can reach him through email at anielrosaabascal@gmail.com.