Printmaker and installation artist Sandra Ramos was the first recipient of a Phoenix Charitable Foundation Residency at the Fine Arts Work Center. Sandra's work has been shown and collected around the world, and one of her images was recently featured on the cover of Art Cuba: The New Generation. Through the generosity of the Phoenix Foundation, Sandra was provided with an apartment, a studio, and a $500 stipend for the month of September; the Foundation also paid for travel expenses between Havana and Provincetown.
We asked Sandra a few questions about living and working in Cuba, and what she most enjoyed about the Work Center residency.
"The thing I like most about the residency is the time to work-I can work all the time. The workshop is in good
condition, and there is much more room here than in my studio at home. I also like that there are so many artists in one place. Bob (Townsend) has been great to work with; he is very talented. And also Bill (Fitts) and Mike (Mazur).
In Cuba, materials are very expensive and difficult to find. The Union of Cuban Artists and Writers and the Ludwig Foundation help artists, but it is still difficult. Normal people don't collect art in Cuba, it's too expensive and they have to worry about other things. Like food. Life is more important, there is too much to take care of to spend money on art. People can't even afford the time to go look at art in galleries; they don't go to shows. Here people are going to the galleries to see artists' work, they collect and appreciate art. They can afford to care about art.
The other thing I like about this residency is the town and the people. It is relaxing here-there is no stress. It's like a family at the Work Center. It's hard being away from my
family, but in another place I might miss them more."
In January 2002, the Work Center received an eighteen-month license to travel to Cuba from the Office of Assets Management of the United States Department of the Treasury for the purpose of selecting a Cuban artist for the Phoenix Residency. With the assistance of the Ludwig Foundation
of Cuba, a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to
supporting Cuban artists, a nine-person jury traveled to Havana in February, 2002, to visit artists in their studios.
The jury also visited the offices of the International School
of the Arts, the Union of Artists and Writers, Wilfredo Lam Center, and Casa de les Americas. It is hoped that more artists from Cuba will be in residence at the Fine Arts Work Center in the years ahead.
