Tulio Vazquez

I was bom in Bolondron, Matanzas, Cuba, the 8th of 9 children, of a teacher and a fine carpenter. I, the same as my other 6 brothers, had to learn carpentry from my father in my early childhood. I did my first art piece when I was 9 years old. My first art classes were at Tarasco Academy, in Matanzas, Cuba between ages 10 and 11. Mr Tarasco was a famous professor and painter. I learned in that Academy, pencil and crayon drawing. Years after, I attended The School of Plastic Arts in Matanzas as student at large because of my early age. In this school, I developed my real vocation for tri-dimensional art, clay, carving wood and human figures, with preference for portraits. I spent many years in that school, although I also attended a vocational school where I graduated as a machine shop technician.

The knowledge of carpentry and machine shop helped me to understand the nature of wood, metal and other media that I was using in my creative work, giving me the ability to do the entire process of a piece. These works included wood laminations, welding, casting, forming and polishing bronze, etc. In the years that I was in school, I participated in local, national and international shows and competitions.

In the following years after the Cuban revolution arrived, my work recessed due to the control of individual creativity by the government. This lasted until 1966 when I decided to leave Cuba and relocate to Chicago. My career as an artist started in Chicago with participation in an exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. After this new start, I participated in Pan-American shows, first DuSable Festival of Art, 57th Street Art Fair and other art galley exhibits. My work was exclusively represented for many years by Yolanda's Gallery on Ontario Street, and later at Lake Point Towers, until this gallery closed its doors. At the same time I was attending The Art Institute of Chicago as a student at large and exhibited at the Art Rentals and Sales Gallery of the Art Institute of Chicago. The acceptance to exhibit in this gallery was by contest. The versatility of my work has given me more access to participate in shows where collectors have acquired many of my pieces and people have given me many complements.