Tampeño: the Exhibit

Tampeño is a deeply personal body of work that explores what it means to be a first-generation Cuban-American raised in the heart of West Tampa. As a proud Tampeña, I use painting to honor my family’s resilience and celebrate the evolving identity of Tampa’s Hispanic and Latino communities. I incorporate locally sourced materials—like Cuban bread bags from La Teresita, wood crates from Zoo Tampa, and cigar boxes from Ybor City—to ground my work in the textures and spaces that shaped my upbringing. Through experimental processes such as dancing in paint to leave imprints and embedding meaningful objects into my surfaces, I let movement and memory guide my creative process. This work is both a tribute to my heritage and a reflection of how culture, family, and place continue to define what it means to belong in Tampa.