TAMPA — Painting, literature and a desire to unite artists found a new meeting point in Tampa with the launch of “Entre Palabras y Colores” (Between Words and Colors). This art gathering brought together creators and culture enthusiasts Aug. 23 to appreciate the works of Cuban painter and writer Silvio Carreño.
The initiative grew out of a personal dream Carreño shared with his wife and manager, Yilian Calderón Iturralte: to present an exhibition of his paintings in the United States for the first time while simultaneously sharing his foray into literature through his two books, “Roca de Profundidades” and “Una Vida de Roble.”
“It started as a dream to exhibit my paintings; later, the novels came along, and the dream of launching the books was added to the mix,” explained Calderón, who has supported her husband’s artistic journey from Cuba to Uruguay and, subsequently, the United States.
The event also featured a special guest: renowned Cuban writer Odalys Leyva Rosabal. She traveled from Cuba to participate in this inaugural edition and share her insights on art as a vehicle for expression and connection between those living on the island and those abroad.
A new chapter for The Cove Internacional
The gathering also marked the beginning of a new phase for The Cove Internacional in Tampa. Founded in 1995, this nonprofit organization brings together artists, writers, and sculptors from around the world to promote peace and friendship through the arts.
During the organization’s 31st anniversary celebration in Miami, its founder and president, Marilyn Reyes, appointed Carreño as the delegate for The Cove Internacional in Tampa. The artist had previously held this role in Uruguay before settling in Florida.
According to Yilian, the appointment represents an opportunity to begin connecting creators in the Tampa Bay area and to generate new spaces for exhibitions and artistic exchange.
“This is the first edition, and we plan to make it an annual event,” she stated. “We are going to start organizing artists affiliated with The Cove Internacional to encourage them to come together in Tampa so we can be stronger.”
Carreño agrees that a primary goal is to discover and showcase artists who, despite their talent, remain removed from the cultural scene.
“There are incredibly talented people who are shy or lack the opportunity to express themselves publicly. So, we want to bring those hidden talents to light,” he stated.
From canvases to pages
While painting and literature might seem like separate paths to many, for Carreño they have always been part of the same artistic expression.
He recounts writing poetry and prose since childhood. His first book, “Roca de Profundidades” (Rock of Depths), was born from a family experience and events he witnessed during the protests of July 11, 2021, in Cuba. “It happened when my daughter was arrested in Cuba; I created it for her and for all the Cubans who were imprisoned at that time.”
The artist transformed those images into what he calls “documentary poems,” including one inspired by the sight of a child trying to protect his father during a police assault.
Painting also played a role in this process: Carreño created a piece that later became the book’s cover art.
His second work, “Una Vida de Roble” (A Life of Oak), explores a more intimate dimension: his childhood memories, the figure of his mother, and family bonds shaped by distance.
For Odalys Leyva, this is precisely where one of the project’s strengths lies — in art’s ability to express what is often difficult to put into words.
The writer, who still lives in Cuba and is currently on her fifth visit to the United States, believes that spaces like “Entre Palabras y Colores” serve as a bridge between artists inside and outside the island.
“Those inside Cuba sometimes lack the opportunity to express themselves through their work — whether in the visual arts or literature,” she noted. For Leyva, the fact that Tampa is hosting this gathering holds special significance due to the city’s historic connection to José Martí, a seminal figure for generations of Cubans.
Art as a bridge
More than just an exhibition or a literary gathering, the organizers want “Entre Palabras y Colores” to evolve into a cultural movement capable of growing and incorporating new voices.
Carreño acknowledges that arriving in Tampa and beginning to build an artistic community has not been easy, but he affirms that he found people willing to support the project.
He is especially grateful to Yilian, whom he describes as his “right hand” and who has accompanied him on his projects for years.
The goal now is to look ahead: bringing artists together, discovering new talent, and establishing an ongoing schedule of cultural gatherings.
For, as Odalys Leyva summarized during the gathering: “Art can become a place where distances are bridged, stories find a voice, and people reconnect.”