THE MOTIVATION for my paintings stems from the nostalgia of Cuba and my childhood. Painting is a way to invite others into my Old Havana – the part of Old Havana that you do not find in tourist guides. When people look at my paintings they are not only seeing into my memories, but also the day-to-day experiences of each of my neighbors. Sometimes I worry that the culture that I grew up in will disappear, for what I see as light most people view as shadow. It is this fear of losing these moments that urges me to memorialize them in paint.