Isabel Vázquez
Ponce, P.R., 1950
Biography Details
Painter, printmaker, ceramist and educator. She studied at the School of Visual Arts of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture (ICP) where she earned a bachelor’s degree in art in 1971. In that same year the ICP awarded her a scholarship to study at the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts of the Complutense University in Madrid, Spain, and in 1972 she obtained another scholarship from the Institute of Hispanic Culture of Madrid. In 1982, she completed a master’s degree in arts from the State University of New York at Buffalo in the United States. From 1990 to 1993 she pursued doctoral studies at the University of Valladolid in Spain and from 2004 to 2005 at the Center for Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her work has been recognized in Puerto Rico, the United States, the Dominican Republic and Spain, and she has participated in countless local and international events. She has worked as a professor at the School of Visual Arts of San Juan, the Fine Arts Workshop of the University of Puerto Rico and at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture in Puerto Rico. Her work reflects her focus on art that highlight nature and eroticism.
Artist Statement
The waste and neglect of others are the beginnings of my art. From the strong personality and the magic of the find, starts the path towards an aesthetic sense via the study of textures, compositions and themes. I work on the originals to the rhythm suggested by the found materials and objects. I continue my inspiration by expressing myself through each movement of the brush, adapting it to the materials and the medium in which I express myself, enjoying every moment of the creative process by the way in which its components suddenly start gleaming till the end result. The combination of our artist-people circumstances creates in me a restlessness to develop new viable practices that will turn my multiple manifestations into something the viewer will feel.
Isabel Vázquez Maldonado – 1984.
Formation
Education
2004-2005
- Doctoral Studies. Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Puerto Rico y el Caribe, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2004
- Sculptural Ceramics Seminar. José Flores Studio, Fort Myers, Florida, United States
1997
- Course for the preparation of molds for molten glass sculptures. Washington University, Pilchuck Glass School, Seattle, Washington, United States
1996
- Sculptural Ceramics course. Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1990-1993
- Doctoral Studies. Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
1987
- Oil Painting Restoration Seminar by restorer Freddy Caballero. Fundación Pro-Contacto de las Bellas Artes con el Pueblo, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1985
- Course in Cleaning and Conservation of Works of Art on Paper. Ex-convento de Churubusco, Mexico City, Mexico
1983
- Painting Restoration and Conservation of Art Works on Paper Seminar. Jordán - Grasa/Estudio de Conservación, Zaragoza, Spain
1982
- Master Degree of Art. State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, United States
1976
- Gold/Silversmith. Graphic Arts Centre, Dublin, Ireland
1975
- Gold/Silversmith. Escuela de Artes Aplicadas y Bellos Oficios, Madrid, Spain
1972
- Art Courses. Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, Spain
1971-1974
- Art Courses. Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
1971
- Bachelor Degree of Art. Escuela de Artes Plásticas, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Professional Experience
2007-2009
- Conservation and restoration work to various private art collections. Puerto Rico
2007-2008
- Multidisciplinary Art Course for the Community, Luquillo Municipality, Luquillo, Puerto Rico
1981-2006
- Professor. Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005-2007
- Professor. Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Fajardo Campus, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
2003-2004
- Professor of Drawing and Three-dimensional Design. Edison College University, Fort Myers, Florida, United States
1988-1998
- Professor of Art Appreciation, History of Ancient Art and Art Workshops, Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Fajardo Campus, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
1984-1990
- Cultural Program Coordinator. Galería Costa Azul, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1989-1990
- Art conservation and restoration work. Citibank, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1984-1989
- Executive Director. Fundación Pro-Contacto de las Bellas Artes con el Pueblo, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1985-1987
- Art conservation and restoration work to various private art collections. Puerto Rico
1979-1982
- Painting and Drawing Professor. Star Student League, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1979-1981
- Silkscreen Professor. Corporación de Renovación Urbana y Vivienda, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1978-1981
- Drawing and Silkscreen Professor. Arts and Crafts Workshop, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1976
- Silkscreen and Drawing Professor.Photo-Escuela, Madrid, Spain
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2004
- Valencia Community College University, Orlando, Florida, Unites States
2003
- Latin American Art Gallery, Fort Myers, Florida, United States
2002
- Sanibel Cultural Art Center, Sanibel Island, Florida, United States
- Galería Don Juan, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
2001
- Valencia Community College, Orlando, Florida, United States
1997
- Galería Don Juan, Arecibo, Puerto Rico
1996
- Galería André, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1994
- Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Fajardo Campus, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
1993
- Universidad de Puerto Rico, Bayamón Campus, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
1995
- Fridman Art Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1994
- Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Fajardo Campus, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
1991
- Fridman Art Gallery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1990
- Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Fajardo Campus, Fajardo, Puerto Rico
1989
- Centro Cultural de Luquillo, Luquillo, Puerto Rico
1988
- Galería Costa Azul, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Taller Puertorriqueño, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
1986
- Galería Costa 3, Zagaroza, Spain
- Galería Costa Azul, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1985
- Sala de Exposiciones, Cámara de Comercio de Cali, Cali, Colombia
- Galería Palomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1984
- Galería Costa Azul, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Cayman Gallery, New York, United States
- Museo Rayo, Roldanillo, Colombia
- Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Centro Cultural de Luquillo, Luquillo, Puerto Rico
1983
- Museo de Arte e Historia, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería André, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1982
- Galería Coabey, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1981
- Galería Las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1979
- Galería Las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1978
- Galería Coabey, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1977
- Galería Giannini, La Coruña, Spain
1976
- Galería El Dianu Burlón, Oviedo, Spain
- Galería Trasgú, Oviedo, Spain
- Galería Atienza, Madrid, Spain
1975
- Projects Arts Centre, Dublin, Ireland
- Galería Modigliani, Madrid, Spain
- Galería Las Américas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Belgravia Art Gallery, London, England
1974
- Galería Colibrí, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, Spain
- La Casa de La Cultura, Zamora, Spain
1974
- Galería de La Caja de Ahorros, Salamanca, Spain
1973
- Galería Martínez Dávila, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería Mandrágora, Málaga, Spain
1972
- Galería Amadís, Madrid, Spain
- Galería La Casa del Arte, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería Provincia, León, Spain
1971
- Galería Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1970
- Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1969
- Museo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Gorup Shows
1974
- III Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano y del Caribe, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería Amadís, Madrid, España
- Ibizagrafic, Ibiza, Spain
1973
- Bienal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- V Salón de Pintura, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- XII Certamen de Pintura, Pollensa, Spain
- II Bienal de Pintura,Zamora, Spain
- II Bienal de Pintura, León Province, Spain
- Festival del Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- XLIII Salón de Otoño, Madrid, Spain
- I Muestra de Arte Joven Latinoamericano, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
1972
- II Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano y del Caribe, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Exposición Nacional de Arte Contemporáneo, Madrid, Spain
- Festival de Navidad, Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1971
- Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
1970
- I Bienal de San Juan del Grabado Latinoamericano y del Caribe, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Segunda Exposición Anual, Escuela de Artes Plásticas, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Centro de Estudiantes, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Festival de Navidad, Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1969
- Primera Exposición Anual, Escuela de Artes Plásticas, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2004
- Oustanding Participation of Art. Valencia University College, Orlando, Florida, United States
2003
- Distinguished Artist 2003. Hispanic Cultural Center, Fort Myers, Florida, United States
2001
- Latina Visual Artist in Orlando. Valencia University College, Orlando, Florida, United States
1993
- Recognition for Cultural work. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Bayamón Campus, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
1991
- Paleta de Oro award for Best Foreign Exhibition. Museo de las Casas Reales, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
1983
- Award. Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1978
- Painting Award. Exposición Anual Reynold's, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
- Painting Award. UNESCO, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- International Representative. AGPA-Artes Gráficas Panamericanas Project, Fundación Cartón, Venezuela
1974
- Scholarship. Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, Spain
1973
- Painting Award. Bienal Internacional de Arte de Zamora, Zamora, Spain
- Painting Award. Bienal de Arte de León, León, Spain
- Honorable Mention in Painting. XII Salón de Otoño en el Palacio de Cristal, Madrid, Spain
1972
- Award. Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1971
- Scholarship for studies in Europe. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1970
- Graphic Arts Award. Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Painting Award. Exposición Anual Reynold's, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1969
- Painting Award. Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Drawing Award. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
1968
- Painting Award. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Collections
- Asociación de Artistas Plásticos, Madrid, Spain
- Art Museum of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States
- Ateneo de Valencia, Valencia, Venezuela
- Ateneo Puertorriqueño, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Ayuntamiento de León, León, Spain
- Ayuntamiento de Zamora, Zamora, Spain
- Bacardí Corporation, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Banco de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC, United States
- Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Biblioteca Carnegie, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Caja de Ahorros, Salamanca, Spain
- Cámara de Comercio de Cali, Cali, Colombia
- Citibank de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Colegio de Abogados de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Corporación de Fomento Económico para Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- First Federal Savings Bank, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Fogg Museum, University of Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Galería de la Cultura Salazar, Valencia, Venezuela
- Graphics Art Centre, Dublin, Ireland
- Hunter College, New York, United States
- Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, Spain
- Municipio de Luquillo, Luquillo, Puerto Rico
- Centro Cultural Colón, Madrid, Spain
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Madrid, Spain
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Florencia, Florence, Italy
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Lucerne, Switzerland
- Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte e Historia de San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte de Santiago, Santiago, Chile
- Museo de Arte de Lima, Lima, Perú
- Museo de Arte de Marakesh, Marakesh, Morroco
- Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Museo de Arte, Costa Rica
- Museo de Bellas Artes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Museo de Bellas Artes, Caracas, Venezuela
- Museo de Bellas Artes, Tokyo, Japan
Bibliography
Books
Pérez-Lizano, Manuel. Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico 1950-1983 Cerámica, Escultura y Pintura. Universidad Central de Bayamón (Puerto Rico), Ediciones Cruz Ansata, 1985.
Catalogues
“Exposición: Isabel Vázquez”, Sala de exposiciones del Instituto de Cultura Hispánica, Madrid, España, 2007.
Newspapers
Alves Otero, Tanya. “!Vive el grabado!”. El Nuevo Día (San Juan, PR), 5 de noviembre de 2007.