Born in Cuba in the early 1920s, Tony Lopez was exposed to the art of sculpture since the beginning. His father and grandfather were both sculptors and Tony spent much time modeling clay. Tony’s father was a sculptor, and little Tony learned to shape clay and carve, while others his age were learning the alphabet. By the time he was a teenager, he was quite skilled in what was to be his profession. His father died while working on a commissioned monument, which was finished by the eighteen-year old Tony.
He has sculpted all his life. “There is nothing else I want to do; sculpture is my only means of expression. It is my passion in life.”
An abstract expressionist, Lopez’ works are soft, rounded and sinuous. Wavelike dwellings ripple within the works. Strong and tender, almost vibrant with emotion, they reflect the intensity of the artist. “When working the feeling is ecstatic, it is almost indescribable.”
In 1958, he and his family fled Cuba’s revolution and came to live in the USA. “The most important thing is to be free… to express yourself. Although the environment helps to determine the creative process, the evolution my work has undergone was inevitable.”
For the last forty-four years, his Miami studio has become more than a place of work. Other artists often worked there, while visiting the United States, “I delight in lending a helping hand to these sculptors who otherwise would be unable to pursue their creative talents in this country.”
Tony Lopez sculptures can be seen around the world. He has exhibited in galleries from the Museum of Modern Art in Washington DC to the Rockefeller Center in New York City and at the homes and businesses of private collectors around the world.
Historical landmarks include: Holocaust Memorial – Miami Beach, Florida, The Torch of Friendship – Miami, Florida, St. Mary’s Cathedral – Miami, Florida, Governor Boden Monument – Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Jose Marti – New Orleans, Louisiana.
