Name(s)?
Jose

Where do you live?
Pinecrest

How long have you lived in the area? 
Two and a half years and love it!

Where are you originally from and what brought you to town?
I was born in Camaguey, Cuba and have been in the USA since 1985

Please share about what you do for a livelihood or what keeps you busy during the week?
I have been a painter all of my life. That keeps me busy. 
Otherwise I am working in the garden.

Would are your paintings like?
My paintings are a buildup of materials, gestures and mishaps, shaped by the tension between the formality of drawing and structure and the freedom with which I apply the pigments.

Rarely do I use recognizable references.

How often do you come to the market?
Pinecrest Market early Sunday is a religious affair.
The week doesn’t feel the same when I am unable to attend.

Do you have a market ritual? If so, please describe.
Delicious coffee from the most beautiful Jamaican lady.
Baguettes and rugelach from Zak.
Fresh honey from Kee’s Bees.
Avocados and produce from Walt and Adena.
Flowers from Sydney.
Fresh organic vegetables from Margie
And, incense from Patricia.

What’s your favorite thing to buy at LNB Grovestand and why?
Avocados when in season! And the terrific smoothies.

A+W: Hopefully avocados will be back in July.

What have you made with ingredients bought at LNB Grovestand?
Love to make turmeric rice.  

A favorite activity I enjoy with my kids?
Don’t have kids…3 cats…one of them joined the family on its own when we moved here.

The best deal at the market is:
Being there

I wish the market had:
More sitting space

Favorite market story:
Watching the family parades with their exotic pets

Most-frequented local restaurants and what dish to order:
Cafe Bonjour
Everything is good! The omelets, beef bourguignon, soups and bakery are superb!

For special occasions, I go to:
Fairchild Gardens

Do you have a family recipe that you would be willing share?
No, my family would kill me. It’s “Mango Rice” from India and I was sworn to silence.

What’s the area’s best-kept secret?
Kampong Gardens

A worthy splurge:
A new tree

Rainy-day activity:
Drawing, reading

The most romantic spot around:
My garden

Do you own your own business or offer a service? Would you share a pitch about yourself or company with the community?
I am currently showing work at Artium Gallery in Wynwood.  

What is the focus of your work at this show?
This group of works is a centennial celebration of Chaim Soutine’s legacy.  A playful, imaginary visual game where the ferocity of his brush, colors and textures morphs with the botanical world that interests me.

Soutine’s gestural energy informs, never dictates, a seminal drip of paint that then acquires its own life. A surface rich in layers of accidents that seduces with its suggestive equilibrium of form, and color almost garish, never excessive, still demanding for more.

Is there a question that you would like to ask the community?
Let’s make certain that development doesn’t disrupt our beautiful nature