Press Release: Tampa Artist And Her Ybor City Roots
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tampa Artist And Her Ybor City Roots
Tampa, FL - September, 2018 - April, an accomplished fine artist, has worked on several custom private design projects and exhibits at many of the local art shows. April runs her studio on her property in Tampa, FL. April studied at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota FL, has taken many private courses, painted with many established artists and has developed self taught techniques. Her medium is Oil and Acrylic on canvas - sizes ranging from 12x24 to 40x68. She is known for her unique style, the simplistic intrigue of her paintings, as well as the drama of her color choices. Her backgrounds are used minimally as to not distract from the subject while her composition and unique perspectives are forefront. She has been commissioned for local illustrations and is collaborating on several children’s books as well.
“My goal is to bring something interesting to the viewer. A moment, a memory, a unique perspective, a laugh, something compelling......Ybor is such a big part of my history and Tampa’s history, I thought it would be interesting to paint images from that era. I look forward to expressing myself in this new series and learning more about my heritage and more about Tampa.”
April has mandated that any original purchased from her will automatically donate 10% of the sale to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. “Giving back to others is the key. In requiring the donation from the sale I am helping others, who might not have given before, the spirit of giving.”
April Paige is a true Floridian and artist. She was born and raised in Sarasota, FL and is of Cuban decent. She has been living in the Tampa Bay Area for 10 years now as an established artist. Her heritage and roots are in Tampa and more specific Ybor City. Her family history consists of cigar makers, lectors in the factories of Ybor City and a Guava Queen.
Family History:
Great grandmother Ermestina Sosa–DeLaOsa born in Cuba. Her mother and father died of Tuberculosis and she was sent to live at a convent with her mother’s best friend, a nun. She received a very good education. He brother went to an orphanage close by. Her uncle who lived in Ybor City , FL went to Cuba to bring them to Florida. Ernestina worked in the cigar factories for short time. While sitting outside on the porch of her uncle’s casitas in Ybor, she would enjoy her uncle’s guitar playing and they would sing with all the neighbors. Her uncle sometimes fixed guitars for extra money and that’s when she met her future husband Bernardo. Bernardo also worked in the factories and was known for his signature twist on the cigars he made. They married and had five children together. Olga (my grandmother), Dora (Ybor Guava Queen), Rene (guitarist for the Boston Philharmonic), Bobby and Benny. Members of the family ended up moving to New York due to jobs.
Then there was Anthony Planez, my grandfather. His family was in Ybor and his grandfather – Manuel Gonzalez Mendoza was a lector in the factories of Ybor. April’s great grandfather Nicholas Planez was also as artist but only as a hobby. The Planez family also moved to New York due to the need for jobs. Her grandfather attended college in Chicago but was shipped off to fight in World War II. When at a cousin’s house before he left for the war, he met his future wife, April’s grandmother, and couldn’t stop thinking about her. Right before he went away to the war he asked if they could write each other. My grandmother said yes and they wrote letters to each other for three years. “Recently I sat down with my eldest aunt and my mother to review the family history and we read some of my grandfather’s letters to my grandmother. It was so nice to see love expressed in such a polite, expressive and romantic way.” When he returned he asked her to marry him and they started a family. They moved to Sarasota because of a job offer my grandfather received to work as a chemist at. April’s grandparents had four girls and all four currently reside in Sarasota, FL. Three of which live on the same street.
Art runs in April’s immediate family as well. April’s mother, step father and brother are all artistic. April’s brother Ross Anthony graduated from the Arts Program at Booker High School in Sarasota. Her mother has a thriving diaper cake business and step father custom paints guns.
** 1940 letters and photos available upon request **
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Media Contact:
April Paige
Owner & Fine Artist
e Info@AprilPaigeFineArt.com
c 941-586-6550
* Additional photos available upon request.
Night Out In Ybor – To the left, April’s great aunt and great uncle, Ofelia & Chris DeMarco. In the middle, (I have to get relation and names from aunt). To the right, April’s grandparents, Anthony & Olga Planez.
