The home and studio of Yamilis and Jacqueline Brito

We visited the studio of Sisters Yamilis and Jacqueline Brito for only half an hour but it made a big impact. The studio is also the home of Jacqueline Brito who gave us a tour and talked about her and her sisters work with the help of Erik, our tour guide/translator. The two sisters have worked together in their separate art worlds since grade school. They have both exhibited work all over the world and have or are working as both practicing artists and teachers.

The two sisters specialize in printmaking, painting, and sculpture. I believe Jacqueline primarily works with paint and clay and that most of the paintings throughout the home were hers. Most of which included clay assemblages. I saw quite a few I fancied but I wasn’t sure how I’d get them home, plus I didn’t have the funds for any large art purchases. I did find a nice print by her sister Yamilys that fit my budget and my suitcase (picture below). I really enjoyed the work of them both. I also enjoyed getting a peak inside their home which was beautiful and much nicer than I’d imagined a Cuban home would appear. But with that being said, it seems that there’s a sort of professional pyramid flip in Cuba. Doctors, while valued, do not live as well as artists who are allowed to travel outside the country and are able to earn extra income through the sale of their work.