Leocadio Álvarez Castillo. Outstanding artisan artist from the Pedro Betancourt municipality , Matanzas province . He works plastic, metal, and wood, especially creating figures that represent Flora and Fauna .
Summary
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- 1 Biographical synthesis
- 1 Working life
- 2 exhibitions
- 3 Acknowledgments
- 4 Source
Biographical synthesis
Leocadio Rogelio Alvarez Castillo was born on 16 of September of 1930 , in Punta Alegre , people belonging to Ciego de Avila , then in the province of Camaguey . Son of Mario Álvarez Moya, genius foreman and Elisa Castillo Echeverría, housewife, of working-class social origin.
He completed his first studies at the existing private school in Punta Alegre, with the teacher Amalia Castillo until 6th grade. He then abandoned his studies and began working as a heavy equipment operator. At this time his craft work began, manufacturing small boats with dry coconuts and in wood. He married Ramona López Pino, a native of Pedro Betancourt.
Laboral life
Throughout his working life he remained a heavy equipment operator in Punta Alegre until 1945 , when at the age of 15 he moved to Ciego de Ávila and alternated his work in this place and in Morón . He continued his craft work, including small wooden errands.
At the revolutionary triumph he was in Morón, working with the Pardos Jiménez brothers, Representative and Mayor, respectively. In 1961 he moved to Pedro Betancourt to work in his own trade, with the INRA clearing and construction (EDESCON).
He joined the mass organizations, especially in the work of collecting raw materials and surveillance in the CDRs . He was treasurer of the Círculo de Amigos del Danzón Silvestre Alonso. Outstanding donor to the museum. Still with an active working life, he reveals his work as an artisan and is linked to the Culture Directorate. Work the plastic, metal, wood, especially figures representing Flora and Fauna .
The decade of the 80 constitutes a prestigious stage in the life of the craftsman and in the cultural development of the Municipality. He participated in National Popular Art Fairs from 1983 – 1987 , this year he received a Mention in the Popular Art Fair.
Exhibitions
- XXX Anniversary Exhibition of the assault on the Moncada Barracks in July of 1983 .
- Popular Crafts in Mexico , 1984 (pair of roosters), donated to that country and received a letter of recognition. Also exhibited his work in Bulgaria and the then USSR.
- Museum of Fine Arts in greeting to the XXV Anniversary of the Movement of Amateurs in May 1985 .
- Awards with Jicotea de guira and plastic at the Art Gallery. In Matanzas he has exhibited individually and collectively in the Provincial Gallery, in the House of Culture, where some wood carvings of his authorship and extensions in other institutions are preserved.
Acknowledgments
He was awarded recognition in 1990 for his permanence as an amateur in the Movement of Amateur Artists for 30 years and the Marcos Martí Medal of the SNTAC (Agricultural and Forestry Workers) and the Seal 20 years as Amateur Artisan.
