If We Talk About Success, My Story Is Interesting
I started creating sculptures in 1986 in Havana, Cuba, on my girlfriend’s apartment balcony. Drawing and creating small wooden sculptures gave me enormous pleasure. The first gift I made for her was a sculpture, and today she is my wife and the mother of our two wonderful children.
I studied Veterinary Medicine, which I think is where my passion for anatomy comes from. Then I started Civil Engineering but did not finish because it didn’t excite me. I joined a group of sculptors, and we formed the José Fowler Sculpture Group. That’s where the magic happened. The instructors were graduates of the Higher Institute of Art in Havana. Magnificent artists joined us, and we organized exhibitions that made news in Havana’s art world. Due to my outstanding career, I was proposed as president of the Sculpture Manifestation of the Cuban Association of Artisans and Artists in Havana, and I accepted. There, I also managed to attract many artists and formed a good team that supported me in organizing exhibitions inside and outside Cuba, creating competitions, biennials, and other activities of interest to artists. Until then, I worked with wood sculpture.
I had the opportunity to travel to Portugal and was amazed by their marble. Besides having a tremendous variety, it has incredible colors. Stone was my next goal, so I decided to live in this country, where I currently reside with my wife and children.
I had to learn a lot. Until then, I had only made wooden sculptures, and I had to adapt to a new material, new tools, a new country, and new customs. But I wanted it with all my heart, so I was willing to overcome this challenge.
Due to my achievements, I now exhibit in the best galleries in Portugal, receive invitations from other countries to exhibit, and have organized exhibitions in Portugal, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. I have won awards, served as a jury member in competitions, and participated in international sculpture symposiums. I’ve been interviewed for radio and television, and I have some articles in magazines. Now I make sculptures in marble, bronze, and iron. I create small-format sculptures, but I also have some for roundabouts. I teach sculpture and anatomy for sculptors. In short, the sky is the limit. When we want to achieve something and put all our effort into it, the world conspires to fulfill our goals.
**What I Do When I’m Not Working**
I enjoy a good movie with my family, go for walks, and have great moments with my children. I research sculptures and how to achieve my next projects on the internet and socialize with my friends.
**My Beliefs and Values**
I am an honest man and demand honesty from others with me. I believe in everyone until they show me I shouldn’t. I firmly believe that you are the master of your destiny. I believe your past has made you the person you are today. I believe anything is possible if we are willing to move forward without fear. My formula for moving forward is setting goals and doing everything possible to achieve them.
**What I Like**
Watching a good movie at home or in the theater. Sharing experiences with my children. Seeing them grow up happy, healthy, and full of dreams. Having good times with my wife. Enjoying a good exhibition. Having a great chat with other artists. Visiting museums in other countries. In short, I like mango, old whiskey, and black beans.
I invite you to follow me and my articles, where I will share the methods I have followed to become a successful sculptor. I have already helped many sculptors achieve it. Now I want to take advantage of technology to reach more artists.
It all starts by signing up for my newsletter on my website. The articles will be full of strategies to become a better sculptor. Strategies you will apply as soon as you read the first article.
For more knowledge, more creativity, and better skills!
Hans Varela
“The Sculptors’ Teacher”