Emilio Contreras I was born on February 19, 1955, in the town of Florida, Camagüey province, Cuba. Attention to detail couplable with inclusion of vibrant colours can only be expressed as WOW! In 1999 he participated in a painting contest at the Lyceum of Regla, convened by UNEAC, winning the 1st place, with the work “Naturaleza muerta en La Habana” (in English: Still Life in Havana). I learned the naive style, realism, hyperrealism, surrealism, impressionism, conceptual art and meeting the artist Mena made me fall in love with abstraction that I preferred over all styles.  I worked for five years at Almacenes de San José, and then I went to work to a private gallery on Empedrado Street where I am at the moment. Not having an artist card has prevented me from exhibiting in the art galleries of the Cuban State.