Tina Avilés
Early days, 1992 in sculpture class.

Born in New York City on February 18 th , 1943 to a New Yorker mother and an Ecuadorian father. She spent 13 years of her formative years living in Guayaquil, Ecuador with her family.

The artist’s development was heavily influenced by her life there. Her exposure to poverty, social unrest, military takeovers, mistreatment of the native population of Indians, and that of women in general, in this third world country had a great influence on her work.

Living several years much later in the Southwest of the USA her work there was influenced by the Native American communities, their history and environment. A love of the environment in which we all live, and its gradual erosion influenced her creation of the bronze “One Step To Eternity”. The destruction of the rainforest of Ecuador by exploration for petroleum by US companies, with complete disregard for the natives who lived there, the animals, and the aquifers were all severely affected by oil spillage due to the irresponsible practices of the oil companies. Her expression was her creation of the wood carving “Mamacha” or “Petroleum Forest”.

Education:

Montgomery College, Sculpture 1991-93 Potomac Myotherapy Institute 1982-83 graduated with a certificate as a registered Massage Therapist. Georgetown University, 1978-81 BSN, Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Maryland University ( Graphic Arts and Painting) 1967 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY ( Graphic and Fine Arts) 1961-64 Brooklyn museum Art School ( painting and drawing) 1960-61 School of Fine Arts, Guayaquil, Ecuador-1959-60

Exhibitions:

International Visions Gallery Juried Exhibition, Washington, D.C., 8,August.1997 Florida Museum of Hispanic and Latin American Art, “Women In The Arts 96” 52 women from 18 countries 13/September-5 October 1996