By Imara Arredondo Photos: Raúl Cabrera

Colombian BEATRÍZ de RAMÍREZ offers a Tribute to America To Beatriz Ramirez, a renowned Colombian artists living in Miami, art is a need of the soul. Beatriz puts a special personal touch in all her work. She achieves perfect creations with balance and harmony. It could be 'Bodegones' in oil or watercolor or Madonnas, Egyptians or Tributes in porcelain. Her art has crossed over many countries, including Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala, Ecuador, Germany, United States, Spain, Thailand, and Japan. She recently exhibited her work at the Union Planters Bank of Coral Gables where she unveiled once again her great diversity, and her great technique.

"One of my works was 'Tribute to America,' composed of three pieces: Crying for America', 'Look of desolation', and 'Tribute to EEUU'. Her tribute includes the statue of liberty as the main native symbol dressed in the flag. It is surrounded by historical facts and elements that are part of the evolution of this country as per history. It includes also symbols like the strategic Hiroshima bomb, the conquest of the moon and space by man, the eagle for power and liberty, the dollar as the wealth symbol, the Grand Canyon as one of the Universal wonders, as well as the first presidents that mark and fortify the American history. With this work I participated in the biennial two years ago in the IPAT, where I won first prize among 35 countries."

Let us keep in mind that in the past six years Beatriz has been working on a tribute to different countries that she has visited, through a collage representing the diversity of cultures through symbolic elements. In the year 2000, Beatriz Ramirez won First prize with the tribute to United States among 35 countries, and in Spain, she also obtained first prize 'Hispania' in 1997 among 40 participating countries.
When asked about what are her plans in the near future she answers: "Now I go for the World Porcelain Exhibit in Los Angeles, from July 2-7, where I am going to exhibit "A crying for America', a collage where the woman represents to the people in America. Her anguish is seeing when seeing the devastation occurred by the tragedies that burdened the country on September 11. This is the exaltation of the main native symbols: the flag, the capitol, the statue of liberty and power symbols such as the eagle and the president, expressing the pain for seeing an injured nation by terrorism. A country where their most important icons, the Pentagon and the Twin Towers have been threatened and destroyed by flames and hatred, by cowardice and resentment, where only ashes and tears have prevailed. This it is the work that am going to present now in this World of Porcelain and, let's hope it is successful."

The last work of this 'Tribute to America', is named "Look of Desolation" it goes into the burdened look in the face of those who are facing destruction after the attacks to the twin towers. It represents the desolation felt by all American families by the loss of their loved ones. This is a last look to the material and human mountains of waste that will never be recovered. A look that has remained in the mind of the American people."

Ramirez work can be appreciated around different churches in the Archdiocese of Miami, including the Our Lady of Charity Church. Beatriz has done four murals: the virgin, the shield of the claretian nuns, a mosaic in honor of Father Felix Varela, and a tribute of San Antonio María Claret in porcelain.

"My specialty is Egyptians, tributes and Madonnas of all nationalities. Now I am finishing a work for SEPI (South East Pastoral Institute) the "Arches of the Virgin" a work that is comprised of 24 Latin American Madonnas that I anticipate will be finished for ends of this year. Also I doing 'The Plaza of the virgin' for Saint Catalina of Sienna in Kendall where there are already ten Madonnas from different nationalities unveiled.

Beatríz has exposed her work collectively work in fifty-three exhibits in oil and watercolor and 85 expositions of porcelain around the world.

Beatriz Ramírez is our pride, a pride for the Colombian community and, without any doubts, one of the most consecrated artists of the Latin-American continent for the 21st century.