Cuban Artist Brings His Passion for Sculpting to America Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Close

Cuban Artist Brings His Passion to America

Pedro Roque Urra left his home country but his love for sculpture continued to bloom

Pedro Roque Urra at his home workshop and his bust of Don Quixote. SAWYER ROQUE After moving to America at age 46, Cuban artist Pedro Roque Urra took a job as a welder and then worked at a restaurant. But he never lost his love for art. Though Urra, now 62, initially struggled to adapt to his new surroundings, his focus on art helped him stay grounded. Now Urra’s creations are in private collections in Cuba, Japan, Mexico, the U.S. and several European countries. Here is his story. Pedro Roque Urra: Resources are scarce for artists in Cuba, where I’m from. But because it’s an island and we are , I believe the level of originality in the arts can be striking. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. My love for sculpture blossomed in my late 20s. I studied design and sculpture with two well-known artists in my hometown of Pinar del Río, and I’ve won several awards in Cuba for my artwork. In 1998, my wife and I applied for the green card lottery to go to the United States. We were selected in 2006. I was already 46 years old, but we were ready to begin a new life. We immigrated to Louisville, Kentucky, with our two sons and struggled to adapt. We weren’t used to the cold, and my first job was tough. I worked as a welder at a factory while trying to learn English. Eventually I asked my boss if he would allow me to sculpt an iron wire bust during my free time. He was kind enough to open the workshop for me on weekends. The completed work was a 36-inch bust titled Eva — Spanish for “Eve.” I was trying to reflect the beauty of creation. Roque Urra at his home workshop in Louisville, Kentucky. SAWYER ROQUE Things got better when I found my current employment, busing tables at a Cuban restaurant named Havana Rumba. I go around with my cart, picking up plates and glasses. Meanwhile, a bust of Don Quixote that I sculpted is on display at the restaurant. When customers find out that I made it, they tell me I should devote myself to art full-time. That’s my lifelong dream. When I make art, I never stop — I surrender entirely to the process of creation. One day I hope to create works that can be exhibited in public spaces. What I get from my art goes beyond the contemplation of beauty and aesthetic values. My goal is to make people pause for a minute and reflect. Where do we stand? How are we moving forward as a species? God willing, the time will come when I will spend every single day of my life creating new works of art. Ernesto Lechner is a contributing writer who covers music, film and culture. He’s a frequent contributor to the Latin Grammy Awards, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Rolling Stone and Billboard, among other major publications. MORE FROM AARP AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS