Carlos Navarro

Carlos Navarro
Miami, FL

Nationality :
Albanian

About me:
Carlos A. Navarro was born in Havana, Cuba in 1959. In 1961, he arrived in the United States with his family, settling in New York, where they lived until Carlos reached the age of fourteen. Although he was born with a 'talent' for art, it was during those years in New York that he began to recognize and develop a 'passion' for art. By the age of twelve, he had already experimented with various forms of painting, ceramics and sculpture. Once in high school, he began exhibiting in annual art shows. As an art student at Miami Dade Community College, he won a first place award in the annual student art exhibit. After college, while he was involved in the graphic arts field, his paintings were mainly known only to clients who hired him on a commission basis and an exclusive circle of people who were familiar with his art. In 1993, Carlos began working in his current style which he calls'Mild Pop' or 'Pop Suave'. The first public viewing of this style came in 1995, when he donated a painting titled 'United by Hope', to 'La Clinica Para Niños Con Cancer'(The Children's Cancer Clinic), for their annual fund raising gala. As part of his ongoing community involvement, he has donated artwork for fundraising to Amigos Together for Kids, commemorating Amigos 10th Anniversary, Hands on Miami (United Way), Young at Art Children's Museum, UM Sylvester Cancer Research Center, American Diabetes Association, Mercy Hospital Women's Auxiliary Gala and has participated in auctions benefiting various local learning institutions including Barry University, St. Phillips, St. Timothy and St. Agatha. Hehad three flamingos on display in Coral Gables as part of the "Flamingos in the Gables" art in public places project, which were auctioned to benefit the CHARLEE program. In recent years, Carlos A. Navarro has emerged as one of Miami's most recognized and coveted Pop Artists. Through his distinguishable, strong style and use of brilliant colors, he has depicted many different themes and subjects, from nostalgic and political to sexier pieces depicting our Miami lifestyle, with a unique sense of humor and irony. Over the past three years, he has exhibited his work locally on a regular basis, as well as internationally. His paintings have been commissioned by corporations such as Bacardi, Ford Motors, and Cuba Nostalgia, as well as private collectors in Miami, New York and Italy. (And one in Iowa!). In 2002, his painting 'A Read Book on the Playa', was selected for the Miami Book Fair International poster. He has painted portraits of Celia Cruz, Compay Segundo, Kid Chocolate, Norma Jean Abraham, Ana Bencomo, Klaus Braemer and Alan Zelinger. Carlos has received proclamations from Miami Dade County and the City of Miami. November 24, 2000, was named Carlos A. Navarro Day in the City of Miami. Carlos also served on the City of Miami Cultural and Fine Arts Board. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Amigos Together for Kids