Mirta Oliva

MIRTA OLIVA, Visual artist, illustrator, author.

Mirta Oliva always thought of herself as creative and analytical. As such, at a young age, she was writing essays or doing small paintings. After learning English in her native Cuba at the Havana Business University, as an exile, she transitioned to MDC for continued education. Later on, at MDC she took courses on drawing the human figure. This was the preamble to a self-taught gradual move to pastel and oil portraits plus landscapes—learning from books or by visiting domestic and foreign museums. But her new banking career required full attention so all creative endeavors were set aside until eighteen years later. Collecting antique clocks and paintings opened the path to opening Antiques are Forever, a new career that allowed her to resume painting--this time adding animals plus modern and abstract renditions.

During the last decades, Oliva added formal writing to her hobbies thus commencing a new vision: combining writing and painting with book illustrations.

SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS:

1. Birdyjosh and Birdylu ~ A Paper Birds' Story, an endearing kids-to-adult fantasy tale about two enlivened paper birds in realistic settings. The last two pages were dedicated to emphasizing love and caring for animals of all kinds

2. Sublime Adoption ~A Tale of Love and Mendacity (YA/adult novel) where the bittersweet realities of adoption turned into a tale of lies and deception. The final surprise revelations opened the path to sincere forbearance and new beginnings for all.

3. Book of Diverse Writings ~ Volume I - Short stories including a crime mystery; essays, anecdotes, and trivia.

4. Book of Diverse Writings ~ Volume II - A variety of poems.

OLIVA'S STORIES PUBLISHED IN THIRD-PARTY ANTHOLOGIES:

1. In "GIANT TALES WORLD OF PIRATES" (Volume 3 by H.M. Schuldt, et al):

"Thieves of the Seas"

2. In "GIANT TALES ~ Dangerous Days" (Volume 4 by H. M. Schuldt, et al):

"The Green Invisible Mountain" and "In Pursuit of a Dwarf Planet

3. In "31 DAYS OF OCTOBER"

"The Ghosts of Halloween," "The Witches of Mt. Zacaratz" and "The Wiccans had a Plan" (a poem)

MAIN WORKS IN PROGRESS

A. Book of Pencil Drawings (Portraits, people in action, etc.) All drawings are finished; the narrative is being edited.

B. A series of over one hundred animal oil paintings— with different settings and themes—suitable for illustrating children’s books.

C. Several others in various stages of completion.