José María Mijares (b. Havana, 1921 – d. Miami, 2004). He began artistic studies in 1936 at the San Alejandro Academy of Fine Arts, where his professors included Romañach, Menocal, Valderrama, Ramón Loy, and Caravia. He resided in Miami since 1968 until his death. Florida International University awarded him with an honorary doctorate in fine arts in 2001. Mijares’ work has been exhibited at several major shows in Havana, Paris, Caracas, Port au Prince (Haiti), Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Washington D.C., Miami, among other cities.