Anabel Ruiz

Anabel was born in Cuba, in 1974. Her family left Cuba for Spain when she was 9 where she attended private Catholic school.  It was there that she began to acquire her appreciation for art, primarily for the great classic artists and their works; and it was there that her formation as a self-taught artist began.

At 14 her family moved to Miami, Florida to make a new life. After high school she studied Business Administration, deaf to the voice of her soul that constantly reminded her that her passion is art and that her life should follow that passion.  She graduated from college prepared to “make a living”, but empty and dissatisfied; knowing  that making a living is not equal to living itself, but blind to her true calling and not knowing where to turn. In the midst of this existential search for meaning her life suddenly took a 180 degree turn and she decided to become a nun, entering religious life.  She entered two different congregations in different parts of the world, first in Miami, followed by service in Fatima, Portugal.  During eight years of religious service, she anonymously produced dozens of art works in different mediums; works that currently grace churches, convents and the homes of private church patrons. 

In 2011, after much soul searching, she envisioned a different future for herself and left religious life, returning to Miami, to face new challenges and create a new future .