Osvaldo Calixto Amador is a Cuban-American artist who lives in Coral Gables, Florida, USA.

Having painted since childhood, his painting career officially took off in 2006 when he began exhibiting in local galleries in his hometown and New York City.

In 2010, he held his first solo exhibit, Resurrection, under the auspices of Miami Dade College and the City of Miami. Artzine Magazine called it "one of the best productions in ages."

He went on to do what he himself called the "Mount Everest " of his painting career with his solo exhibit, Credo, in 2012. The exhibit was held at La Merced / Corpus Cristi Catholic Church, in the center of the art community in Midtown Miami.

His art is showcased in distinguished private collections alongside legends in the art world, past and present.

In 2023, Osvaldo Calixto Amador debuted his writing career with his memoir,

To Kill a Cockroach-
an LGBTQ+ memoir

"To Kill a Cockroach uses the simplest of creatures as a stand-in for the existential struggles that everyone faces...The memoir represents a new medium through which Amador explores the intersection of personal and collective experience...Osvaldo Calixto Amador is a rare figure in today’s art world."

USA Today

"Amador’s body of work, both in art and literature, stands as a testament to the transformative potential of art."

New York Weekly

"Readers who have dealt with exile, abuse, loss, or prejudice in their own lives will find in Amador a sympathetic storyteller who digs into these feelings with fearlessness and grace. An affecting memoir about isolation and belonging."

Kirkus Review


Colombian writer and researcher Maria Andrade called the memoir a " vivid portrait of the life of a Cuban American Artist in the Cuban Diaspora."

Jose Luis Piquero- " A captivating message of hope"

"To Kill a Cockroach is a poignant memoir that chronicles the experiences of Osvaldito, a Cuban-American artist and writer, from his native Cuba to his childhood and adulthood in Miami. Osvaldo provides a unique perspective of the immigrant experience as he narrates a childhood rife with challenges, loss, uncertainty, and abandonment. He paints vivid portraits of life in Little Havana after the Cuban Revolution, and his characters come alive " ***

As a gay man growing up in the 1980s, Osvaldo experiences the loss of a community ravaged by AIDS. His Memoir is a living testament to the nobleness of the human spirit and the significant contribution that art plays in uplifting the soul in times of hopelessness.

He has dedicated himself to his passions, including his love of animals, nature, painting, and writing. His visual and literary art speak for themselves. They help bring beauty and love to the downtrodden and inspire and motivate us all to have an authentic God-given voice.

Much of his work can be credited to his eclectic education and love of transcendental beauty. He graduated from Florida International University with a bachelor's in art in world history and a Master's in Sociology with concentrations in philosophy, philosophy of religion, anthropology, and psychology.

Author's email:

oca4love@yahoo.com

*** Maria Andrade