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PROFESA's Distinguished Puerto Rican Professional |
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Dr. Rafael Suarez Crespo
Dr. Rafael Suarez Crespo was born on October 9, 1953 in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. From 1970 to 1975 he served and carried out the duties as an officer in the United States Army, having been stationed in Georgia, North Carolina, Vietnam, Panama, Thailand and Puerto Rico. He studied engineering at The United States Military Academy, West Point, graduating as a “Distinguish Military Graduate." Likewise, he went on to achieve his second bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in psychology at Newport International University, Newport Beach, California. Subsequently he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology from the University for Humanistic Studies, San Diego, California. He then established a private practice of psychology in Boca Raton, FL until 1984, year in which he returned to Puerto Rico to dedicate himself to the fine arts.
As a legacy from his ancestors, since early age he had a special interest toward drawing and the arts. His educational formation in fine arts had its beginning with the private tutoring and teachings of talented artist Don Obdulio Crespo Pabon, grandfather of Dr. Suarez Crespo. He took classes in illustration and graphical design at the Institute for Military Assistance, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and some drawing classes while carrying out his doctorate studies at the University for Humanistic Studies. However, it is necessary to emphasize that most of his knowledge in fine arts he has obtained by self-education.
As a portrait painter he is one of the few that can capture on a canvas the essence of a person, instilling that spark of life, a load of energy that makes a painting jump with life as if it had been touched by a magical paintbrush; reason by which many have renowned him as "The portraitist of the Americas." In portraits his goal is to project love, character and legacy that he derives by achieving a personal interaction with each one of the persons whom he paints. In the execution of his works he lends singular attention to detail, light and shadow, representing in a clear and crystalline way forgotten or lost memories and emotions from our past, that shake our five senses. Besides being the creator of the psychological theory known as Psycopercepcion, he is an expert and precursor of Neurolinguistics, trained in Clinical Hypnosis, furthermore he is also educated in the therapeutic school of "Gestalt" (more than the sum of its parts.) All psychological modalities that he has successfully achieved integrating into his art; as a result his artistic dialogs represent the essence of life itself.
His works are exhibited on a permanent basis at “Galeria del Milenio” were he was commissioned to create the 27 oils of the past presidents of The House of Representatives, at Puerto Rico’s Capitol Building, San Juan, PR, at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, John F Kennedy Center for Special Force, Ft. Bragg, NC, Department of State, Gov. of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR. PR. State Electoral Commission, Gov. of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, OMBUSMAN, Gov. of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, City of Vega Alta, Gov. of Puerto Rico, PR, Museum of the Americas, Doral, FL, Galeria Crisolart de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, The Guayabera Gallery, Coral Gables, FL. Also his works have been exhibited internationally in many places, to mention the most recent, Galeria Senatorial, Puerto Rico’s Senate, Capitol Building of PR, Citibank Gallery, Miami Beach and Coral Gables, FL, Museo de Arte e Historia, Arecibo, PR, 15th Anniversary Art Exhibition and the "Hispanic Inheritance in America," 13th Edition, Museum of the Americas, Doral, FL, The International Book Festival Fine Arts Pavilion, Frankfurt, Germany, International Summer Exhibition were he got Best in Show, Museum of the Americas, Doral, FL, International Fair FINART 88, Madrid, Spain, Casa Museo Aurora,, Corozal’s Historic Center, Corozal, PR, Whitewalls Gallery, Del Rey, FL, Artists of the Millennium and in Vivencias Artisticas del Milenio both at Plaza las Americas, PR.
During his trajectory Rafelito, as he is known in the artistic world, has deservingly been the recipient of multiple awards and prizes, such as first prize "Best in Show" at the 2007 International Summer Exhibition, Museum of the Americas, Doral, FL, named life member of the "National Fine Arts Title Registry" in 2005. Commissioned by Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives to create The Gallery of the Millennium at Puerto Rico’s Capitol Building in 2000. The coveted Lola Rodriguez de Tio’s Fine Arts Award, Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and The Historic Foundation of PR, in 2000. “Puerto Rico’s Most Favored Artist” from FunDeArtre Puertorriquena, awarded 5 times. Special individual recognitions from: The Senate of Puerto Rico, Government of Puerto Rico in the 1999. Plaza las Americas in 1999, Ciudad Autonoma de Vega Alta, PR in 1999. City of Corozal, Corozal, PR in 1994. FunDeArTre de Puertorriquena, San Juan, PR in 1990. The Organizing Committee of the “Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian”, San Juan, PR in 1988. Tributes by The Artisan Movement of PR, San Juan, PR in 1989 and Plaza las Americas’ Artist and Artisans Fair, Hato Rey, PR in 1988.
His propensity towards learning is also proverbial. Many don’t know of the work Rafelito does sponsoring several young adults, to whom he offered counseling and economic aid for their studies. For more than two decades he has given free of charge psychological services to indigent children of the mountain; and has never denied his cooperation, contribution and support to the fund raising efforts of multiple charitable organizations both in Puerto Rico and in the states.
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