Rut Morales Rodríguez is still very young. She inherited her talent for crafts from her mother. Fueled by the spirit of Cucalambeana Fiesta and supported by institutions such as the Tomasa Varona House of Culture, she is forging a body of work that already deserves our admiration.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- Her exhibition “Weaving a Journey of Love”, which opened here as part of the Las Tunas Culture Day, attests to the promising path she is forging.

“All my creations are made with love. The boat sitting on a flowerpot is an example of that. It’s called 'A Sailboat of Memories' because I gathered the materials to make it together with some family members... In total, there are more than 30 pieces,” confides the young woman with a clear gaze and a sincere smile.

Dresses, vests, blouses, outfits, and other items compose the exhibition. However, beyond the stitches, colors, and details that distinguish these utilitarian and decorative pieces, some works are of great artistic value due to their quality and the uniqueness of the conveyed message.

This section features a spiderweb (complete with a little spider), a baby accessory made of octopuses and jellyfish, and various planters highlighting handmade plants —such as one made of chili peppers with a caterpillar perched on a stem. In fact, we believe these latter elements are what set her work apart. There is also a curtain made from tin can lids, which demonstrates that “you can create beautiful things through recycling.”

The exquisite craftsmanship of her pieces has earned this young woman accolades such as the award from the National Crafts Exhibition at the recent “Cucalambeana.” Furthermore, Rut aspires to join the Cuban Association of Artisan Artists (ACAA in Spanish), a dream she cherishes and that inspires her every day.

“When I weave, I think of my mom, who guided me down this path,” she says emotionally. “For some people, crafts are a hobby, but for me, they’re more than that. Thanks to this art, I’ve achieved many goals, new doors are opening for me, and, above all, I’m happy,” adds the young woman before returning to the rhythmic movement of her needles and “magical” threads to weave other journeys of love.