Lyrical and layered as her native Cuba, Sandra Dooley’s canvases are sewn, wrapped, painted and appointed with purpose. Striking surfaces rich with color and 3-D form, the artist’s creations command a close look at what she assembles to compose each element: a palette of found materials, collected, saved, even savored over time.As all Cubans must, Dooley gives new life to used objects, texturing with repurposed burlap, buttons, sequins, silk, yarn and lace. Salvaging on the island, now in its seventh decade of the US embargo, is de rigueur. “I have some Indian Silk!” she exclaimed to us a few months back, delighted to have the nubby jewel-toned rarity in her hands. With this special fabric, she manifested a series of quaint ballet dresses that pay proud homage to the beloved Ballet Nacional de Cuba, an exquisite talent performing in a crumbling country.The artist’s standouts are multi-layered portraits of well-dressed women who pop with Dooley’s trademark eyes, their simple button pupils floating as if in water. To conserve paper and paint, she makes collagraphs printed on Fabriano paper, enhanced with colored pencils and watercolor. All are distinctive and all are artist proofs. To some, her pieces are so very real; to others, surreal. That seems to be Dooley's take as well, as she redirects her frustration with everyday challenges into life only dreamed of, on canvas. “Life in Cuba has a lot of difficulties..." she says, problems that become greater when the country is out of the public eye. As disease and wars have gripped global attention, Cuba has ushered in a new constitution strictly limiting freedom of speech, while its citizens suffer a surge in femicide, a twin collapse of healthcare and the economy, and punishment for any form of political activism. Dooley’s most compelling works come from the crushing post-pandemic environment, which emptied out her once vibrant and artful seaside town of Santa Fe, Cuba. Creatives and their energy have vanished, their homes now boarded up. “I can barely recognize it..." Dooley writes, "it’s almost empty, almost destroyed and completely hopeless...and yet, so loved by me!” Despite this dramatic shift, she is committed to living and working in the quiet, practically still town of Santa Fe, Cuba, feeding the large community of dogs and cats left behind. Dooley’s collectors are avid and worldwide.