Miami Herald: The Cuban sculptor behind a new monument in Miami Springs of city’s founder

Before the bronze sculpture of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss was placed at the entrance to Curtiss Parkway, the main street of Miami Springs, the clay mold of “the fastest man in the world” sat in the studio of Cuban-American artist Natalie Plasencia, just a few blocks away. Molding and observing, Plasencia sought to enter the world of the inventor, the daring aviator who, on July 4, 1908, climbed onto a kind of bicycle with wings and flew 1.6 kilometers at four miles per hour in Hammondsport, New York, the town where he had been born 30 years earlier.

The little plane is the June Bug, in which Curtiss made the first public flight in the United States. A highly stylized version of this biplane is part of the Glenn Curtiss & June Bug Legacy Memorial, which was unveiled last August 22, exactly one hundred years after Curtiss founded the city of Miami Springs. He had co-founded Opa-locka in May of that same year, and Hialeah in 1925. Wearing a Gatsby-style cap, a suit that looks tailor-made, and his arms crossed gently, Curtiss — or his sculpture — is the picture of cool.

One Tuesday at dusk, children played around the monument while adults read the plaques on the June Bug’s wings that reflect the major milestones of a life of entrepreneurship and daring.

The goal of Plasencia, the donors, and the public officials who supported the project was being met: community was forming. People pass through exercising, out for a run after work, in sportswear, while Curtiss looks toward the clock across the way, at the entrance to Westward Drive, as if to indicate that his legacy defies time.

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/visual-arts/article317066077.html#storylink=cpy

El Nuevo Herald: Inauguran monumento a Glenn Curtiss en Miami Springs. Una hija de Hialeah hizo la escultura

Antes de que la escultura en bronce del pionero de la aviación Glenn Curtiss se colocara a la entrada del paseo Curtiss Parkway, la calle principal de Miami Springs, el molde en plastilina del que fue “el hombre más rápido del mundo” estuvo en el estudio de la artista cubanoamericana Natalie Plasencia, a unas cuadras de allí. Moldeando y observando, Plasencia buscaba entrar al mundo del inventor, del aviador valiente que el 4 de julio de 1908 se subió a una suerte de bicicleta con alas y voló 1.6 kilómetros, a cuatro millas por hora, en Hammondsport, New York, el lugar donde había nacido 30 años atrás.

El avioncito es el June Bug, en el que Curtiss realizó el primer vuelo público en Estados Unidos. Una versión muy estilizada de este biplano forma parte del monumento Glenn Curtiss & June Bug Legacy Memorial, que se inauguró el pasado 22 de agosto, exactamente un siglo después de que Curtiss fundara la ciudad de Miami Springs. Opa-locka ya la había fundado en mayo del mismo año, y Hialeah en 1925. Con una gorra al estilo gatsby, un traje que parece cortado a su medida y los brazos cruzados muy suavemente, Curtiss –o su escultura– es la estampa de lo cool. Un martes al atardecer, los niños juegan alrededor del monumento y los mayores leen las placas en las alas del June Bug que reflejan los hitos más importantes de una vida de emprendimiento y arrojo. El objetivo de Plasencia, de los donantes y de los funcionarios públicos que apoyaron el proyecto se cumplía: se formaba comunidad. La gente pasa haciendo ejercicios, en la carrera después de un día de trabajo, con ropa deportiva, mientras Curtiss mira hacia el reloj que está enfrente, a la entrada de Westward Drive, como indicando que su legado desafía el tiempo.

Lee mas en: https://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/florida/sur-de-la-florida/article316626498.html#storylink=cpy

Exhibición sobre Cristo reúne arte de los últimos cinco siglos y de diversos continentes

La exhibición La luz del mundo en la Galería Saladrigas del Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, de Miami, reúne obras de 33 artistas que han retratado escenas, visiones e interpretaciones de la vida de Jesús, creando un diálogo único entre íconos rusos de diversos siglos, una pintura renacentista de la Escuela del Veronés, obras de la Escuela de Cuzco del siglo XVII, arte clásico de inicios del siglo XX, obras del Caribe modernista, y trabajos de artistas contemporáneos de Estados Unidos y de Latinoamérica, incluyendo íconos creados como plegarias en el siglo XXI y piezas en medios diversos de artistas locales.

‘Natalie Plasencia creó una escultura en látex y la hizo flotante “para representar al resucitado cuyo amor fue más fuerte que la muerte”.’

Read more at: https://www.elnuevoherald.com/vivir-mejor/article315362663.html#storylink=cpy

Source: El Nuevo Herald - 2026

As Miami Springs marks its first century, sculptor Natalie Plasencia has been commissioned to create the Glenn Curtiss and June Bug Legacy Memorial, an artistic tribute that transforms history into lasting form. A Cuban American artist raised in Hialeah, Plasencia combines formal fine arts training with a background in social work, bringing emotional depth and intention to her sculptures.

Her work is guided by symbolism and reverence for the human spirit, building meaning layer by layer. That approach shapes the Curtiss memorial: a dignified bronze figure of the city’s founder, accompanied by relief panels honoring his roles as aviation pioneer, military innovator, motorcycle legend, and city builder.

Complementing the monument is the immersive June Bug installation, a walk-through structure inspired by the aircraft’s wingspan, integrating a timeline that invites visitors to experience history firsthand.

Deeply rooted in the community through civic involvement and historic preservation efforts alongside her husband, architect Juan Calvo, Plasencia’s contribution reflects the values Miami Springs celebrates—heritage, continuity, and pride. Through this centennial work, she creates not just a memorial, but a space where memory and community converge.

Centennial Gala Program - 2026

Natalie Plasencia is the visionary artist behind the Glenn H. Curtiss Monument and June Bug Legacy Memorial, a major public art initiative proposed for Miami Springs’ centennial celebration. The project pays tribute to aviation pioneer and city founder Glenn Curtiss through two defining elements: a life-sized bronze sculpture of Curtiss and a sculptural interpretation of the wings of the June Bug aircraft—the plane Curtiss piloted during the first officially observed public flight of more than one kilometer in the United States in 1908. The monument reflects Plasencia’s commitment to historical storytelling through form, scale, and symbolism.

At the heart of Plasencia’s work is the pursuit of connection. As she notes, “The most basic human desire…is to make a connection.” Her creative process continually returns to the viewer’s experience—what they feel, remember, and carry forward. Through public monuments and intimate sculptural works alike, Natalie Plasencia Calvo crafts art that serves as both remembrance and inspiration, anchoring the past while shaping a more thoughtful future.

Preservation Today Magazine - Annual Edition 2026

Inspiration, prayer, spiritual advisor come first. Natalie Plasencia talks about creating religious art for the new church at Big Pine Key.

BIG PINE KEY | When the new church of St. Peter the Fisherman was dedicated this weekend, some of the original artwork salvaged after 2017’s Hurricane Irma — including the stained-glass windows — were back on display. 

But other religious artworks — including the main crucifix over the altar and an outdoor statue of St. Peter the Fisherman — were commissioned for the new church by a Miami artist who drew on inspiration, prayer, and her own personal spiritual advisor throughout the process. 

“All the artworks were very much inspired by a trip I made to Rome a year before the pandemic,” said Natalie Plasencia, a Cuban American who studied both art and social work and who maintains studios in Miami and Islamorada. 

Read Full Article