
In April 2026, Ben Mena debuted The Cuba Collection, a five-painting collection inspired by his many trips to visit his fiancée, Lizzy, in her home of Cuba.

"I first travelled to Cuba in June of 2024, to meet my (then girlfriend) fiancée for the very first time. And from my first moments in warm, vibrant Havana, I was captivated by the thought of stealing away some part of the country's lively heart with me to put into paint on a canvas.

"I wanted to bring to life those colors and sounds and people that I had experienced there, in such a manner that each time I looked into a painting of mine, I would be transported back to those streets, to those roads lined with palms always leading back to the ocean.

"I had found a second home there in Cuba; it wasn't one shaped by politics or by presidents or any war, but one shaped by love for my better half and her home, and the fondness that had grown in me for a place brimming with life and beauty, even through hardship.

"I painted scenes from all over the northwestern coast of Cuba, depicting moments frozen in oil and pigment that I experienced in the heart of Old Havana, or in the middle of an obscure street in a poor area of Alamar, or yet again, a local hidden beach in Guanabo. These places mean nothing to most people, but, if any measure of beauty and love has reached you through these works, then all that I sought to do has been successful. Please enjoy, The Cuba Collection."

18x24 inches
Oil on cotton canvas
From The Cuba Collection
"Your hair is still wet, and the taste of salt water still lingers on your tongue; behind, you leave the hidden local gem of a beach, facing a long walk home, but ahead of you, the warm light engulfs the trees and the grass, and your attention is captured by 'The Shepherd on the Shore.' He quietly guides his goats through the gathering of sand, grass, and yellow flowers, leading and following at the same time in the manner of one who has done this their whole life. You can't help but pause to take the moment in."
This original oil painting is framed and signed by the artist, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Inquire below for additional photos, pricing, and availability.

24x30 inches
Oil on fine Belgian linen
From The Cuba Collection
"'Meet me at the Pier.' 'Meet me where the sky touches the sea. Wait for me where the world begins...'"
This original oil painting is framed and signed by the artist, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Inquire below for additional photos, pricing, and availability.

16x20 inches
Oil on fine Belgian linen
From The Cuba Collection
"If you head through the narrow path in the brush, off the main road, hang a left, turn right, and continue that way through the maze of streets and squares, between the looming apartment buildings and the little shops, you'll eventually find yourself 'Between the School and the Market,' in Alamar, Cuba. The popping reds and yellows of the flowers on the blooming trees bless your eyes; the breeze from the ocean at the end of the street sends greetings, and the kids walking home from school wave hello. You don't want to rush past this."
This original oil painting is framed and signed by the artist, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Inquire below for additional photos, pricing, and availability.

20x24 inches
Oil on cotton canvas
From The Cuba Collection
"My fiancée and I stopped to look at the unhelpful map on her phone once more, both of us certain that we'd just completed another unproductive circle. We hurried on, hot and tired, ready to find the restaurant already and eat. But then, as we left the plaza, I looked over — the light from the mid-afternoon sun was held back by a building and replaced with cool shadows, and, falling beyond, lit up the yellow umbrellas of a cafe, touching the whole scene so warmly that I had to stop and appreciate it."
This original oil painting is framed and signed by the artist, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Inquire below for additional photos, pricing, and availability.
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16x20 inches
Oil on cotton canvas
From The Cuba Collection
"This painting is a frozen memory of the day that my fiancé and I spent in the sea by a tiny coastal town on the outskirts of Havana, Cuba. After walking from one bus stop to another and taking two or three loud, crowded, and slow buses, we found ourselves in Guanabo, hugging the coast. Guanabo is one of those towns that just feels close to the ocean; there is something about the people, the colorful houses and buildings worn by the salty breeze, the smell of the air, that tells you you're near the water. Our final trek along a winding, obscure path was well rewarded with the quiet serenity and welcome embrace of the ocean."
This original oil painting is framed and signed by the artist, and comes with a certificate of authenticity. Inquire below for additional photos, pricing, and availability.
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