María Teresa Vera's 125th Birthday

Today’s Doodle honors the life and work of Cuban singer and guitarist María Teresa Vera, who also composed the nation’s rural folk song style, trova. Known as the Grande Dame of Cuban Music, she is widely regarded as one of the country’s most influential musicians.  

Born on this day in 1895 in Guanajay, Cuba, Vera picked up the guitar at a young age after becoming a part of a bohemian community of trova musicians. Known as “troubadours,” the wandering street entertainers taught Vera how to compose trova songs and perform the genre’s poetic lyrical vocals together with the guitar. In 1911, Vera performed her first concert in Havana‘s Politeama Grande theater.

One of the first female voices of trova, Vera formed several successful duos and bands to perform original compositions along with her interpretations of other Cuban styles. Some of her songs became regular features on Havana’s radio stations, and her music helped to clear the path for the rise of popular Cuban music around the world in the 1930s and 40s. Throughout her career, she recorded close to two hundred songs, but those close to her say she could play more than a thousand. 

Her lifetime accomplishments in music have a lasting impact and inspired a tribute album, “A María Teresa Vera” (“For María Teresa Vera”), a collection of songs recorded to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Doodler Q&A Erich Nagler

Today’s Doodle was created by Doodler Erich Nagler.
Below, he shares some thoughts on the making of the Doodle:
 

Q: When did you first learn about María Teresa Vera? What aspect of her story resonated with you most?

A: I first discovered more contemporary Cuban musicians like the folks from the Buena Vista Social Club. Later, I worked my way backward to find Vera, whose music influenced so many Cuban singers and songwriters who came after her.

I was interested to discover that she was a ‘trova’ musician, or “trovador,” who traveled around Cuba playing her compositions and other popular songs. These traveling musicians helped to spread stories, styles, songs, and ideas throughout the tropical island nation and also around the world.

 Q: What was your creative approach for this Doodle? Why did you choose this approach?

A: I was influenced by classic pre-modern graphics from Cuban posters and packaging design. These florid images capture and celebrate the island’s distinct culture and natural riches. With the colors and details, I tried to pay homage to María Teresa Vera as well as to Cuba, which her music so beautifully evokes. 
 

 Q: Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?

A: I was lucky enough to travel around Cuba a few years ago. I was looking back at my travel photos and also drawing from my memory of that magnificent place. I enjoyed drawing the Malecón from Havana on the left where I spent some beautiful evenings, and also a more natural coastline (on the right), evocative of the shores I saw along the south of the island.
 

Q: Are there any technical tricks you used to create this Doodle that you can share with young artists?

A: Hands and guitars are hard to draw! Flowers are much more forgiving. I started by looking at a lot of reference images of Cuban graphics from the early 20th century when María Teresa Vera was in her artistic prime. I then started drawing some very small pencil sketches of what the overall composition might look like before working on a larger pencil drawing in my sketchpad. Lastly, I scanned the drawing into the computer and painted it digitally, like a coloring book. 

 Q: What do you hope people will take away from this Doodle?

A: I hope that people appreciate the beauty of Cuba and its culture. In particular, I hope they appreciate the island’s rich and varied musical traditions, of which María Teresa Vera played an integral and beautiful part.

Early concepts and sketches of the Doodle