William Figueroa was born on March 9, 1961, in Havana, Cuba. He was the son of a civil engineering student at University of Havana who became a revolutionary leader in Fidel Castro’s military. His mother was a Spanish hairstylist in Havana. William began to draw at an early age. After the Cuban Revolution his parents left the country because of political persecution and were forced to abandon him at the early age into the custody of Luis Bush.
Bush was a well-known Cuban politician and businessman. William was cared for throughout his childhood years and was introduced to art by Bush’s son, Luis Bush jr. an architectural student at the University of Havana. ) From this, he was inspired to become an architect with a dream of someday working for Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Architects the designer of the Lever House, which was the first modern glass skyscraper ever built.
William graduated Louisiana State University architectural program with help of his mentor architect Charles Colbert. In 1986 his first exhibition was at the Louisiana State Museum art competition where two of his paintings were selected. In 1989, William was given the opportunity to work as an architectural designer for the famous New York firm of I. M. Pei & Partners Architects. In 1999, William began to concentrate on creating painting and sculpting pieces.
Figueroa has used his mathematical skills derived from architecture and applied it to his artwork. His paintings express simplicity yet has definition of spirituality and a sense of higher power. Most of his paintings are straight edged and “boxed”. The colors he uses gives meaning to the mood of the work. His sculpture work is much like his paintings with an architecture feel. His work is currently displayed at the Center for the Arts Museum in Vero Beach, Florida.