Maria Victoria de Bernard

María Victoria de Bernard was born in Havana, Cuba on September 1, 1960. She was the daughter of the late Alexis de Bernard Saura and Martha San Juan Garcia. María Victoria was the quintessential Cuban and was recognized throughout her lifetime as a gifted Cuban folk artist. She lived according to her truth through art, her cooking, and in everyday life, without care for money, fame or accolades. The eclectic vibrancy of her artwork was the reflection of an unforgettable personality, electrifying yet humble. María left an impression on everyone she met, and for all who knew her, she was unforgettable. María Victoria was an excellent chef and she excelled in Cuban cuisine. Also, she was very proud of her royal Russian ancestry on her paternal side, which she visited in Moscow in the 1980’s. María immigrated to the United States from Havana in 1994. She lived in North Bergen, New Jersey and traveled across the Hudson River to Manhattan for work. Maria worked as a film developer for long-term clients including Yoko Ono until September 11, 2001 when the building was left inoperable. After arriving in the States, María’s Cuban folk art amassed interest from galleries and collectors alike. For unknown reasons, facing high demand, María chose to reject commercial interests in her artwork. Nonetheless, she continued to produce art for the rest of her life. Her home in Elizaville, New York is adorned with a lifetime of creative output. In 2004, she moved to the Hudson Valley of New York with her son. The love of María’s life was her son, Favio de Bernard, born in Havana in 1987. Favio’s tragic death in an automobile accident in January 2012 outside Tivoli, New York defined the last 11 years of María’s life. Favio was very charismatic, fun loving, and full of life. Most of all, he was a great friend in the rarest sense. Favio had the talent of befriending almost everyone, everywhere, forming lifelong bonds that lasted after he was gone, and to this day. Following Favio’s passing, María found one way to live through a pain that never left, surround herself with young people, most of whom were Favio’s friends. María seemed to take on Favio’s personality traits and lived in a similar way. “Don’t think about your problems and just have fun,” he would say. She continued to produce art in tribute to Favio, including glass mosaics and paintings in her Cuban folk style. María continued her love of cooking and feeding those she loved, often arriving on a whim to Blithewood at Bard College with a picnic basket of Pan con Bistec and Cuban sodas. She formed a small business called Favio’s Kitchen, bringing genuine Cuban cooking to the Hudson Valley. She loved her dogs, Bobbi, Gussy, and Patchouli. Not to forget her famous gray cat Vicente, who was eventually discovered to be a girl. María leaves behind many friends from Cuba stretching from as far as grade school, her family in Havana, Miami, and New York, as well as her friends in the Hudson Valley. María will live on in the memory of all who knew her. Although the moments shared won’t come again, each time we think of her, we will smile. There are no services planned at this time.

Maria Victoria de Bernard

September 1, 1960 - January 11, 2023