Writers, Poets and Intellectuals
(Arranged by date of birth)

Baudilio Montoya (1903-1965) – Poet
One of the most popular and admired lyrical poets of Quindío, Montoya first book, Lotuses, was published in 1938. His other works include Songs to the Wind, Before the Night Falls, and Murals of Memory.
As a posthumous homage the Quindío Coffee Growers Committee published an anthology of his lyric poetry, Rhapsody of Quindío. He was also named “the poet of Quindío”. Montoya was born in Rionegro (Antioquia) but he considered Calarcá his hometown.

Carmelina Soto (1920-1994) – Poet
A marked sensibility, romanticism and a love of her hometown are felt in the poetic works of Carmelina Soto. Her books have all taken a prestigious place in Latin American Literature. He first book, Bells of Dawn , was published in 1941. Her other famous works include October and Motionless Time. Carmelina was born in Armenia.

Juan Restrepo (1930-2014) – Writer and poet .
An important figure in the intellectual life and culture of the city of Armenia, Dr. Restrepo is a medical doctor, psychiatrist and writer. He is considered by some to be a most profound and original poet.
He has been decorated with literary and artistic merit medals. His books include The Idea That Turns Green, The Burned Mountain, and The Onyx Temples. The famed poet was born in Montenegro..

Artists

                 
Escultura de
Roberto Henao Alberto Gutiérrez Guillermo. Vélez

Roberto Henao (1898-1964) – Sculptor
This artist was first discovered in France in 1926 where he won first prize at the Annual Art Exhibition of Paris for his sculpture, Eva.
He has had over 20 awards bestowed upon him from the European art world. His best-known works are the Rebeca sculpture in Bogotá, The Monument to the Founders and The Liberator (a bronze statue) in Armenia.
A government building in Quindío was named after this great sculptor born in Armenia.

Artists (Cont.)

Alberto Gutiérrez (1935-2018) – Painter
The works of the abstract expressionist Alberto Gutiérrez have been exhibited at the finest galleries in Colombia.
His most famous paintings are found at the Luis Angel Arango Library, Exhibitions Hall, and the Museum of Modern Art of Bogota acquired one of his oils. This great artist was born in Armenia.

Guillermo Vélez – Painter
A neo-expressionist artist with his own style, Vélez Mejía specializes in ceramics and fabric acrylic painting.
His works have been exhibited around the world in Europe, Asia, North and South America and has won numerous awards. He was born in Armenia in 1955.

María Teresa Hincapié de Zuluaga (1954-2008) – Performance artist.
Considered a pioneer of artistic corporal expression -dance, theatre, ritual- she won the first prize at the Colombian Artists Hall in 1990 with her performance, A Thing is a Thing.
She participated in the Bogota 5 th Art Biennial in 1966, the Havana 7 th Biennial in 2000, the 1 st Valencia Biennial in 2001, the 51 st Venice International Art Biennial in 2005, and the 27 th Sao Paulo Biennial in 2006. María Teresa was born in Armenia.

Beauty Queens "Miss Colombia"

                       





–2020–
María Fernanda Aristizabal
Born in Armenia in 1997.

She was also chosen in the Miss Universe Colombia pageant to represent Colombia in the Miss Universe 2022 Beauty Pageant.