The work of Cuban-born artist Reynier Llanes opens Sunday at the Butler Institute of American Art.

The exhibition “What Is Essential Is Invisible to the Eye” was inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s children’s book “The Little Prince” after Llanes read it to his son. According to the artist, the collected works explore seeing past physical appearance to the deeper importance, and most of the pieces have some reference to parenthood, childhood, understanding relationships and the shift from childhood to adulthood.

Butler Executive Director Louis A. Zona said he became aware of Llanes’ work through art dealer Bill Meek.

“He sent me a card that said, ‘I think you’re going to like this,’ and he was right,” Zona said. “I love it. I love the heavy application of the medium, which is always appealing to me, what I call impasto. What guides his work is he loves to paint, and it comes through in this work.”

Llanes was born in Cuba in 1985 and studied art there. He came to the United States in 2007, initially living in Florida before relocating to Charleston, S.C., two years later. He moved back to Florida in 2017.

His work is part of the permanent collections of the Denver Art Museum, Snite Museum of Art, South Bend, Ind.; Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland, Fla.; and the Arkansas Arts Center Museum of Fine Arts, Little Rock, Ark; and has been exhibited at numerous museums and galleries on the East Coast.

In a video Llanes shared on YouTube, he compared his approach to painting to a jazz musician and described his brush strokes as musical notes he places on the canvas.

“It’s definitely a sincere expression that comes from the heart,” he said.

“Reynier Llanes: What Is Essential Is Invisible to the Eye” will be on display through Oct. 9. Llanes will attend a meet-the-artist reception at the Butler from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 18.

If you go …

WHAT: “Reynier Llanes: What Is Essential Is Invisible to the Eye”

WHEN: Sunday through Oct. 9 with meet-the-artist reception from 1 to 3 p.m. Sept. 18. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

WHERE: Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to www.butlerart.com or call 330-743-1107.