participating artists 2019
CaFAfair Barbados MARCH 6-10, 2019
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Carla Armour - Dominica
Carla Armour is a visual artist currently living in Brighton, England. After graduating from Parsons School of Design (NYC) in the 80’s she returned to her Caribbean Island, Dominica where she immersed herself in the island’s Art scene finding her message through abstract symbolism in mixed media paintings, fashion, Conceptual and Installation art, poetry and spoken word performances. Armour continues to work within her Lifelines series; employing tribal symbols and prehistoric glyph images and markings. Her current work ‘Resonance’ explores the use of ritual elements and sacred spaces and objects to imbed messages into her pieces. She has participated in shows and exhibitions over the years in the Caribbean, US, Europe & Namibia, some of which included the International Art Project ‘Women of the World, a global collection of Art’, submissions and readings for Literary Festivals, an International Artist Exchange, ‘Carambolage’ with 8 artists from Austria and Dominica.
Aziza – Antigua/Barbados
Aziza studied at the San Francisco Institute of Art, the University of California in Berkeley, and at Laney College in Oakland. A painter for over 30 years, Aziza’s exhibition credits include solo shows in conjunction with the US Information Service (USIS) in both Kabul, Afghanistan and Washington, DC. Aziza's paintings have also been shown at the US Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, the "Pro Arts" exhibit in Oakland, California, the "San Francisco Women Artists" shows in San Francisco, the Museum of Modern Art in Santo Domingo, and the National Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, as well as at numerous banks, clubs, studios and restaurants throughout the Caribbean. She is a member of Pro Arts in Oakland, SF Women Artists, the Barbados Arts Council, and the Antigua Artists Society.
Diogenes Ballester – Puerto Rico
Diogenes Ballester, visual artist, educator, and writer holds an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BFA from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He has taught as Professor of Art at The Cooper Union in New York City, the State University of New York at New Paltz, the College of New Rochelle and The State University of New York at Albany. Mr. Ballester’s work explores oral history, memory, mythology, ritual, and cultural identity along a transnational spectrum. In recent exhibitions, he has appropriated cultural objects and historical artifacts together with painting, drawing, prints and new media as a way of accessing the past and re-interpreting the present in a trans-Caribbean dialogue. Ballester has received numerous honors for his artistic work and has exhibited widely in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. His work is in numerous private and public collections.
Nicolle Blackwood - Jamaica
Nicolle Blackwood discovered her passion for drawing at the early age of eight. This passion was nurtured during her high school years, during which time she earned several awards and wide recognition. Born into a family of artists, Blackwood was inspired by her uncle renowned Jamaican artist Paul Blackwood, who encouraged her to pursue her passion. Ms. Blackwood entered the Edna Manley College where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Art degree. Since then Nicolle has participated in solo and group exhibitions across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. She is also the creative director of the fashion line Nicolle Nish, based in Kingston, Jamaica.
Patricia Brintle - Haiti
Self-taught artist Patricia Brintle was born in Haiti and immigrated to the United States in 1964. Although she has made the U.S. her residence, her colorful style reflects her native land. Her works on the Holocaust are on permanent display at the Holocaust Center of Temple Judea in New York and are used as teaching tools for visitors. One of her religious works, The First Mother, travelled with the Black Madonna Exhibit which made its debut at the famed National Museum of Catholic Art and History in New York and toured museums throughout the United States. One of her paintings hangs in the permanent collection of Albert Schweitzer Institute in Hamden, Connecticut, and her images have been published in both secular and religious periodicals.
Gharan Burton - Dominica
Gharan Burton is an academically trained artist who resides in the US most of the year but spends winter months in the Caribbean. Born and raised in Dominica, Gharan attended college in the US where his studies focused mostly on painting and sculpture. He enjoys painting the figure, still lives, landscapes and abstract experimental works. Vibrant colors inspired by his island upbringing, dominate Gharan's paintings. He also employs various techniques of pigment application and layering in order to create texture in his work. A true renaissance man at heart, Gharan is also currently a landscaper, in the upstate NY region of Plattsburgh. A strong connection to the land has also inspired Gharan to embark on a cocoa project, to grow cocoa on family land in order to someday start a chocolate business. Gharan's sculptures range from very small table-top pieces and wall hangings to large scale outdoor works. Whether landscaping, or planting fields of cocoa in Dominica, the artist’s eye and hand are ever present in Gharan's work.
Shadrach Burton - Dominica
Born October 1986, Shadrach Burton is a visual artist from Wotten Waven, Dominica. His older brother Gharan, along with his father David, are artists also, and this was a key factor in his art collection currently dating back to 1994. After being introduced to Earl Etienne and Ellingsworth Moses in the year 2000, he was participating in exhibitions at the age of 13 and has since stacked up over 50 exhibitions including 6 solo art shows. He recently graduated with a master’s degree in fine art after studying for 7 years in Hangzhou, China. Before going to pursue studies in China, in 2007, Shadrach majored in Biology and Physics and even taught high school biology for 3 years. He currently produces art using a style that is influenced by nature, music, pop culture, social commentary and his odd sense of humor.
Luckner Candio – FOSAJ - Haiti
The goal of FOSAJ is to empower people through art and culture. FOSAJ is located in Jacmel, Haiti, a coastal city on the Southern coast of Haiti known for its artistic excellence in painting, literature, music. Some world-renowned artists have come from Jacmel: writer René Depestre, poet Charles Moravia, drummer Ti Paris, and painters Paleus Vital, Prefete Duffaut, Luce Turnier, to name a few. FOSAJ was very much affected by the January 12, 2010 earthquake. It’s much dedicated director, Flo McGarrell, was killed during the earthquake together with some of their working partners. The current director is Prince Luc (Luckner Candio), one of the first graduating students from the school of painting. Prince Luc and his colleagues have joined efforts with previous artists in residence (their teachers), friends of FOSAJ, the international artistic community and organizations together with FOSAJ founders have started many initiatives to help with the reconstruction of the centre, the replenishment of art materials and the return to the foundation activities.
Cher Antoinette Corbin – Barbados
This Barbadian daughter is a mother of two, a forensic scientist and is a multiple silver and bronze award winner at the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA). An Honors Graduate in Chemistry from UWI Cave Hill Campus, in 1989 Cher gained the position of being the first Forensic Scientist in Barbados having achieved her Master of Forensic Science from Kings College, University of London. She has since had a long and rewarding career in the field and is presently the Director of the Forensic Sciences Centre, Office of the Attorney General. An accomplished visual artist and author, Cher’s works have been published in St. Somewhere Online Literary Journal, Blackberry: The Magazine, and in four anthologies – Bamboo Press – ‘She Sex’, The National Cultural Foundation’s – ‘Winning Words’, “She Speaks – Woman’s Journal” and ‘Senseisha’ – An Anthology on the sensuality of the Barbadian Woman. In December 2013, Cher self-published an anthology of poetry called MY SOUL CRIES and in 2014 VIRTUALIS – The Love Story and VIRTUALIS – The Anthology. Her primary media for visual art is Watercolor and she has been exploring Pen/Ink & WC Wash. Her latest self-published anthology “Architects of Destiny” was launched at CaFA Fair Barbados 2015. Cher has since been the subject of 2 solo exhibitions; at the UWI Cave Hill, Barbados and the OAS Marcus Garvey Hall of Culture, Washington DC.
Coronado Print Studio – Dominican Republic
Featuring artists: Pepe Coronado; Rejin Leys; Rene de Los Santos
Rooted in the philosophy of creating art in the community, the Coronado Print Studio is not only a fine art printmaking studio, but a space where artists can shed boundaries and barriers to engage in open dialogue around history, identity, and important issues of our time. Pepe Coronado, the master printer at the studio, believes that “printmaking, by nature, is a collaborative medium. It’s a community-oriented art form.” Based on this principle, Pepe founded the studio in 2006, and in 2015 relocated to the vibrant neighborhood of East Harlem. The Studio believes in collaboration because it believes that voices and stories are most powerful when seen and heard collectively. The power of art motivates the studio to reach and engage diverse institutions and sectors nationally and internationally. The Studio believes that the interconnectivity of diverse artistic disciplines is a necessary catalyst to ripple art into the American social imagination. By gaining visibility around the world, the studio invites the attention back to its works, thereby imprinting louder voices of diverse narratives, and broadening the definition of contemporary American art.
Deisha Dare – Trinidad & Tobago
Deisha Baxam of Sangre Grande, Trinidad, has always been inspired by art and fashion. In 2010, the same year she founded her own fashion company, Deisha Dare Designs, Deisha dared to launch a fashion show entitled “The Serengeti”, inspired by the theme from the Serengeti plains of Africa. This young star went even further in 2013 to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies International Festival at Canoe Bay Beach Resort, Tobago, where on the runway she displayed her costume designs which were also featured on the road for Trinidad Carnival Celebrations 2014 in the band Petlemas. No stranger to high-end fashion, Deisha has worked closely with top designers such as Fashion Dandy, Deson Ayinde Sealey, Sheldon Warner, and Richard Noel, among many others. She was able to create remarkable pieces for clients she never thought she would be able to interact with. Some of these are Gage Amighty (Jamaica Dancehall Artiste), Skinny Banton (Grenada), Wave Element (Barbados), Whiteflag Entertainment, HS Productions, Fantasy Faces, Orlando Octive, Super Star Ray (Synergy), Code 202 Productions, Patrice Roberts, Dkrewe mas band, ekon Sta (Soca Artist), and SYO, just to name a few.
Victor Davson - Guyana
Victor Davson is a practicing artist and formerly founding director of Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art in Newark, New Jersey. He is currently Co Director of Express Newark.
He was born in Georgetown, Guyana and since immigrating to the United States in 1973 he has received a BFA degree from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York; co-founded Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art in 1983; and established himself in his practice as an artist. His work is heavily influenced by the anti-colonial politics of the Caribbean, and by the intellectual powerhouses of that period. These include extraordinary writers and activists like Martin Carter, Frantz Fanon and Walter Rodney. Since 1996, his series of paintings and drawings, which include the Limbo/Anansi drawings, Bad Cow Comin’ paintings, and his most recent paintings on long playing vinyl record album covers, are his attempt as an artist to negotiate the roots of identity in a terrain of loss and desire. All of these series are a response to his strong memories from his childhood in Guyana of a folk performance in which the participants masqueraded from house to house on Christmas Day. He sees these carnivalesque characters as metaphors for people of the African Diaspora who have survived because of their resiliency.
Francks Francois Deceus - Haiti
Born in Haiti in 1966, Décéus and his family moved to Brooklyn, New York when he was nine years old. It was not until he graduated from Long Island University with a degree in Sociology that he turned to making art as a career. Stylistically his work incorporates many of the influences and aesthetic forms of the 40’s and 50’s visual artists like William Johnson and Jacob Lawrence, which reverberates with some of the artistic strains of his native Haiti. His modernist style combines figurative, abstract and layered elements and relies heavily on a simplification of form and function. Décéus was profiled in a 1998 issue of the International Review of African American Art as “one of the leading young modern painters of his generation, whose work depicts a high degree of sensitivity to social issues and his culture”. He was featured in “100 New York Painters”, an extensive survey of significant New York painters and their widely diverse works. The Brooklyn Academy of Music and Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York have commissioned his paintings. His work is in the permanent collection of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Xavier University and a legion of private collections.
Minna Dunn – Barbados
Minna Dunn was born and raised on Long Island in a household with Barbadian roots. Dunn’s affair with art started as a collector and after meeting master artist Frank Frazier in 1992, she started a career as an art dealer. Over the last eight years with extensive exposure to artists from across the globe and with the mentoring of noted Brazilian painter Ernani Silva, Dunn has been inspired to explore her creative side. The outcome has been a body of art using acrylic paint and mixed media collage on paper. Women’s clothing, sisterhood and unity have been the themes often seen in her artwork.
Earl Darius Etienne – Dominica
Born in Massacre, on the west coast of the island of Dominica and currently living in Mahaut, Earl received training at the Jamaica School of Art, now the Edna Manley School of Visual Arts. Etienne is known for his trademark technique called bouzaille or flambeau, a method of using a carbon flame to apply forms to canvas. Although he likes to say, he works primarily at "Self-Government," he has managed to extend himself into many areas in service to his fledgling nation and presently works as senior cultural officer, painter / coordinator of events / curator/ carnival costume designer / art graphic consultant/ set designer / founding member of associations related to preservation and cultural awareness of historical and architectural heritage.
Aaron Hamilton – Dominica
Aaron Hamilton is an artist and a native of the island of Dominica and the village of Concord where he began and completed his elementary education. At present Mr. Hamilton now resides in the community of Canefield, a few minutes’ drive north of the capital city of Roseau. Aaron has a unique style of painting which brings out his individuality as an artist. He enjoys creating images using pastels, watercolour, ink and pencils, oils, charcoal, and acrylic paint. He declared that a small percentage of his art is influenced by where he lives presently. The Old Mill Cultural Centre where he works is in the vicinity of his home and it allows him to have access to many art supplies. However, his inspiration always goes back to his childhood home where the rivers and mountains with the variety of tints and shades of colors drive his thoughts; this is what compels his art. In addition, the sea shore which can be found in his community is presently one of his most favorite or stimulating places. He says, “Most of my paintings are influenced by the community where I grew up. Concord is known as a village with many beautiful flowers, rivers, mountains and trees, those memories can never be forgotten. They are my driving force that is where my creative mind was born.”
Ras Ilix Heartman – Barbados
Ras Ilix Heartman, wood sculptor and farmer, was born in Barbados. His first international exposure was at the Third Havana Biennial in Cuba which was followed by the “In The Spirit Festival" at Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, Since then his work has been exhibited at numerous exhibitions in Barbados and in the U.S. His sculpture Melchizedek was awarded "Best In Show" at the 1997 Black History Month Exhibition held at New York’s Hintersteiner Gallery in Washington Heights. Ras Ilix’ 2012 solo show received critical acclaim at the Queen’s Park Gallery in Barbados. His sculptures are a part on many private and public collections including the Barbados National Collection.
Bernard Stanley Hoyes - Jamaica
Bernard Hoyes lives and works in Palm Springs, California. However, his career in art began at an early age in Kingston, Jamaica when he enrolled at The Institute of Jamaica, Junior Art Center. At fifteen years old he moved to New York City to continue his academic and artistic endeavors. Classes at the Art Students League introduced him to the art scene in N.Y.C. He continued his studies at Vermont Academy, in Saxton River, VT and in 1974, he received a B.F.A. in Painting from California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. Hoyes is particularly known for a body of work that recalls his Afro-Caribbean roots, specifically the rituals of African Spirituality and Christianity. This body of work has earned him multiple awards of excellence internationally. Hoyes has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the globe. He has created murals in the inner city of Los Angeles, CA, has curated exhibitions and served on the board of the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles. His works have been featured in numerous television and film productions, as well as collected internationally.
Rodney S. Ifill – Barbados
Rodney Ifill, a past Vice Chair and Secretary of ICOM Barbados, has a great love for painting with a special emphasis on cartooning and continues to develop his artistic career amidst a hectic arts administrative schedule. He is currently employed at the National Cultural Foundation (NCF) and has been for the past eighteen years; initially as a Gallery Attendant and worked his way up to his current post of Cultural Officer of Visual Arts and Curator. Additionally, he performs a facilitation role within the Cultural Developmental Department of the NCF and for the past four years has developed a local series of outdoor painting workshops dubbed “En Plein Air”, which has reaped tremendous success and continues to grow. Rodney holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts (Creative Arts) with a minor in Cultural studies which he gained from the University of the West Indies, Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination.
Charisma Jones-Chin – Anguilla/Guyana
Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Guyanese parentage, Charisma Jones–Chin is a Seventeen-year-old sixth form student at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive Secondary School in Anguilla and she is also the current Miss Scotia Bank Talented Teen in Anguilla. There, she copped three of the four awards, those being, Best Talent, Best Aspiration Speech and Best Question & Answer. Charisma has been the (MVP) recipient of the Grammy Music Award and its Music Revolutionary Project (MRP) held in Anguilla in 2017. She was awarded most Outstanding Student in Song Writing, Production Management, Vocals, Arrangement and Discipline and her name is now engraved on the walls of the Grammy Museum. Charisma is also the President of (ACAN) Anguilla Community Action Network. Charisma practices as a Vocalist, Poet, Visual Artist, and Actress who has performed in seventeen theatrical productions since the age of five. Charisma is a Leo Born and believes that like the lion, she was born to lead.
Collette Jones-Chin – Anguilla/Guyana
Collette graduated from the Burrowes School of Art (BSA), Guyana, with a Diploma in Painting and Graphic Arts and with a Bachelor’s Degree (BA) in Art Education and Painting from the University of Guyana (UG). Collette is as an Author, Educator, Writer of Plays & Poetry, Visual Artist, Dramatist, Arts Therapist, Interior, Set & Costume Designer and Director / Producer of Theatrical Productions. She has performed and worked in over 150 Theatrical Productions and has mounted several one woman and group exhibitions across the Caribbean Region and in North & South America. She was instrumental in the establishment of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama in Guyana where she served as the first Director of Studies, Lecturer of Design and Production Management and Festivals Director. Collette is presently the Director & Executive Producer of her own company SEÑOJ CREATIONS. She is also the recipient of many Awards in the Theatre Arts, Visual Arts and Playwriting. Presently residing in Anguilla, she was honored as one of the top eighteen Enterprising Women of 2018 and is the Coordinator of YOUTH CREATE Theatre Arts Programme organized by the Department of Youth and Culture, Anguilla. She is the mother of Charisma Jones-Chin.
Robert Joyette – St. Vincent
Robert A. Joyette, fondly known as “Brooks”, was born in Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He began from a very tender age exploring cartoons and animation characters such as Batman and Robin, Spiderman, Superman, Wonder Boy and many more. It was always his dream and aspiration to become a professional artist. He set out on his journey in 1997 to enroll in a four-year program at the only art school in the English-speaking Caribbean at the time, Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts, Jamaica. While there he underwent rigorous courses such as 3D and 2D, and all the intros of the departments of Painting, Visual communication, Graphics, Art Education, Ceramics, Photography, and all liberal arts courses.
He holds fond memories of his time at the Edna Manley College and considers it one of the major landmarks of his career. It offered the opportunity to refine his abilities and exhibit his work to an appreciative audience. Robert now strives to encourage young talents in honing their craft while continuing to develop his painting style and building a body of work.
Loraine Klaiber - Suriname
Loraine is a Surinamese multi-talented lady based in The Netherlands with St. Lucian roots and a great love for Barbados. She has her own movement in Creative Arts to inspire people called Water of Words-WOW, with pillars such as dance, poetry, coaching and calligraphy. After being introduced to calligraphy in elementary school she developed an affinity for this ancient fine art and has become proficient at it. Her poetry can be admired in calligraphy, combined with spiritual and decorative drawings. Her writings spring forth from her soul, but also on request, with a higher purpose to touch hearts in a divine way with words that flow to water your soul, often on the journey of life. She previously performed at TEDxRotterdam, Femme-X, Spoken Awards FM, Ultimate Black Gospel Festival, and Gospelfest Barbados amongst others. Some of her work has been featured in releases of various collective publications in The Netherlands.
Hedy Klineman – Barbados/USA
Born in Hamburg, Germany and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Hedy Klineman graduated from Cooper Union, NYC, where she encountered the maximalist, full canvas Abstract Expressionism that has shaped her style. Hedy’s works have been exhibited at the Whitney, Rubin, Hood, Tibet House and Vizcaya Museums, among others, and she has enjoyed solos exhibitions at the Bridgewater Lustberg Gallery, Benrimon Contemporary, Dorothy Blau and Vered Modern, as well as internationally. Her work has been inspired in recent years by the ethereal figure of the Buddha further infused by the creative nourishment provided by her winter sojourns in Barbados. When the USA elected its first African American President in 2007-08, Hedy became fascinated with the spirituality of another place, Africa, and the masks of Gabon and the Ivory Coast. These common threads of spirituality combine the sublime and every-day, the personal and political, as well as bear a strong influence on the many enchanting phases of Hedy’s career.
Lisa Mona - Barbados
Lisa Mona was born in Barbados with a diverse cultural background which has fashioned her artwork in an eclectic way. Her body of work is influenced by the beauty of simplicity itself, nature’s colors, and its organic shapes. She expresses herself through photography, jewelry design and abstract paintings. Her professional training was acquired at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida and Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York. She has instructed numerous classes in various art mediums and has presented her photography at several exhibits and galleries within the United States. Lisa Mona's artistic goal is to document life's everyday occasions in a creative way. “Often people are looking for beauty elsewhere and its right before their eyes.” Through her photography Lisa Mona strives to show that people and places of the world hold a natural beauty no matter what their circumstances are. “Beauty can always be found when looked at it with the non-critical eyes and a new perspective.” Lisa Mona believes her images will educate all people that, “no matter how different they are…all life matters and is to be valued.”
Ademola Olugebefola – US Virgin Islands
Dr. Ademola Olugebefola began his professional career as a bassist, playing with several small ensembles throughout the New York metropolitan area during the late 50s and early 60s. In the late 60’s he turned his creative energies to the visual arts and frequently incorporates musical ideas and theories in his extensive body of work. Over the past four decades, Olugebefola’s works have been included in hundreds of exhibitions at major American museums, universities and cultural institutions internationally. Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, he has lectured and participated in forums at universities, museums and cultural institutions in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. He is a highly respected cultural activist and renowned Harlem artist whose art and career papers are in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Hatch Billops Archives, Howard University, and scores of other well-respected American institutions.
Azizah Onifa –Barbados
Azipho’s Creations was established in 1998 by husband and wife team, Azizah and Ras Sipho Onifa. Azipho’s Creations is an award winner at BMEX 2011, for best designs in accessories. Also, best Jewelry design at NCF Crop-Over Arts & Craft exhibition. The brand has participated at Jamaica Fashion Week, CARIFESTA 2012 in Suriname, and is known for exhibiting at all the local shows in Barbados. This island brand is known by the Barbadian for its unique designs and quality finish. “We make styles fun for any function, but most importantly products that doesn’t damage the skin. Love life and live!”
Junior Parris – Barbados
Junior Parris lives and breathes art. Born in Barbados, he is resident in Paris, France, and Barbados. In addition to being a professional visual artist, Parris also represents artists from the Diaspora who are based in France, exibiting their work in Barbados and beyond. Over the years he has perfected a romantic realism which renders his own paintings with an ethereal quality almost reminiscent of the old masters. His works have been exhibited in the Caribbean, Europe, and the USA.
Sade Payne – Barbados
Be bold Create Be Raw is the slogan of the young up and coming Barbadian artist Sade` Payne. Her paintings illustrate breathtaking land and seascapes sceneries fusing between both worlds of fantasy and reality. Though having completed the Associate Degree in Fine Arts Program at the Barbados Community College in 2015 Sade` claims to be a self-taught artist. The emerging artist uses social media networks to market herself and to make connections with other business associates. Her use of social media privileged her to discover and work as a production intern at the 2016 Caribbean Art Fair, which was held at the Divi SouthWinds Resort. That opportunity gained her experience of how to become an art curator and also allowed her a chance to interact with well-known, established artists from the Caribbean. Since then Sade has exhibited in numerous exhibitions as her artistic style continuously grows.
Charles Jean Pierre – Haiti
Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre is a Haitian-American Artist and American University professor who is best known for his introspective murals. He is a U.S. State Department Art in Embassies Artist and has been invited by the White House to speak on the role of the arts in Youth Justice. His work is in the permanent collection of the U.S. Embassy in Cotonou, Benin West Africa. Jean-Pierre has created public art in Chicago, DC, Istanbul, Panama, Port-au-Prince, London, and Paris. He began experimenting with art at an early age by creating visual narratives based on classical paintings from his homeland. His work speaks to the nexus of political, social, and economic structures. Jean-Pierre holds a Master of Arts from Howard University.
Steve Reid - Barbados
Steve Reid is a University of the West Indies trained agriculturist who has worked within the agricultural and financial services sectors for over two decades. Pottery making, however, has always appealed to his creative spirit and was brought to light in the early ’90s with displays at the Bridgetown Market and at the Barbados Crop Over Festival. His work often shows plant life and natural features of his environment, and embodies an ancient spirit in a unique, contemporary style.
Lowell Omtni Royer – Dominica
Based in Siboulie, Massacre, Dominica, Lowell Royer is a visual communicator represented by artist name OMtNI (silent ‘t’). The name OMtNI was derived from the omni in words like omniscient, omnipresent and omnivore, which means all of whatever it comes before. Being a polymath, he enjoys working on various surfaces like paper, canvas, wood, skin and even concrete. With a style dubbed ‘Dramatic Realism’, he enjoys showcasing his love for nature with exaggerated effects to bring out the features that strike him the most. He studied Illustration at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, in Jamaica, which showed him the ways of visual story telling. Therefore, most of his creative work stems from a deep conceptualization combined with elements of fantasy.
Arlette St. Hill - Barbados
Arlette St. Hill was born in Barbados and is a graduate of the Barbados Community College, Erdiston Teacher’s College, The Jamaica School of Art, and the Teachers’ Technical Training Institute, Madras - India. Arlette has a degree in Art education, diploma in Curriculum Design and the Development of Instructional Materials and certificates in Multimedia Production and Educational Text Book Publishing. Her artwork explores a variety of mediums and techniques which include acrylics, oil pastel, markers, pen and ink, print making and collage. Arlette exhibits frequently in Barbados, and has also exhibited in Kingston, Jamaica; Boston, Washington, New York, North Carolina and Miami, USA; London, England and Paris, France.
Lisa Smith-Fields – Barbados
A graduate of the Barbados Community College's Division of Fine Art, Lisa has also successfully completed courses in Ceramics and Serigraphy with Indigenous Potteries, Karoche Limited and Barbados National Cultural Foundation. Since then, Lisa has exhibited both her pottery and fine art at several important shows in Barbados, including the Art Collection Foundation Exhibition, the 1994 Findings Crop-Over exhibition, and the annual Young Contemporaries Exhibitions, 1994 -1998. Subsequently, Lisa’s work has been exhibited in New York City and London throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, gaining admirers and collectors along the way.
Stephen R. Smith - Barbados
Barbadian professional photographer Stephen R. Smith started dabbling in photography as a 15-year old high school student back in 1976. After a brief stint with the Press, he founded Photo Dynamics Inc. in 1984. In 1997 he established the popular Pro Photo Studio – Sheraton Mall as Barbados’ first Digital studio. He has enjoyed prominence as a top international Events photographer. Stephen is a veteran of the N.I.F.C.A. Photographic Competition where his work was first presented to the public in 1977. He was a regular participant and received numerous Awards for his photography. He went on to become a Judge for the competition and served for fourteen years as Chief Judge, successfully overseeing the transition of the competition from the film era to the digital era. Stephen has participated in several group shows. He has also hung two major solo shows: Portrait of An Island – 2000, and Out of My Mind in 2011, an eclectic show which prompted famed British architect and interior designer Mr. Peter Inston to comment: ”This is a world-class show of very high quality and unusual beauty..” Both shows received critical acclaim and are considered groundbreaking and iconic by photographers and art enthusiasts.
He is one of Barbados’ most respected fine art photographers.
Afreekan Southwell – Antigua/USVI
Afreekan Southwell was born in Antigua. He moved to the US Virgin Islands in 1981. He is a self-taught artist whose creativity ranges from oil paintings and poetry to acting and music. He is a master wood carver and drummer. His wood carvings reflect his love for his African Heritage. He uses mahogany as his medium and with his hammer and chisel creates a transformation of this beautiful wood that is nothing less than spectacular. Afreekan has recently added a new skill to his already long list of talents, wood turning; creating smaller objects that exhibit his extraordinary gift of communicating with the wood he is working with. Afreekan’s first solo exhibition in New York City, “Reflection of a Culture”, debuted in 2001 to positive critical reviews. He has since exhibited his creations multiple times in USVI, Barbados and the USA.
Amanda Trought Springer – Barbados
“My interests lie in the use of art, texture and colour within the health, community and corporate setting. I have exhibited widely in the UK, both solo and group work. More recently working on the use of sculpture, collage work, poetry and altered art. As an Artist, I am keen to explore how art and creativity can be used in different settings, and how we use creative expression as a means of communication. I am very interested in colour and texture and use a variety of techniques and mediums in creating images. I have worked extensively with the elderly with dementia and look at ways in which we can find ways for them to explore their creativity in a relaxed and un-judged environment.”
Michel Wall – Martinique
Michel Wall was born on the Caribbean island of Martinique and studied art at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He developed a highly mannered abstract style, immediately recognizable as his own that was decorative. Michel Wall has held many exhibitions worldwide including Palm Beach, Montreal, Rome, Venice, Milan, Madrid and Paris. He was awarded first prize by the magazine "Connaissance des Arts".
Alfred Weekes – Barbados
Alfred Weekes has been creating wire sculptures since the 1970s and his work has been exhibited widely throughout the Caribbean and North America. In 1993 Mr. Weekes was judged BEST IN SHOW at the 1993 Manchester Art Association show in Manchester, Connecticut. In August 1998, Mr. Weekes' first one-man exhibition, “In Person", consisting entirely of colorful relief sculptures, received critical acclaim at Brooklyn Moon Café in New York City. His technique has continued to evolve, and his sculpture has become almost painterly in rendition. Mr. Weekes’ work is held in private collections throughout the Caribbean, Europe, and the U.S.
Special Event - “Contemporary Practice” curated by Oneka Small, Barbados Artists Alliance
Featuring artists: Cher Antoinette; Heidi Berger; Kenneth “Black” Blackman; Alison Chapman-Andrews; Hebron Chism; Azizah Onifa; Ann Rudder; Amanda Trought; Lorna Wilson (All artists based in Barbados)
“Diaspora Dialogue VI” – special exhibit of Global Diaspora Artists
Khuumba Ama - USA
Khuumba Ama was born in Savannah, Georgia, and spread her wings in Harlem, USA. There she learned spiritual ways of expressing her energy through natural art forms. She is a full-time multi-media artist of original and one-of-a-kind creations. When her energy is not consumed into her crafts, she extends herself as a Teaching Artist and Mentor to assist children in self-esteem workshop, using arts & crafts as her tool to connect with them. She recently designed a program to help seniors who are challenged with symptoms of Alzheimer and/or Dementia. Khuumba’s work has been sold and exhibited at galleries, libraries, hospitals, churches, fairs, museums, private gatherings and in the shops of Harlem, Brooklyn, Queens in New York; as well as, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, & Georgia - USA; Trinidad, Grenada, The US/British Virgin Islands, Brazil and Africa.
- Ross Browne – USA
- Ross Browne studied Communication Art and Design at Virginia Commonwealth University
and Photography at The Corcoran School of the Arts. He is also an alumnus of The Miller
School of Albemarle, Charlottesville, Virginia. He has taught art and design for inner city
and at risk youth for the Fresh Air Fund of N.Y.C, Weed and Seed, Project Ready and Art 180
of Richmond, VA. He was also an instructor for the Resident Associate Program at The
Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. During his tenure as the Art Specialist for the VCU
Health System, Ross practiced art therapy for and taught art to his various patients with an
emphasis on pediatric hematology/oncology, infectious disease and brain injury patients. He is
also an illustrator and graphic designer with a long and varied list of clientele. Ross continues to
paint and write out of his studio in Richmond, Virginia. In a review of the exhibition Art Fusion in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Special Correspondent, CeCe Bullard wrote; "Browne, always
intense and direct, explores the many faces of the American experience in a variety of media,
each of which he uses effectively." S. Ross Browne is the recipient of numerous awards and
honors, and has been featured in various local and national media. His work has been acquired
by the internationally recognized Virginia Museum of Fine Art and is in the collection of
international, national and local institutions.
Jerome China – USA
New Jersey sculptor R. Jerome China was born November 28, 1961 in Richmond, Virginia and is best known for his abstract metal sculptures made from rusted and discarded scrap metal, automobile gears and other industrial detritus. The pieces are a fusion of impulsive ideas and context. He received is early training as the first artist in residence at All Iron Works, Inc. a commercial welding and fabrication shop. In addition, he studied with Master Blacksmith Paul Januz at Gravity Line Forge. These residences provide him with the basics of fabrication, welding, Blacksmithing and metallurgy. He states: “My work gives new life and meaning to scrap and discarded metal. I attempt to use the objects in a way so that they are not readily recognizable by the viewer. Although the pieces have been transformed, they still carry the memory of their former function - while their meaning has been multiplied.”
Charles Dey – Ghana/Jamaica
“As a child, I used to draw on open spaces: tiny shreds of paper, bedroom walls. I’d wake up, chasing stories all around me: the bustle of the busy open market; the tiny cloud of dust that left the road; the constant flow of people passing by me – the sunlight pouring in to greet the morning. My work is my reflection of these moments: life that I have witnessed over time. I thrive in peeling back the hidden layers, filling in life’s movement as it whispers. I get inspired searching for the root – those elements that seem to go unnoticed. This is my foundation as a painter and in my larger vision as an artist. Most of what I paint comes from traditions: days I spent exploring life in my birthplace in Accra, Ghana and my mother’s country in the enclaves of Montego Bay, Jamaica; the streets I walk down now in urban cities – people that I meet along the way.”
Stephanie Kiah – USA
Stephanie Kiah is an American portrait painter and assemblage artist currently residing in the Washington D.C. area. Her work seeks to encourage the hearts and honor the beauty of black people within the Diaspora. She graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Norfolk State University in 2009. Kiah also completed field studies at the Dallas Museum of Art and Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas as well as at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C., and served as an intern at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia. Her first solo gallery show exhibited at ARTs East New York Gallery in Brooklyn, New York. Kiah's works have been a part of group shows and events across the United States and are part of private collections across the U.S., as well as within Nigeria. Some of her more notable collectors are actress Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Hidden Figures) and Charles Allen (son of Eugene Allen, the man whose life inspired the movie The Butler.) Her art has also been exhibited at the Pfizer World Headquarters in New York City, the historic Hampton University Museum in Hampton, VA, and has been a part of the permanent collection of the Singletary Art Gallery & African Art Museum in Portsmouth, VA since 2008.
Mathilde Liberato - Argentina
Mathilde was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 11, 1926. She began drawing and painting at the age of 5 – 6 years old. She gained her first award at the age of 13, given by the Ministry of Education, Buenos Aires. She continued to gain awards for her talent such as the “Unanimity Award” at the Salon of Art, Buenos Aires. From 1944 - 50 Mathilde was creative designer of Fashion at the Mundo Argentino Magazine. She emigrated to Paris, France in 1954 and represented Argentina at the 1955 Salon Del Arte in the Palais De Beaux Arts in Paris. Her
most recent exhibition was the 2015 Collective Exposition at the Galerie Echo Musee.
Ernani Silva – Brazil
Ernani Silva, artist, curator, educator and mentor was born in the hills outside of Rio de Janeiro. At four years of age he picked up the pencil, pen and natural fruit juices and applied them to paper, he has not stopped painting since. He had his first gallery showing in 1969. He also introduced painting as an alternative to violence for youth in the hills of Rio. Ernani is known for his freedom of expression and use of strong vibrant colors that move across the paper as if the figures were dancing or playing a musical instrument. He speaks several different languages and is passionate about art and art history. The language he speaks best is with his brush or with the paint applied directly from the tube to the canvas. In keeping with his commitment to his collectors, Ernani’s works are all originals on paper, wood or canvas. In 2014 he celebrated forty-five years of exhibiting his original work in the United States.
Danny Simmons – USA
Danny Simmons, Jr., is an American abstract painter from Queens, NY, who coined his particular style of painting as “neo-African Abstract Expressionism.” His talent and passion for the arts reaches beyond the canvas; he is a published author, poet, painter and art philanthropist. The New York Times, in reviewing one of his art exhibitions, stated that Simmons “injects freshness” into his abstracts, and that they are “meticulously rendered and decoratively impressive.” Today, his works appear in prominent locales around the globe, including: Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Museum, Chase Manhattan Bank, Deutsche Bank, Schomburg Center for Black Culture, The Smithsonian, United Nations, and, on an international scope has shown work in France, Amsterdam and Ghana. In 2015, he served as a scholarly consultant for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, DC.
TAFA – Ghana
TAFA is an award-winning painter whose work is exhibited and collected internationally. His style is characterized by a richly vivid palette and heavily textured surface. He obtained a BFA degree from the College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. He currently lives in Harlem, New York. TAFA was named 2010 Sport Artist of the Year by the American Sport Art Museum and Archives. TAFA’s paintings have been celebrated and exhibited in galleries, educational and cultural institutions in the US, Japan, Europe, and Africa. His work may be found in numerous permanent public and private collections, including the Superior Court, Washington, D.C, Barclays Bank, Sparrow Hospital, Michigan, Shell Co, Ghana’s National Museum, Carver Federal Bank and former New York City Mayor, David N. Dinkins, Bryant Gumbel and former US President Bill Clinton. “Myth, worship and ritual is what attracts me, the arena as a landscape or the athlete or player as portraiture is not what inspires me. Sport as a metaphor for life and faith fascinates me - our collective allegiance and dedication to the gods and deities of the game, the mass psychology and identification, almost prehistoric and primal. It is the mythic power of the stadium, the arena, which has become the new basilica and pyramid, synagogue and temple.” says TAFA. This myth and almost religious relevance is also captured in his paintings of marches and protestors.
Special Event – The World of Winston Jordan: A Tribute
Paintings, Drawings, Costume designs by the Late Barbadian creative Winston Jordan
Exchange Interactive Center, Spry Street, Bridgetown (through April 3)
Dates…they're mankind's way of keeping track of iconic events, a reference point for historic lessons and a motivation for future feats. Dates do not affect greatness only in recording their decisive occurrences. Enter wearer of many caps: Winston Jordan, born September 15th, 1948 in Barbados. A child of the city imbued with a camera like gift to not only record visual input but in coming years. the ability to dispense with acute accuracy whatever his surroundings and experiences would convey to young Jordan. The City, his home, his playground, his muse. Noted public figures, inclusive of then deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley have lauded Winston's works as not only creative genius but distinctly 'Bajan' at the time of his passing in 2007.
The Jordan household was a bustling, creative hive of activity surrounded by strong women of ambitious dynamic and jack-of-all-trades Trinidadian stepfather. His mother recognized in him a talent that would encourage her to place him under the mentorship of a Barbadian artistic great. This was followed by enrollment at the Technical Institute honing the youth's raw talent and leading to his first job after drawing his would-be boss in an on-the-spot challenge at Corbin Compton; under the stewardship of Italian Ermano Fabris. This exposure to the international standards of art and creative vision of Fabris propelled Winston to new artistic heights. With an increasingly focused diligence and growing artistic scope Winston witnessed a higher-level output having also collaborated with Fabris in creating the 1976 BLP logo. He went on to lend essential building blocks to the fledging Nation Newspaper along with creators Harold Hoyte and Al Gilkes. He created the earliest incarnations of the NCF logo and fonts we became accustomed to as the Nation Newspaper.
He was an important and enthusiastic contributor to the Crop Over movement even before it was formally a festival. It was no surprise his trained eye and flamboyant color palette earned him consecutive wins for several years within Crop Over Festival once fully established: Most Colorful, Best Small Band and 6 times leading Flag Person were accolades tucked neatly under his belt. Yet the respect of his peers and passion for art never diminished despite of his success. Not only a participant in the masquerade arena, he was a noted calypso judge, and in later years a founding member and participant in the Celebrity tent championed by journalist Ridley Green.
By the mid-nineties Winston's health had declined and was diagnosed with diabetes and renal (kidney) failure. As a side effect of the diabetes he was stricken with blindness for a brief period. Subsequent surgery and lifestyle change caused a resurgence in Jordan from the shadows of darkness. Receiving a proverbial new lease on life that was not wasted, saw a slew of magnificent pieces emerging. Receiving yet more recognition but not just by the outside world, it amazed friends and family who had first-hand knowledge of the grave journey he traversed.
To date, this son of the soil's work has been recognized worldwide. Winston once said that one would think that having his work featured in Buckingham Palace was his crowning achievement, however it was his inclusion into Wisden's Cricket Almanac Dictionary that was his personal victory. Such has been the life of Winston Roosevelt Jordan, known to childhood friends as Rose. Diligent, grounded, humble, yet unequivocally genius.