CaFA Fair Barbados 2017 - 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.

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.

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.

May Clemente – Martinique
Born in Martinique, May Clémenté is a self-taught artist favoring two different mediums alternatively, reflecting either her need for cheerful acrylic colors in an abstract style, or her quiet, more subdued mood for softness and veiled mystery with the delicate palette of coffee pigments. Using these two mediums enables her to release opposite forces within herself and to express strong feelings with abandon. Coming from a small island has influenced her art a lot. Her style is characterized by a rich palette and textured surface with a generous use of bright, undiluted and vibrant colors. May has exhibited in New York and in Martinique and worked on various artistic projects with institutions and organizations in her country.

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 Masters in 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.

Yanique DaCosta - Jamaica
Yanique was born in Jamaica and migrated to the United States in pursuit of educational advancement. She received an Associate Degree in Graphic Design, a Bachelor Degree in Studio Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts in Media Design. Throughout her professional tenure, Yanique has focused her talents on the brand development and advertising visuals for the entertainment and or night life industry. In January 2016 she decided to revisit her first love, “my primary passion, my greatest and most fulfilling joy” - P A I N T I N G. Yanique has embarked on a new journey, a 52-piece exploratory year long project -  T H E   F I F T Y   T W O  C O L L E C T I O N.  Using a variety of cool and warm colors to capture the beauty and strength of women of different shapes and sizes- each piece represents a different week in the year. In addition to being a passionate artist and overall creative, Yanique is also a full-time big sister and role model to her brother. She aspires to be a living example to him through defining diligence to her ambitions, to show him that the legacy has only just begun.

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.

Harry Detry - Jamaica
Harry Detry is a self-taught Jamaican born artist, currently living in Chicago for over 30 years.  He has worked with many mediums in visual art and performing arts.  As a principal dancer for Muntu Dance Theatre for over 25 years, Harry was afforded many opportunities for international travel, countries in Africa, South America and Europe.  Now retired from performing Harry has turned to his true love of sculpting and painting, inspired by his multi-cultural life experiences.

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.

Margaret Rose Fenty – Barbados
In Barbados where I grew up, I attended art classes during my early school days. This was the foundation for these creative basics.  The encouragement that was given to me from teachers, led me to believe that they saw a talent which I possessed.  I believed in my capabilities which were and are as limitless as the sand in the ocean.   The sky being the limit, throughout my life, I grasped at whatever creative opportunities came my way and today I truly enjoy the luxury of being able to create or re-create a picture, a story or a decorative piece which enables others to see and appreciate life in a magnified and unique way. Through the years, I have done sketches in pencil, pastel chalks, and charcoal.  In more recent times I have been focusing on Acrylics on Canvas, be it linen canvas or a wooden panel.  The spectrum of creativity is widely varied and my inspiration comes from my surroundings, life experiences and from people whose lives I have touched.  Currently resident in Canada, sometimes just taking a moment to stop and look at my surrondings in a different way enhances my appreciation for nature and a sense of uniqueness.

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.  His 2012 one man show received critical acclaim at the Queen’s Park Gallery in Barbados.

Kenneth Hillman - Martinique
Mr. Hillman was trained in Paris, France, where he lives and works today. His contemporary style of painting maintains the brilliant color palette clearly influenced by his Caribbean origins. His work can be found in a number of private and public collections in the Caribbean and Europe..

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.

 
Owen Leo Johnson – Barbados
Owen Leo Johnson, who hails from Black Rock / Spooner’s Hill, St. Michael, Barbados, has been living in Montreal, Qc. since the early 60s and is the owner of Studio Leo & Gallery. Presently working from his studio in Toronto, he started painting in his youth and regards himself as a classic artist. He paints abstract, realism, surrealisms, symbolism, pointillism and portraits, and of course Leographics – especially “Depicting your Style”. Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Academy of Art, Montreal and the University of Toronto Information Technology Design Center, Canada. He has also been instrumental in coordinating exhibitions for various organizations in Quebec and has himself exhibited in the U.S.A., the Caribbean and Canada. Mr. Johnson has designed logos for organizations and companies in Quebec and Toronto and is Past President of La Societe Pour la Promotion des Artistes Noirs du Quebec (Society for the Promotion of Quebec Black Artists), working tirelessly for the recognition and promotion of black artists. For the past seven years his works of art were presented and used for “The Way of the Cross” for the Good Friday Services at St. Clements Anglican Church in Toronto. His paintings have been presented to the late Prime Minister of Barbados, Hon. David Thompson and the current Prime Minister, Hon. Freundel Stuart.

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.

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.

Norma Lithgow – Honduras
A native of Honduras, Ms. Lithgow received her early training at the Academy of San Vincent Paul.  She came to New York City to study fashion at French's Fashion Academy and went on to Spain to study art at the Academia de Bellas Artes. Ms. Lithgow’s wonderfully expressive “Jazz Series” paintings have been shown at New York’s 2003 and 2004 JVC Jazz Festivals and have won her an enthusiastic following ever since. Her creations are in private and public collections.

Dan Maat – Barbados
By profession a building contractor, however, at heart and deep within his soul, Dan Ma’at is an artist and interior decorator.  A “transformer of physical space” are words that simply and accurately describe Dan Ma’at – not often referred to by his family name of Mr. Rudy Phillips.  After years of honing his skills, refining his techniques and solidifying in his mind his artistic mission, Dan Ma’at is now emerging into his own as an accomplished practitioner of a most demanding aspect of art – stone creations and carvings. His work executed in London at the launch of his company Amunarts Designs Ltd in 2011, truly demonstrates that he possesses quite a repertoire of skills that are not only extraordinary but enviable. He has subsequently exhibited his sculptures in Barbados, as well as Arizona, New York and Washington DC in the USA. His latest works characterize a deliberate and conscious move into a sphere of endeavors that is sure to garner regional, national and international attention. The immortalizing of two of Barbados' national icons is no mean feat:  The Pelican Project and the larger-than-life statue of Sarah Ann Gill show the remarkable range of skills this artist possesses, and there is so much more to come.

Beatrice Mellinger – Martinique
Béatrice Lampla Mellinger, also known as Bela, her artist signature, was born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique. Art has always been an important part of Bela's life. She studied painting extensively, and continues to be an avid learner and educator. Bela’s paintings incorporate multicultural references from her Asian, African, and European ancestors, and from her birthplace, with its own multi-ethnic heritage. Bela has travelled extensively, lived in many countries across several continents and believes that her paintings convey her rich experience. “Painting is a universal language that enhances the awareness as well as the understanding of other cultures”, says Béatrice Lampla Mellinger.

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.

Sian Pampellonne – Barbados/Trinidad & Tobago
Sian Pampellonne is a Trinidad-born artist and a resident of Barbados. Coming from a family deeply connected to the process of creativity in a variety of disciplines, she studied art at the Barbados Community College gaining a further wealth of its' intricacies under the tutelage of her grandfather, Gordon Parkinson, whose body of work is well-known to collectors. Entering the world of Mass Communication, Sian now owns a very successful Advertising Studio, Sian In Design Inc. An avid art collector, she rekindled her love of painting a year ago, purely as an outlet for self-expression. Using Acrylics on canvas and mixed media, Sian is able to convey her feelings through a freedom of hand and brush that unleashes vibrant colours onto canvas extricating at the same time deep feelings from her subjects that leave the admirer delving into their own interpretation of the bold art she has produced - the main reason her pieces have found themselves in the homes of art collectors internationally in such a short space of time. An artist to watch, her creations show a fresh interpretation of painting while expressing a signature style.

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 and exhibits 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 19 year old 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.

Barbara Pickering – Barbados
Barbara Pickering lives in Barbados, the Gem of the Caribbean. She grew up in an Artist’s home in Canada and has been painting and drawing all her life.  Her father, renowned Canadian Artist, Jack L. Pickering was a great influence in her art.  To this day, they enjoy painting together.  Her great-great grandfather, Joseph Langsdale Pickering was a Royal Academy Romanticist Artist in England, with paintings held in galleries across Europe as well as in the Louvre in Paris.  Working in several mediums, she has come to love the versatility and feel of oils, and more recently, the fine work in India Ink. She happily raised 2 daughters while pursuing a career and continued to foster her love of art.  Having lived in two countries, she paints the beauty of both along with the stunning diversity of other cultures.  Her curiosity plays a key role as a foundation for her art as she strives to capture that certain look or emotion on the faces of her subjects.  She constantly challenges herself to depict the essence of human nature in her art.As well as participating in group shows in Barbados and Canada, Barbara's work can be found at Gallery of Caribbean Art, The Crane Village Gallery, The Festival Art Gallery and The Pelican Barbados Arts Council Gallery as well as private collections in Canada, US, China, Norway, England, Barbados and Germany.  Her work has won International Awards and media attention.

Judy Griffith Pierre – Barbados
An artist, photographer, wife, mother, designer and teacher, Judy Griffith-Pierre's deep personal relationship with the Lord and her surroundings, draw out of her some extraordinary pieces of art work. A native of Barbados, she first began exhibiting her art in local galleries during 1968. Subsequently her work has been exhibited in Canada, the US and Europe. Animals and flowers are two of her favorite subjects that just seem to go together. Both are soft and fresh, fragile and fleeting. With seascapes that beckon, and bouquets that enchant, she shares the things she loves most: "Art is about love, and my language is sketch and paint. I want to share with other people the things that I love." Griffith-Pierre is a prolific artist with a philosophy, "To bring people from darkness to light." Griffith-Pierre is a born artist. She has dedicated herself to capturing the wonder all around her, best known for the intricate skill with which she incorporates unique tie-dye creations in the design of fashion, jewelry, wall hangings, and exquisite paintings of landscapes and shoreline scenes. Over the years her art has won many awards and critical praise. Today, Judy is married to artist Nigel and together, they have three children, Nigel Jr., Jimmy and Shelley-Ann, who are artists in their own right.

Adoniah Rahsan – Jamaica
Adoniiah was born in New York and raised between NYC & Jamaica. He first became interested in photography about 15 years ago. He was fascinated with taking pictures of anything in nature. This is where Adoniiah realized that he had an eye for art. Adoniiah took photography seriously when he attended school at the International Center for photography to study the technical aspects of photography such as composition, camera operations, and developing. He also studied at the Stuyvesant adult program. His formal education includes 2 years of College at the Borough of Manhattan Community College majoring in Corporate Cable Communication. Here he studied camera operation, lighting, editing and directing. He also got similar training and certification at Bronxnet studios, a community television station. His work has been displayed in many exhibitions and festivals."This allows me to express myself through my work" he says. Currently he is working on opening his own gallery, workshop & studio.

Ras Akyem I Ramsay – Barbados
A graduate of Jamaica’s Edna Manley School of Art, Ras Akyem I is a veteran exhibitor throughout the Caribbean, Latin America, England, and the U.S.  In 1996 Ras Akyem's paintings won the Gold Medal at the Third Biennial of Caribbean and Latin American Painting, held in Santo Domingo, and was part of the collective submission by Barbadian artists which won the Country a Gold Medal. During 1995-1997 Ras Akyem successfully completed postgraduate studies at Cuba’s prestigious art academy, the University of Superior Arts (ISA).  His work has been published and discussed in such publications as “Barbadian Art: What Kind of Mirror Image?” and “Caribbean Art”, by Veerle Poupeye. In 1998 he was awarded the Barbados Service Star in that year’s Barbados Independence Honors. Ras Akyem I is the recipient of the 2012 Caribbean Luminary of the Arts Award.

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.

Gina Samson – Haiti
Gina Samson’s work has been influenced by the rich cultural heritage and vibrant colors of the Caribbean, as well as the New York City urban environment. After showing interest in the arts at a young age, she enrolled in her high school’s art program, took classes and workshops at the Art Students League and NYU’s School of Continuing Education, and participated in shows and competitions. She regularly exhibits in the New York metropolitan area and her work is featured in several corporate and private collections. In her view, artwork reflects the importance of creation and imagination in everyone’s life. Working primarily in painting, collage and drawing, she aims to create works that incite reflection; while bringing to the viewer an appreciation of the pride, resilience and cultural achievements of the African Diaspora. Currently her work explores in two series the immigrant experience and the interplay of music and the visual arts: “This series focuses on the relationship between the 2 art forms, and is linked to fact that I most often listen to jazz while I’m working”. Jazz has been the “soundtrack” of this production.

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.

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.”

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.

Curated by Carl E. Hazlewood – Guyana – Cofounder of Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, USA
Marlon Forrester - Guyana
A Guyanese born graduate of both Yale School of Art and The School of The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Forrester uses mixed media; painting, collage, installation and performance to manifest his vision of the world. His current body of work explores how signs, symbols, and rituals found within the game of basketball function to contextualize the black male body through the lens of pop culture, media, and race.
Carl E. Hazlewood – Guyana
Carl E. Hazlewood was born in Guyana and currently lives in Brooklyn New York.  He has been an exhibiting artist since childhood and is today not only an acclaimed artist but a much- respected writer and curator. An honors graduate of Pratt Institute and Hunter College – CUNY, Mr. Hazlewood received further post graduate training at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and Brooklyn Museum Art School. The co-founder of Aljira, A Center for Contemporary Art in Newark, NJ, he has taught at New Jersey City University and other institutions. Currently associate editor for Nka: Journal of Contemporary African Art, (Duke University) he has written for many other periodicals, including Flash Art International, ART PAPERS Magazine, and NY Arts Magazine. Since 1984 he has organized numerous curatorial projects for Aljira such as ’Modern Life’ (co-curated with Okwui Enwezor). Hazlewood’s project, ‘Current Identities, Recent Painting in the United States,’ was the US prize-winning representation at the ‘Bienal International de Pintura,’ Cuenca, Ecuador 1994. As an Independent curator he has organized exhibitions for The Nathan Cummings Foundation, NY; Studio Museum in Harlem, NY; Hallwalls, NY; Artists Space, NY; P.S.122, NY, among other venues.

Arlington Weithers – Guyana
Born in Guyana, South America, Arlington Weithers now works and lives in the U.S. He earned a BFA (Magna Cum Laude) at CUNY Brooklyn College and is the recipient of the McGhee Honors Award. He received post graduate training at the Art Students League of New York and was awarded a scholarship to attend Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine where he won the Skowhegan Student and Faculty Purchase Awards. Most recently he was Artist-in-Residence for the City of Dallas, Texas, and was the 2003-2004 Artist-in-Residence - ‘Cohs Jiy’ in Mazunte, Mexico. Arlington’s paintings are in a number of important private and public collections.

Curated by Oshun Layne – Barbados/USA – Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, USA
Kennis Baptiste - Grenada
An electrical engineer by training and profession, Kennis had exhibited artistic talent from an early age, however decided to concentrate on scientific disciplines such as math and sciences. He started his artistic journey by experimenting with acrylic and oil paints. He later started to study and experiment with different abstract ways of capturing movement and energy. During this experimental period, Kennis was able to find his own unique style of expression. As his art form slowly evolved, the quality of his paintings improved while his knowledge and interest in fine arts also increased. As an urban artist of African and Caribbean decent, Kennis believes that inspiration can be found almost anywhere. All one has to do is open their eyes, keep an open mind and draw their inspiration from what they see in their community and in the world. He is inspired by the works of Impressionist painters such as Picasso, Monet, and Matisse. He greatly admire Picasso’s style of expression, Monet’s use of mass, and Cézanne's use of color. After producing a large number of paintings within a five year period, Kennis decided to expose his work to the public. The feedback that he received was overwhelming. The response from the audience and the realization of this gift inspired him to study and create more paintings.

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.

Pepe Coronado – Dominican Republic
Pepe Coronado was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, and currently resides in New York City. Coronado was master printer for Pyramid Atlantic in Silver Spring, Maryland; the Hand Print Workshop International in Alexandria, Virginia; and the Serie Print Project in Austin, Texas. He has been a visiting artist at Self Help Graphics in Los Angeles, and currently a resident teaching artist at the Hudson River Museum in New York. Coronado has taught printmaking at the Corcoran College of Art, Georgetown University, and at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore where he earned the Master of Fine Arts. Pepe’s work has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions in New York, Washington DC, Dominican Republic, Portugal, and Mexico; in both galleries and cultural institutions. Coronado’s work is in many collections including Smithsonian American Art Museum, CUNY Dominican studies Institute, The City College of NYC, El Museo el Barrio, the Rutgers Archives for Printmaking Studios, Georgetown University, Lauinger Memorial Library of Rare Books and Prints Collection, the Library of Congress, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation,  the Federal  Board of Governors Art Collection, District of Columbia Government: Arts and Humanities Commission, El Paso Museum of Art and Mexic-Arte Museum.

Easton Davy – Jamaica
A graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, this son of immigrants from the island of Nevis has made his mark in the worlds of art and jazz with his expressive line drawings and paintings which music fans will recognize from album/CD covers for many of the world’s great jazz artists. He has collaborated with musicians on both sides of the Atlantic to create spontaneous works of art at major jazz festivals such as Newport Jazz, Rhode Island, USA, and North Sea Jazz, Rotterdam, the Netherlands where he has been featured visual artist. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Netherlands, while his images have been commissioned by the National Basketball Association and Bravo Television Network as well as major records labels such as Blue Note. Musical luminaries such as George Clinton among others collect his work.

Sophia Dawson – Jamaica
Sophia Dawson is a Brooklyn based artist who discovered her gift while painting a portrait of her father as she studied at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music, Art and Performing Arts. At that very young age of sixteen, she witnessed that her work moved and touched people from all walks of life. She saw that art could be used as a tool to bring people together and to create change. Sophia received her Bachelors in Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts in 2010 and her Masters degree in Visual Arts Administration at NYU in 2013. She has participated in group exhibitions in both New York and Los Angeles as well as solo exhibitions at the Corridor Gallery in 2013 and Rush Arts Gallery in 2015. Her work has been featured in the Brooklyn Museum, the Bronx Museum of the Arts in 2015 and published in Say it Loud magazine. Sophia also received commissions by performers such as Lil Mama and Tisha Campbell-Martin and has presented her portraits to Alicia Keys and Kehinde Wiley.

Denae Howard – Panama
Nae Howard is a Brooklyn native who is currently bi-coastal working on her MFA at CalARTS. She strives to make engaging imagery that are instances of the American Black experience. As an interdisciplinary artist, her practice examines constructs of societies views of beauty and politics in regards to the surface tensions of America within media. Her work explores the revitalization and ownership of black culture by black people. She studies colors established by pop-cultural icons in new media, reflexive ideologies in photographic portraiture, and visual disparities as a result of systemic racism, classism and gender binaries. Employing a strong background in printmaking and graphic design, her work critiques the politics of skin. Understanding the power of images, I create paintings, collages, music and animated Gif.s that evoke notions of conscious and unconscious concepts conceived through racist views that allow alternative narratives of blackness. Nae’s work illustrates all factors of the “cool” and societies consumer behavior of blackness. Currently her  “Consume Us” series questions the importance of imagery in a social context and the notions of significant images such as “pop icons” in mass culture.

Jamal Ince - Barbados
Jamal Ince received his B.F.A in Photography from Pratt Institute in 1991 and his MS in Education from Long Island University in 2005. Jamal has exhibited his paintings and photographs widely in the NYC tri state area, as well as in Miami and Barbados. Selected group exhibitions include The Stamford Center for the Arts, Selena Gallery/Long Island University, Skylight Gallery Restoration Plaza, Five Myles Gallery, The Barbados Consulate and most recently, Prizm Miami. His work is held in private collections and he has created several public works including one for the NYC transit system. Jamal’s painting “Angry Young Tenor” was recently featured in the interior design magazine “New York Spaces”.  Jamal has participated in artist residencies at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Museum of African Art. He currently teaches visual art to inner city youth in Brooklyn. In describing his creative process he states, “In my work I have endeavored to create a mosaic that weaves culture and music together on the canvas.”

Leslie Jimenez – Dominican Republic
Leslie Jimenez was born in Santo Domingo, The Dominican Republic, in 1984. A student of sculpture, painting, and drawing at the National School of Visual Arts in Santo Domingo, Leslie Jimenez also studied conservation and restoration of works on paper and documents, at the National Archive of The Dominican Republic and the Institute of History in La Habana Cuba.
Leslie Jimenez studied fine arts and Illustration at Altos de Chavon School of Design, where she graduated with honors. She earned a Fine Arts degree at Parsons the New School for Design in New York. Previously, from 2007-2009, Leslie Jimenez was the head of the conservation and restoration department at the National Archive in the Dominican Republic. Her work has been exhibited at several galleries and institutions in New York City and the Dominican Republic. Leslie lives and works in New York.


Melissa Matthews – Trinidad & Tobago
Melissa Matthews is a 31 year old, Brooklyn, NY born and bred, Trinidadian artist. She holds a BFA in Painting from Howard University in Washington DC. Most of her work is mixed media with a penchant for digital drawing and collage. Melissa is currently living and working primarily in Trinidad, W.I. As a first generation American, her work often deals with the duality of living between two cultures. The current and recurrent themes within her work are the politics, irony, humour, love and violence of everyday life in specific places in the world. The artist often refers to her work as “ex-pat art” because her perspective is shaped mainly by being both insider and outsider in her two homelands.

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 Masters of Arts from Howard University.

Sheena Rose - Barbados
Sheena Rose is a contemporary Caribbean artist from Barbados. In 2008, Sheena graduated with a BFA degree with Honors at Barbados Community College, and in 2016, she received her Masters in Fine Arts at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Fulbright Scholarship. Sheena works with multimedia such as hand drawn animations, drawings, paintings, performance art, mixed media and new media. Sheena has exhibited locally and internationally at biennials, galleries and museums in the Caribbean, South America, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2011, Sheena had her first solo show "Town to Town" at the Barbados Community College and was the first passed student to have a solo show there. Her work has also been included in Art Fairs, Film Festivals and Auctions such as Prizm Art Fair, Third Horizon Film Festival and Rush Philanthropic Foundation Arts Auction- Art for Life. Sheena Rose's work is also on the cover of three books, Small Axe 43. "See Me Here," Christopher and Roberts Publisher and in 2015 her work is on the cover of Naomi Jackson's book called "The Star Side of BirdHill". The Cover has been awarded from Huffington Post and EPeople Magazine as one of the best book cover for the year 2015.

Moses Ros-Suarez – Dominican Republic
Moses Ros‐Suárez is best known for his intense paintings and sculptures that transform common objects in his characteristically expressionist style. His large graphics of figures and objects explore themes such as AIDS awareness, the global economic crisis, and personal versus national identity and power. Ros--‐Suárez has had one--‐person exhibitions at museums in the United States and the Caribbean, including the Yeshiva University Museum, New York; the Paterson Museum, New Jersey; and the Instituto de Cultura y Arte in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The New York Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bronx Council for the Arts have awarded him commissions for public sculptures, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority for stained glass windows. A licensed architect in the state of New York, Ros-Suárez is a graduate of the Pratt Institute.

Jorge A. Valdes – Cuba
Jorge A. Valdes, JAVA, is a self-taught Cuban American artist, living in New York since 1992. Born in Santiago de Cuba in 1956, he began creating art as a teenager. The use of found objects & broken china in his work traces back to his native country during a period when supplies were scarce as a response to to a reality that transcended scarcity in a world where neither abundance nor scarcity can express enough the need of awareness towards a planet which requires all our attention as the only world we can exist. Over time, his use of recyclable materials became a passion and an identity that marks his work. In 1992, JAVA moved to Miami and subsequently created a series of found object sculptures that was shown in Atmosphere Gallery in Miami Beach. Leaving unclaimed whatever didn't sell, he quickly relocated to NYC where he continued creating art while completing his Masters in Education at Columbia University in 1997. In addition to his incursion as a visual artist, he has published poetry in "Not Black & White" (Plain View Press, 1996) and in specialized magazines. During his career in teaching, the artist continued his passion with art. JAVA's art has been featured in various galleries and exhibits in Italy, Cuba and the USA. He currently resides in South Bronx, New York and is active in creating public art projects and teaching workshops for local youth in addition to continuing his work in the studio.

“Diaspora Dialogue IV” – 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.

S. Ross Browne – USA
S. 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.

Sadikisha Collier – USA
Ms. Sadikisha Saundra Collier is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn N.Y. Sadikisha is a multi-media artist, but is primarily known and recognized as a Master printmaker.   Her work ranges from prints, painting, collage, computer graphics, and stained glass.  She also expresses herself through video editing and fashion design. Sadikisha has a Master’s in Education from Cambridge College in Boston, Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Museum and Gallery management Certificate from California College of Arts and Crafts. Collier’s work is in the collection of the late Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes, The Honorable David Dinkins, The Honorable Councilman Al Vann, Whitney Houston, Carver Bank, Thelonious Monk Jr., Valerie Bell-Bey, and a host of others. Sadikisha has exhibited with such notable artists as Jacob Lawrence, Tom Feelings, Otto Neals, Bob Blackburn, Ernest Crichlow, Ann Tanksley, Ted Gunn, Vincent Smith, Varnette Honeywood and many others. President of the oldest African American art fair in NY, Fulton Art Fair 2011-2014 Her work has been sold at Sotheby’s auction house. Collier is a Producer at BCAT Cable network and her artwork has been featured on the hit show “New York Undercover.”

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.

Stan Squirewell – USA
Stan Squirewell is a Harlem transplant from Washington DC where he began his artistic training at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 1993. Since graduating he has continued his tutelage under many of DC’s legends including artists Michael Platt and Lou Stovall. He is a painter, photographer, installation and performance artist. His work is multilayered and his subject matter, in gist, tackles themes such as race and memory through mythology, sacred geometry and science. He draws his inspiration from theory books, science fiction movies and novels, avant-garde jazz and indigenous storytelling. He is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art and the Hoffberger School of Painting where he studied with the late, Grace Hartigan. Mr. Squirewell is the first winner of the Rush Philanthropic and Bombay Sapphire Artisan series. He has performed with Nick Cave (SoundSuits) at the National Portrait Gallery and Jefferson Pinder with G-Fine Arts. He is privately and publicly collected. His works are in the Reginald Lewis Museum, the Robert Steele Collection and recently acquired by the Smithsonian for the African American Museum (2015.)

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.

Shenna Vaughn – USA
Shenna Vaughn’s intuitive abstract paintings tell subconscious narratives of the deep stories of the soul. Shenna’s use of warm colors sets the stage for the expression of the personal thoughts that all must confront. Shenna was born and raised in Queens, New York. She attended FIT and received her Bachelor’s degree from Hunter College. Her work has been included in national group exhibitions at Skylight Gallery (January 2014), Prizm Art Fair (December 2013), Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (December 2013) Rush Arts Gallery (November 2013), The Baobab Cultural Center(August 2013), Art Prize (September 2013)  Gallery Guichard (August 2013) African American Museum of Dallas Texas (April, 2013), Jamaica Performing Arts Center (February 2013), Rush Arts Gallery (October 2012), The WAH Center (October 2012), Gallery Guichard (August & May 2012) and Miami Scope Art Basel (December 2011) as well as international group exhibitions at Agora Gallery (February 2011) and Caelum Gallery (July 2010). She has had solo shows at Jamaica Performing Arts Center (February 2014), Le Grand Dakar (January 2011) and Cape Liberty Gallery (July 2008).