Edwin Hingwan
THE ART SOCIETY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Corner Jamaica Blvd. and St. Vincent Ave., Federation Park, Port of Spain
NEWSLETTER T H E
P A L E T T E September, 2014
Note from ASTT President Dear Members, What is beauty? As an artist and a collector of art, I am constantly in a world surrounded by the beauty of paintings or photographs which, in their own way, always manage to touch my soul. Over the past three years, the Art Society’s gallery has taken on a life Clayton De Freitas of its own, awaking from its slumber into the dawn of a brand new era of creativity. This new world has manifested itself by becoming a hive of activity, evident by the proliferation of talented artists from all walks of life who have chosen the ASTT gallery to exhibit their beautiful works of art. Notable is the innovation by those art exhibitors, who have taken it upon themselves to transform the gallery using their creative skills to introduce colour to the walls so that their works stand proud with professionalism. The role of the artist/collector is to be measured by the value placed on the arts here in Trinidad and Tobago, the treatment meted out to art and the attitude towards those who create. We, the older ones, must bear the responsibility to nurture and encourage the emerging artists so that their work may rise to a standard expected in the art world both here and abroad. We, the ASTT, promote and encourage the arts in all its forms and I urge that we continue to do this by attending as many exhibitions as possible with a view to offering support to the artists. The ASTT looks forward to continued progression as it moves forward in keeping with the ever changing times of today’s art world. Clayton De Freitas President.
robert Ramkissoon
Anton Hadaway
Exhibitions
Anton Hadaway and Robert Ramkissoon September 19 - 29, 2014 The Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago
Holi Ecstacy
Flight of the Macaw
Salybia Trees
Rio Seco River
multi-panel
Shastri Maharaj Horizons Art Gallery September 23, 2014 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Sandra Dopson Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago Thursday 9th October 2014 7:00pm
Sarah Beckett
101 Art Gallery
Wings of Desire
is seeking suitable works for sale for ‘Precious Paintings 2014’ exhibition. Please contact Mark Perreira at
Opening Gala Friday, October 3, 2014 7:00pm-8:30pm
628-4081or 468-3477 101artgallery.com
Horizons Art Gallery
The East Port of Spain Development Company Limited in association with
the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago
Magnificent Morvant Art Exhibition
25 - 28 September, 2014 Morvant Empowerment Centre (Old Morvant Health Centre) Dos Santos Street Morvant
SILENT ART AUCTION For one day only Saturday, November 1, 2014 Art Society of Trinidad & Tobago Federation Park
B idding starts at 12:00 noon and and closes at 7:00pm
Art News
Recent Exhibitions
Clayton De Freitas
The Absolution
the Whispering
Richard Rampersad
Job
The Forest
No Air
FRAGILE! Handle with care
Citizens for Conservation ROCKS D’ART Citizens for Conservation presents Rocks D’Art, an innovative and unique event, which will take the form of a silent auction featuring unique pieces of art that combine the beauty of nature with the artistic talents of some of the region’s most notable and recognizable artists including Leroy Clarke, Minshall, Harris, Hinkson, Crichlow, Bryden, Beverley Harries, Sundiata, Shawn Peters, Wulf, Barbara Jardine, Sandra Solis, Stuart Hahn, Karen Sylvester, Caroline Williams, Mary Mahon, Shalini, Beckett, Robyn Knaggs, Anthony Timothy, Mairi Millar and C& J Blanc. The result of that coming together is a collection of painted rocks that are one of a kind and a necessary addition to every discerning art lover’s collection or a unique gift for anyone with an appreciation of beauty. The purpose of the auction is to raise funds for use in providing grants to persons who own and inhabit heritage vernacular buildings to assist them in the upkeep of their homes as well as education programmes. Rocks D’Art will be held on October 21st and 22nd in the lobby of Queen’s Hall from 10 am to 6 pm each day. It is not to be missed. For additional information please contact: Christine Millar at oldequeen@yahoo.com or Rosemary Jardine at rosemary.jardine@gmail.com
Plein air - Tobago
Johnathan Smith Designer of the November Members’ Group invitation “I am an 18 year old young-man who is torn between creativity and logic. I am a recent graduate of Hillview College, and have always had a passion for creating pieces of realistic art. I continuously strive to achieve high levels of detail and the greatest visual impact possible. One of my greatest joys is seeing people appreciate my work, especially when they mistake it for a photograph. Creating art is my way of creating a tangible legacy that can be left behind after I depart this life. I most enjoy using black and white because of the contrast and finish that it achieves. I also enjoy using graphite pencils, pens and acrylic paints. Despite having a signature style, I like mixing things up a bit every now and then, especially for social pieces. Aside from the fine arts, I also have a passion and great interest in the realm of graphic design, photography and film-making. One of my proud moments occurred in 2010, when my piece, ‘the Magic of the Monarch, was one of the seven paintings selected by Republic Bank’s ‘Young Artists’ Canvas to the World competition. It is currently displayed in the lobby of the Trincity Branch of Republic Bank and displayed on one of the jetways at Piarco International Airport.”
Inner spaces revealed
Swirling Thoughts and Ideas
By Dr. Marsha Pearce All photographs by Marsha Pearce
Painter Raymond Alexander
Mirror Mirror Tricia Ward
Vibert Medford
Milestones often come with meditation. The Canvas Caribbean artists group fittingly celebrated their tenth anniversary this year with the introspective theme: Inner Spaces. Members of the group approached this overarching concern from both technical and conceptual angles, which for the most part, provided pleasing diversity. The painting “Mirror Mirror,” by Tricia Ward, pictured the theme with the optical effect of reflection. She set up a line or axis in the work, across which an image was remapped. Yet, in comparing the images on both sides of the line, the viewer could find differences. Ward’s piece suggested that the act of reflection or self-analysis could yield transformation. Kathy Farabi’s “Hexagonally” pulled viewers inward though her strategic play with the spatial depth of the canvas. Her use of concentric shapes and varying colour intensities established a sense of movement, allowing the eyes to travel back and forth between visual distances in a way that shattered the two-dimensionality of the surface. Adele Bynoe and Raymond Alexander presented scenes that can be easily overlooked. Bynoe, with her circular canvas, offered a telescopic view of the inner space of a gayelle with its fighting cocks, while Alexander gave access to the personal, mental and emotional space of a workman in his piece entitled “Painter.” If Alexander’s work transcended the physical to sensitively describe interior realities, Vibert Medford pushed the idea of psychological landscapes with his digital art offerings. His densely swirling patterns were thrilling renderings of brainwaves; of thoughts in constant motion and an imagination fired up. The exhibition was an opportunity to see the artists contemplate and share the recesses of the world in which they inhabit. It was also an invitation for viewers to look within themselves. Perhaps more than that, it revealed the group’s heart – their keenness towards art and their sustained courage to support and promote each other. The group show ran from June 8-14, 2014 at the ASTT.
Art Gallery FOLLOWING IS AN AD FOR THE ASTT WEBSITE ONLINE GALLERY.
Wulf Gerstenmaier
Gabriella D’Abreau
the ASTT will now be offering an online gallery on the website. All artists and photographers are invited to submit one piece with the name, the medium, size and price of the artwork. The ASTT’s fee is 25% of the selling price.
Waterloo
Universal Element
“United in prayer and fast, my ancestors hear my soul cry, as I kneel on the temple’s floor” 14” x 12” Oil on paper
24” x 36” Acrylic paint
$8,000.00 (framed)
Tessa Alexander
Shalini Singh
$17,000.00
St. James House
ACRYLIC
16” x 20” Watercolour $5,000.o00
8” x 10” $1,000.00
ART ABOUT with Michiel van Hout
From Here to Eternity: The spiritual journey of Piet Mondriaan (1872-1944)
(2)
(1)
(4)
(3)
Piet Mondriaan with Nelly van Doesburg in Amsterdam
(5)
“What is truth?” The Dutch artist Piet Mondriaan was very familiar with this question, since he was raised in a protestant christian family. Though he grew more and more unsatisfied with the answers of his youth's faith, the question remained important to Mondriaan. In the national art academy in Amsterdam he was educated in realism, the art form that was primarily associated with truth. The closer the artist stays to nature, the more true his work is (1). After finishing the academy, Mondriaan experienced a difficult period, in which he had to work hard to make a living. In that time he joined the left-winged radicals. After some anarchist actions he needed to leave Amsterdam and moved numerous times all over the country. From 1908 his ideas became more peaceful, when he found inspiration in theosophy. This is an esoteric philosophy that tries to find parts of the truth in every religion. In his meditations he came to the idea that abstract compositions are also 'created', even though they are not part of nature itself. This thought was fed when he left the Netherlands in 1911 for Paris, where he got influenced by the pioneers of cubism (2). But for Mondriaan the evolution of abstraction did not stop there. Nature was still inspiring him, but he wanted to come as close as possible to the truth, so he abstracted everything from nature, until he would reach the foundation of things. From 1914 he could no longer stay in Paris because of World War I. Back in the Netherlands he founded the movement 'The Style' with Theo van Doesburg and two other artists. Together they developed the theory and practise of neo-plasticism. “Natural appearances have to be changed, to show nature in a purer form,” as Mondriaan theorized their radical restriction to lines, rectangles and primary colours in their compositions (3). They considered the artist as a more initiated mediator between the beholder and the higher, invisible, cosmic reality. Mondriaan lived as a hermit and worked like an ox, till his hands were blistered and his health failed him. He suffered from pneumonia several times. In 1932 he tried to become a member of the freemasons, but he was rejected, because he did not want to give up his membership of the Theosophical Lodge. Mondriaan kept trying to radicalize his minimalism by reducing the amount of colours and simplifying lines (4). Since Van Doesburg was less radical, their ways separated. Upcoming nazism eventually lead Mondriaan to New York, where he spent the rest of his life. Absorbed in the New York avantgarde he finalized his abstraction, as he got influenced by musical styles as blues and boogie woogie (5). More colour and diversity returned but the breach with nature was now complete. With music he finally reached the eternity he was looking for all his artistic life. His paintings became the complete opposite of realism, but – whether you agree with his truth or not – he showed that you can read more spirituality and peaceful harmony between his lines than you can find in some of the most realistic copies of nature. (1) Shot Hare, 1891 (2) Grey Tree, 1911 (3) Composition with large red square, yellow, black, grey and blue, 1921 (4) Composition with yellow lines, 1933 (5) Victory Boogie Woogie, 1944
ASTT Art Gallery upgrades
Property Manager, Anton Hadaway seeks to further upgrade the ASTT gallery. Next to come...new tracking lights.
ASTT is looking for an engineer/contractor to bid for the job to pave the front area of the building. contact Clayton De Freitas 738-8273
Studio corner
Mary Adam Artist folio12@gmail.com http://maryadam.com
Painting in the Savannah I’ve painted in the Savannah since the 1970s. Som e readers would be too young to remem ber how it was then, with two-way traffic which was a lot slower than it is now. T here wer e frequent m assive traffic jam s in the afternoons when school was out. In those days it was easier to find a place to park for painting, near enough to pack up quickly and reach the car if the r ain came down. I always preferred working on the east side, something about the light, but that hasn’t been possible for many years now unless one walks a long distance loaded down with gear and is prepared for ever ything to be soaked in the event of a downpour. It would be nice if the Ministry would allow artists to drive their cars onto the Savannah, perhaps with special passes and restricted to certain days and times. I often wanted to do that but never did. There is so m uch to enjoy in the Savannah and so m uch to inspire the artist: the fresh air and the open space; the football, the cricket and the rugby that are played there regularly; the trees for their shade and their flowering in season – Poui, Im mortelle, and Queen of Flo wers among others. And then you hav e kite-flying, coconut vendors, the Pitch W alk and joggers. Until recently I usually went on my own. Passers-by would som etimes pause to watch. They might ask a polite question, or say how much they themselves always wanted to draw and paint, and move on. Nobody ever bothered me and it was one of m y favourite things to do. I haven’t been there for a long while though – in fact, come to think of it, since the parking area opposite Frederick Street was blocked off with a barrier. That’s where I used to park. I tend to avoid parking on the road with the high-speed traffic whooshing by. The barrier at the entrance to the Savannah is therefore a deterrent – to me, and to how many oth ers like me? No doubt it was placed there for a reason and deterring artists is an unintended consequence. But it m ay be something that can be addressed and rectified. Perhaps the ASTT can petition the Ministry on behalf of artists? folio12@gmail.com http://maryadam.com
A watercolour of the Savannah, painted from the east side near the St Ann’s roundabout, dated 1977.
ASTT SOCIALS
Art Talk will take place monthly in the Art Society gallery. The next session will be on November 21, 2014 Life Drawing Studio ASTT Monthly LIFE DRAWING class
Once again, we are drawing from a live model through a series of poses. Space is limited, you MUST register to attend. Please bring your easel, drawing board, selection of paper and drawing materials. You can also walk with your own refreshments. Send email to psheppard@artsocietytt.org or text 685-6289. ASTT headquarters. FEE: $40.00 per person (exact change is appreciated. Remember..................... YOU MUST REGISTER! Looking forward to seeing you there every first Wednesday of the month.
Credit Card and ATM facilities The ASTT is now equipped with a point of sales service with facilities for credit card and ATM. One can now do transactions with this facility in mind.
TO NUTURE, PROMOTE, PROTECT AND ADVOCATE FOR VISUAL ARTISTS AND THE VISUAL ARTS IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
http://artsocietytt.org email: admin@artsocietytt.org Clayton De Freitas - artbyclayton.com@gmail.com
Tel: (868) 622-9827