College Graduates Art Exhibition begins

by J. Soso-Vincent 25.JULY.08

Art appreciation in St Vincent and the Grenadines may not be on par with that in other islands but if the artwork on display in the Community College Graduates Art Exhibition, at the Alliance Française, is anything to go by, Vincentians are bound to cultivate a healthy appetite for the visual world of Art and Design.{{more}}

At the Exhibition launch last Thursday, July 17th, patrons were treated to a delightful presentation of varying artistic styles, complete with the opportunity to interact with the young artists and learn about the journeys that lead them to creating their pieces.

In her opening remarks, Head of the Art Department Vonnie Roudette had nothing but praise for her students. “These youngsters express what is alive and conscious within society. They make it visible!” she enthused. Roudette stated that Vincentians should be proud of what the graduates have achieved and give them kudos for doing so in such a relatively brief period of time. She further boasted of the self-improvement that she has witnessed in all her students over the years, thanks to the 2-year Art and Design course.

The Community College graduates who have their work on display include Akley Olton, Karen De Freitas-Fraser, Amanda Frederick, Marsha Cadougan, Narissa Ballantyne, Shonette Bynoe and Shanelle Bascombe.

Twenty-year-old Akley Olton currently teaches at St Martin’s Secondary and has a passion for nature and the environment, something he explicitly expresses in the majority of his art work. A fan of Monet, Olton intends to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art, specialising in Film and eventually forge a career in Marketing. Initially, he was determined to go into Accounting but: “…the artist in me just wouldn’t allow that!” He believes that his paintings have helped him to develop as a person, and enabled him to express himself and have a better appreciation of his surroundings.

Art Teacher Shonette Bynoe is quiet and unassuming. She is hoping to travel to Cuba next year to study Graphic Art. The 20-year-old admires the work of Surrealist artists such as Frida Kahlo and Marc Chagall, and, from her time at Community College, even considers her work to be of a Surrealist nature, too. More interestingly, Bynoe has a newfound appreciation of the colour orange – courtesy of all the preparatory work she did on one of her exhibition pieces. Prior to that, it was a colour that she detested.

Currently unemployed, 19-year-old Narissa Ballantyne highly regards the work of Picasso and other Cubist artists. Ever since she was a child, Ballantyne related that she has always had a fascination with geometrical shapes. Although currently displaying her paintings, she has found that her interests have more shifted to photography. Ballantyne is planning to study Communication Studies in Canada or Barbados next year, but she is also interested in journalism, music and photography. “Everyone says you can’t bunch the three in one…” but she is determined to do just that.

Intending to pursue a career in Architectural Technology at City University NY, 19-year-old Marsha-Ann Cadougan currently works at the National Commercial Bank. In her free time, she is a freelance artist. For those who think that Science and Arts are like oil and water, then this young graduate will prove them wrong, for she successfully studied both Science and Arts at Community College. Cadougan is of the firm opinion that it is important for artists to get into other fields that they can lend their creativity to. She also believes that art appreciation here is not where it should be at the moment. “…the reception is not where we would wish it to be but it’s getting there.”

Amanda Frederick is a stylish 20-year-old who currently does odd jobs and other little art-related pursuits, and has successfully sold much of her artwork to individuals. It is her aim to attend an Art College in either Canada or Jamaica. Frederick greatly admires the work of Vincent Van Gogh – clearly evident from the way she waxed lyrical about his brushstrokes and vivid use of colour. She pinpoints her grandmother as being her main inspiration because she spent so much of her childhood with her. Furthermore, she related that her grandmother has always been supportive of her work and encourages her to improve.

Yet another bright young star is 19-year-old Karen De Freitas-Fraser. Ever since she was 11 years old, her goal has been to become a successful Fashion Designer. As there are no Fashion Design courses offered in SVG, her only option was to take up the Art and Design course at Community College. Fraser cites her favourite artist as Paul Gauguin. Currently a French teacher, she recently returned from a 6-month French course in Martinique. In spite of initial objection by her mother, she still maintains her fashion design ambitions, and believes that the course has done nothing but refine her talents.

Initially, 20-year-old Shanelle Bascombe viewed Art as nothing more than a hobby of hers because she was told that it wouldn’t make for a good career. When she got to college, however, she realised that Art could lead to many successful forms of employment. Currently, Bascombe is studying Art in Cuba and says that she is thoroughly enjoying the experience and the culture. Ultimately, she would like to use her degree to teach Art in schools, and she also has a keen interest in producing sculptures. On the subject of art appreciation in SVG, she is of the opinion that: “… people are warming to Art!”

The Vincentian public are encouraged to patronise the event and witness for themselves the impressive work that these rising stars have produced – even in the face of adversity.