“The Nature of Belonging” 53 essays on Vincy life

The Curator’s house at the Botanic Gardens was the setting for the unveling of creativity last Wednesday as artist and lecturer Vonnie Roudette launched her book “The Nature of Belonging.”{{more}}

Roudette also launched a series of paintings inspired by the moon cycle depicting the ‘’spiritual in art and nature.”

Speaking at the launching ceremony, fellow author Dr. Jules Ferdinand endorsed Roudette’s book stating that there is something in it for everyone. The young, he said, can learn about the life of long ago: “the good old days”; the old, he added, can read and reminisce on their past.

He declared that students and personel from the Ministry of Education should have a copy of the book as it inspriational, and speaks about present day issues.

A compilation of 53 essays; Roudette’s book relates the observations of island life during her 18 years in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“These (essays) are really about all of us. They tell of the community of which we are all a part,” Roudette said.

Roudette, who shared her experience living in St. Vincent, spoke about when she had just arrived and others’ perception of her.

Roudette said that she came to the island to expose her two children to the island life, “the intangible cultural magnetism” that she had been exposed to. She explained that others often wondered what she was running away from by coming to the small island of St. Vincent and often referred to her as crazy.

Roudette further described the many persons whom she encountered and the experiences that she had.

She expressed that our characters are permeable, that we live through each other and are invested through each other.

Her paintings, she added, depicts drawings of nature in the moonlight. She described them as abstract, and meditation figures that provide a get away into peace and harmony.

Gary Peters, fellow artist, also shared his experience with Roudette who he says motivated him as an artist.

The lauching ceremony also included poetry written and performed by Roudette’s students and friends.(OS)