TSSS Art students take study trip to Barbados

With a limited budget, but a well-planned itinerary, a nine-person group of teachers and students from the Thomas Saunders Secondary School (TSSS) departed on Wednesday,12th February, 2014, for an art adventure in Barbados.{{more}}

“We left St Vincent filled with anxiety, as some were scared because this was their first time flying and being away from their families,” the students recalled in a release.

“We arrived safely at the Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados at 10 p.m. We cleared immigration and then we were transported to the Nazarine Camp site in St Phillip, where we would stay for four nights.

“The next morning we were driven to the North-Western parish of St Peter, in the small village of Speightstown to visit the Alexandria Secondary School. We were delightfully greeted by the Principal. We spent the morning meeting and observing students and teachers as they went about their day, teaching/learning and exchanging ideas. We were treated like celebrities, but we were there to learn, to be artistic sponges,” the release said.

“Afterward we met Miss Lindo, one of the teachers from the Visual Arts Department of the school, who gave us a tour. There are three art rooms in the school, each with an assigned art teacher. We were allowed to observe their displays of paintings drawings and fabric work. Then, we were given the opportunity to participate in a tie-dye workshop that was not only fun but also quite educational. We left the compound at 1pm already brimming with artistic ideas.

“We then walked to the Town Center and visited the Caribbean Gallery of Art where we were warmly welcomed by the director of the gallery. We spent the next two hours gazing appreciatively at some extraordinary paintings and crafts created by some renowned Caribbean Painters. We left for the camp site overflowing with inspiration.

“The next day, we visited the Barbados Community College. We were introduced to the director of the Visual Arts Faculty who gave us a tour. We were given the opportunity to interact with students pursuing their Associate and Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts. We observed as these mature students worked on, laid out and exhibited their art pieces in a mature manner. We were truly exhilarated by this experience.

“The afternoon was spent interacting with the Performing Arts group who invited us to view a play they put on that was based on various social issues.

“The trip was more eye-opening and inspiring than we expected it to be. The experience initiated immense growth in all of us from since the day we arrived.

“On the third and final day, we visited and interviewed Ras Akyem Ramsey and we also were afforded the chance to see some of this paintings and sculptures. Later that day, we went to the Barbados Relay Fair to support and cheer on our fellow Thomas Saunders Secondary School athletes as they competed against athletes from some of the tops schools in Barbados.

“After we returned to the camp site, although we were physically tired, we began working on our SBAs using the inspiration that we got from our various visits and meetings.

“We returned home to St Vincent on Sunday 16th February with our minds set on being as creative as possible. Thanks to our teachers, parents and our new experiences we are on our way to developing our portfolios and working towards sitting the CSEC examination in May 2014.”