Watchmen of Our Heritage by De Carla Applewhaite

Watchmen of Our

Heritage

An Exhibition of Works of Art by Art Educators in Secondary Schools Sunday, January 20 to Friday February 1, 2013 The Art Gallery Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus

FOREWORD

trict guardians of our heritage, firm craftsmen of our fate.”

This most intriguing metaphor by Mr. Irving Burgie, lyricist of our national anthem, encapsulates the mission of the Barbadian artist and art educator. The Keeper… the Sentinel … the Watchman … charged with the mandate to observe, protect and serve. Amidst the ever changing perception of the role of the artist and art educator, that of preserving the culture and mores of a society are paramount. The creation of visual records, illustrating the life and times of the Barbadian people are the pillars of the preservation of our heritage.

Watchmen of Our Heritage introduces the works of the, ‘bedrock of the creative arts in Barbados’. This rare encounter, witnesses the engagement of skill, talent and creativity, in some extraordinary ‘participatory research’ from some of the artists in the Barbadian teaching fraternity. Seventeen art educators from the island’s public Secondary Schools collaborate on a mission, quite unlike the pedagogical demands of their profession. This exhibition is a glimpse into the world of the artist … the educator.

Althea Wood Curator

FROM THE EBCCI The Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination (EBCCI) on the eve of the anniversary of Cave Hill Campus’ Fiftieth Anniversary celebrations and on the heels of Barbados’ celebration of Fifty Years of Free Public Education is pleased to present Watchmen of Our Heritage, a tribute to education in the arts. This art exhibition features the work of art educators from the cross section of secondary schools in Barbados and as the EBCCI continues to provide leadership in the arts, it moves to fulfill its mission by providing the platforms and opportunities to serve the needs of the arts and creative community. We welcome and embrace our artistic community through offering our diverse resources to create a truly interdisciplinary creative hub with the aim to incubate, elevate and ignite Caribbean inquisition, appreciation, identity and culture through exhibition, performance and study of the arts. To

christen

the

novel

collection

secondary

school

art

educators,

Watchmen of our Heritage, speaks wholeheartedly to the role the arts play in our society and it is no surprise therefore, that we commence this celebratory season with a longstanding artform which we are all drawn to in our youth, whether or not we display the long term aptitude to create truly fine art. It is uncanny that such early expression and inspirations or scribbles, illustrate poignantly, how important creativity really is to the human existence and how important it is to be included in our formal learning.

Our mandate is to edify, exemplify and personify through the arts; this exhibition embodies our mission as we celebrate those who have made the sacrifice to further nourish the guild of artists. How fortunate we are to have muses, as we artists are known, to guide those who share the talent, to extend the artistic annals. The EBCCI , as the Cave Hill Campus’ Creative Arts Centre, strongly affirms that art, culture and ideas play a significant role in the forging of a nation’s identity and the socialisation process. We as an arts centre, avow that art speaks to a society’s sense of self and being and helps it to navigate its future qualitatively and quantitatively while simultaneously embodying the important roles of preservation of values and heritage, empowerment and community expression. To this end, as we ourselves educate through art, we acknowledge those who have nurtured and inspired the young talent that may enter our halls. Educators of the Arts, Watchmen of Our Heritage, is a salute to you and an inspiration to us all.

De Carla Applewhaite Producer Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination 3

HAZEL ALLEYNE My name is Hazel Alleyne, I was educated in Barbados at the Belmont Primary School, Lynch's Secondary School and the Barbados Community College. I always enjoyed creating art and realized I had a natural ability. This natural affinity steered me to pursue studies in art at the Barbados Community College. There I received an Associate Degree in Graphic Design. After graduating, I went on to teach Visual Art at the Deighton Griffith School. Whilst teaching there, I returned to the Barbados Community College and read for the Bachelor of Fine Arts, where I focused on sculpture. I have participated in many art exhibitions both regionally and internationally.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sculpture occupies the same space we do. It has beauty, solidity and strength. How it is formed communicates timelessness and, it has its own personality. It gives a sense of permanence and has a beautiful way of showing the coexistence of opposing concepts or ideas. The hardness of the stone conveying the softness and subtle curves of the female form. My limestone sculptures are semi-abstract and convey the concept of inner struggle. The sculptures symbolically represent the female form and her attitude and manner in dealing with the challenges and hardships of life. She is vulnerable but shows strength and power. My intention is to cause viewers to think about the struggles of life, and stress the fact that it is of the utmost importance how they deal with them.â&#x20AC;? Hazel Alleyne

'Resolve' symbolizes the journey into the struggle that women experience, the twisting movement suggests this. Women of all ages experience struggles at some time, it could be struggles against prejudices, policies, discrimination etc. My work stresses the kind that is fought in the mind, heart and through emotions. The sculptures show the strength of the woman, her resilience and her power in the face of adversity. Resolve 21" x 10 " x 9.5 " Limestone

'Mother and Child' represents the quiet struggle of single mothers in the protecting and resisting of negative influences that can destroy. The hands reflect support and strength in conflict and expresses the caring instinct of the female. It shows triumph of the spirit through experience. This is not to suggest weakness but an inner strength that is echoed by the quality and durability of the limestone. Mother and Child. 21" x 15 " x 9.5 " Limestone

RICHARD T. ALLEYNE “I believe there is nothing more aesthetically pleasing than nature; in all its grandeur it is a source of spirituality and inspiration for man. The Barbadian landscape has therefore become the visual metaphor through which I create my surrealistic expressions of Barbados‟ history and its people.” Richard T Alleyne

Born September 29 1969, my early childhood education was received at the St. Boniface Primary before moving on to the Coleridge and Parry School. At the Barbados Community College, after successfully achieving „A, Levels in Science and Art , I began formally pursuing Fine Art and successfully completed the Associate Degree in Applied Arts: Art Education in 1994, followed by the Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999. I complemented my Arts Educator training with the Diploma in Education in 2006 and the Certificate in Educational Management and Administration in 2010 at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus. Since leaving the Barbados Community College, I have exhibited as a professional artist in many galleries around Barbados. I was awarded by the Barbados Community College for outstanding two (2) dimensional works and by N.I.F.C.A in painting. I am an art teacher at the Coleridge and Parry School.

This painting seeks to engage the viewer in conversation, there is a sense of foreboding, to be welcoming yet restrained. It is you, it is me, the visitor, the stranger in the street, we welcome everyone but our actions as a people are conservative.

How do you do ? Acrylic on canvas 30 x 36 inches

A historical journey of our past, our removal from Africa, to the arrival to these shores. The plight of suffering as through a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x;s eyes, being uprooted from one way of life to the brutality of the plantation struggles.

Forgotten Footsteps Acrylic on canvas 30 x 36 inches

IRENE BANFIELD

“ My Art

will see me through.”

Irene Banfield is a visual arts teacher with over 27 years experience. She is well versed in the use of a variety of styles and media, prominent among which are lino, mixed media and acrylics. However, she has been quite successful with pyrography. Much of her work visually records vanishing aspects of Barbadian life. Banfield has exhibited locally and internationally. Her most memorable shows were the 8th World Triennale of Small Prints, France in 2009; Barbadiana in Brussells in 2008; The Connection, a travelling exhibition in South Carolina in 2007. She has also exhibited at Zemicon Art Gallery (B‟dos) – Art for Export in November 2007; the 2006 Expo in London; the 2006 Biennale de Miniature, Quebec; finalist at the 2006 7th World Triennale of Small Prints, France; competing with over 460 international artists; the 2005 Contemporary Art Exhibition – A New Generation, London; the Barbados Miniature Art Association‟s 2005 and 2003 group exhibitions. She exhibits with The Barbados Arts Council and the Festival Art Gallery. She is presently Head of the Visual Arts Department at the Darryl Jordan Secondary School, formerly, St. Lucy Secondary School.

These Fields and Hills 8” x 10” Mixed Media

When The Oceans Rise and Thunders Roar 8” x 10” Mixed Media

Behind Every Dark Cloud 8” x 10” Mixed Media :

Morning Has Broken 8” x 10” Mixed Media

LETA BLACKMAN Leta Blackman is a trained artist and specialist teacher who holds a BFA and a MA in History and Heritage Studies. She specializes in acrylic painting, printing, drawing, ceramics, leather craft and textile design. Most of her work focuses on nature, the landscape, heritage, artifacts and religion. She has exhibited extensively and has played an active role in the development of the Art Education Curriculum in Barbados. Leta is presently the acting Head of the Visual Arts Department at St. George Secondary School.

Going at the Pinnacle 6” x 6” x 12” Ceramics ( Coiled and wheel thrown)

The Four Stages 8” x 8” x 20” Ceramics (Slab, coiled and wheel thrown

SUSAN ALLEYNE FORDE

Susan Alleyne Forde was born in England, to Barbadian parents. Although the first ten years of her life were spent in Canada, she has spent the remainder of it mostly in Barbados. Susan was educated at the Ontario College of Art University in Canada where she majored in Advertising/ Illustration. Despite her choice as a major, she was always drawn to the fine art. Her favourite medium is oil paint, though she frequently works in acrylic. Susanâ&#x20AC;&#x;s real passion lies in rendering the human figure (this includes portraits), but the themes depicted in her work are varied. This award winning artist has exhibited in Canada, The United States Virgin Islands, England and Barbados. Her work has found homes all over the world through The Camille Pissarro Art Gallery (St. Thomas V.I.), The Waterfront CafĂŠ, The Gallery of Caribbean Art, Pelican Gallery, Atlantis Hotel, Tides Art Gallery, On the Wall Gallery & The Bridgetown Art Gallery. Currently she is a teacher at The Combemere School. Susan lives with her husband and three children.

The Banana Woman 26”x22” Acrylic on Canvas

The Baptism 26”x22” Acrylic on Canvas

NATALIE J. ATKINS -HINDS BFA BCC, MA Cultural Studies UWI , Dip. Ed. (UWI-Erdiston) Dist. Visual Arts Teacher, Queen‟s College, Barbados

“Cultural Theorists Stuart Hall, defines the term Representation as “the production of meaning through language.” Art is a language. In this regard, art becomes my personal language that stands as a symbolic representation of my thoughts. My most recent reflections are embedded in unraveling and defining meanings that consider the Historical and Cultural Constructs that are manifested today as consequences of The Barbadian Colonial Regime. This journey has also taken me on a personal discourse which considers the Constructs of Beautiful Hair within Barbadian Social, Cultural and Historical Space. Many meanings can be unraveled with regard to how black women‟s hair is (re)presented and viewed by themselves and by others in our society. Historical documentation suggests white beauty aesthetics were used as one measuring tool to differentiate and categorize black women as being inferior to whites. E.g. The Painting series “I want a Pony Tail” and “Hair and the Politics of Identity” To this end the aesthetic issue of black women and their hair has long been a peripheral discourse standing as one of many building blocks formed on the plantation and used to maintain a “larger” oppressive agenda constructed by a colonial regime.”

Natalie Atkins-Hinds

Hair and The Politics of Identity Mixed Media 36”x48”

Natalie has exhibited extensively both locally and regionally. She has been the recipient of the prestigious Central Bank of Barbados, Governor‟s Award , in 2006 and 2010. Natalie is presently a visual arts teacher at Queen‟s College.

UN (Told) 20” x 36” Mixed Media

I want a Ponytail 2- Crowning Glory Mixed Media 36”x48”

WAYNE HINDS BFA BCC, MA Cultural Studies UWI “ Should a day go by without me doing something related to Art, I would have neglected something essential to my existence; I would have left this shell that I occupy. “ Wayne Hinds

Wayne Hinds is a Barbadian Artist and Educator who has exhibited extensively, both locally and internationally. With several awards under his belt, Wayne, has managed to competently balance the „artist‟ and the „educator‟. He is currently Head of the Visual Arts Department at the Alexandra School. Musings of the artist… “Creation mirrors life Creation equals life Life is creation I live…. I create ….I live to create As humans we are capsuled by mortality, but as artist we can soar beyond the confinements of this shell, and live infinitely through our work. 2006 Consciousness expresses itself through creation: Undoubtedly the greatest creations are those that don‟t fizzle in the twinkle of an eye,……………………….. they endure. Artist die……………………………….. Art lives on. This world, the creators‟ masterpiece remains,………..… Art. This is the apogee of an Artist, ……… subsequently……… MY QUEST. 2005

Out in the Open Drawing Colour pencils and Pastels 34”x 20”

I Gotta Leaf Drawing Colour pencils and Pastels 34”x 20” 17

KERRY-ANNE HOLDER â&#x20AC;&#x153;The process of producing art assists me in channeling my thoughts in a direction which makes sense. I envisage myself as being central, surrounded by a plethora of situations which I analyze. Therefore, the work which I produce may encompass one general theme, but shows further insight into the myriad of methodologies in which various situations are perceived objectively.â&#x20AC;? Kerry-Anne Holder Kerry-Anne Holder completed her secondary education at the Grantley Adams Memorial School and has been teaching at her alma mater for the past six years. Throughout her educational life, she developed a love and passion for Art. She gained the Cambridge Advance Level Certificate in Art and Design in 2002, at the Grantley Adams Memorial School. At the Barbados Community College in 2004, she received an Associate Degree in Applied Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2006. In 2009 she received a Certificate in Advance Dressmaking from the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic and in 2011 a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) with a Distinction in Practice of Education in Visual Art. Her love and passion for art extends into the general community; in 2003 and 2004 she worked summers as an Art Instructor at the Gall Hill Library. She has taught at the Ellerslie Secondary School and is currently one of the creative and talented Art teachers of the Grantley Adams Memorial School, where she teaches Art from 1st Form to CXC level.

Greener Pastures Lino cut on paper (12” x 11”)

The term "greener pastures", traditionally suggests an improved standard of living. Therefore, the hand is symbolic of a watchman on the path of convincing others of this. Here the image of the chattel house, which carries the meaning of a small moveable wooden house, is seen being tugged by the strict hand, which is determined to promote transformation .

Based on the exhibition's theme, "Watchmen of Our Heritage", I sought to focus on the term "watchmen". A watchman can be defined as one who guards or protects. This piece deals with the preservation of Barbados' historical structures and highlights three of them; the Clock Tower, which is a part of the Barbados Garrison, now known as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Gun Hill Signal Station and the newly restored Morgan Lewis Sugar Mill. The latter two are preserved by the Barbados National Trust, and can be interpreted as representations of „watchmen‟. In this piece, these structures are seen resting in a cask. A cask is known for its ability to preserve rum. This image therefore suggests that the structures are now being positioned in the cask to be preserved and after preservation, they are now ready to be displayed for everyone to view. Cask of Architecture, History and Ecology Lino cut on paper (12.1” x 6.6”)

PAMELA LEWIS

Pamela Lewis is an award winning artist. Her achievements include fourteen awards in the NIFCA and Crop Over Exhibitions; among them the Central Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Purchase Award and the UNESCO Award for the Emancipation of Slavery. She has studied in Barbados and Canada, and holds a BFA degree from the Barbados Community College. She has been a teacher at The St. Michael School for over thirty years

" My work reflects the combining of my passion for various art forms, love of nature and culture. Each piece is designed to capture a part of our heritage and tell a specific story. I strive to communicate aspects of Caribbean social life and culture that inspire me to push the boundaries of the medium to create a dynamic work of art. I enjoy using local imagery and elements of the past symbolically, connecting them with the present to reflect both culture and heritage." Pamela Lewis

Last Joint Ceramic Sculpture 19” x 11” x 15”

Bajan Heritage Clay on Wood 28” x 19” 21

Source of Survival Ceramic Sculpture 29” x 12” x 12”

Changing Faces Ceramic Sculpture 19” x 12” x 12”

WENDY LEWIS Wendy Lewis is currently the Head of the Art Department at the Deighton Griffith School. She has exhibited at Sherbourne Centre, N.I.F.C.A, and the Bridgetown Gallery. Her work is in private collections including that of the former Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right Honourable Owen Arthur. Wendy Lewis holds a BFA from the Barbados Community College, an MBA in Educational Management and Administration and MEd. from the University of Leicester, UK. She is currently reading for the Doctor of Education at the University of Durham, UK) Wendy‟s Awards include Best Overall Secondary School Art Teacher in the Wibisco Centennial Art Competition 2010. “ I have been carving in wood for over ten years. When carving in wood, each piece of work has its own personality as it develops so I therefore put my heart into creating them. My themes are inspired by the environment around me and so my sculptures for the most part are of flowers. These I carve in either Cedar or Mahogany. I find carving flowers to be of particular interest because I want the viewer to experience the delicate beauty of nature portrayed in an untraditional way.” Wendy Lewis

Rose Wood Carving 61cms x 51cms

Ginger Lily Wood Carving 59cms x 51cms

FAY MARTINDALE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I consider art to be a way of life, a state of being, a different way of seeing and interpreting the world around me. Art provides a channel through which I transcend the mere physical and operate at a higher level of consciousness and experience a connection with the creator. Essentially art is for me an act of worship.â&#x20AC;? Fay Martindale

Fay received her early education at the Sharon Primary and The Alleyne School. Art has always captivated her and from an early age, she had the desire to be an artist. Her love of art led her to studies in art at the Barbados Community College where she pursued the Associate Degree in Art Education. On completion, Fay joined the teaching fraternity and has since taught at The Alleyne School, St. George Secondary and The Lodge School. Over the years, Fay has further honed her talent through continual training opportunities which have contributed to her versatility as a Visual Arts teacher. Fay has participated in various exhibitions locally and internationally.

Rituals Acrylic on Canvas 28” x 38”

Ritual Dance Acrylic on Canvas 34” x 42” 25

Spirit Dance Acrylic on Canvas 24‟ x 36”

ROSEMARY PILGRIM

“ I am always stimulated and energized by the process of playing with ideas through line, shape, colour and tone. I love creating images. I gather my inspiration from the ordinary reality of being a woman… living my life in the physical and emotional environment that surrounds me. My life is both extremely simple and deliciously complex.. full of facets, layers and moving patterns. But these are underpinned by a variety of constants. The orientation of gender is one such constant, a very specific filter to the life force that surrounds me. Nature is another constant… it always beckons and intrigues… especially the aspects of it that exist close to my own front door. My own human issues and nature’s patterns often intertwine. Human form melts into the forms of nature; or nature stands as a metaphor for humanity. All of these layers exist in my images.” Rosemary Pilgrim is Jamaican born, but grew up in Barbados. Her studies in Visual Art began in earnest in 1974 at the Barbados Community College under the tutelage of Joyce Daniel. She gained her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Mount Allison University, Canada. She has participated in many exhibitions, both nationally and internationally, and on two occasions has won the Central Bank Purchase award in Crop-Over exhibitions. She is currently Head of the Visual Arts Department at the St. Michael School.

Garden Notebook page5 20” x 24” Mixed Media

Paper doll - Encased in Lace 20” x 38” Mixed Media Linocut 27

Our Sister, Ourselves 20” x 20” Paint & Mixed Media

Paper doll - Island Girl 20” x 38 Mixed Media Linocut

JOYCE ROACH Joyce Roach is an Art teacher at the Lester Vaughan School and the acting Head of the Visual Arts Department. As a trained teacher with over 30 years teaching experience she brings a vast wealth of knowledge and experience to the cultural and artistic profession. She is a graduate the Barbados Community College with an Associate Degree in Art Education, with Distinction - 1992. She also completed the Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Barbados Community College in 2000. She is a practising artist and has taken part in a number of group exhibitions across the island. She has won numerous awards at NIFCA. She was a founding member of the Barbados Miniature Fine Arts Society in 2000 and completed in the Salle Augustin-ChĂŠnier, BiĂŠnnale Internationale D'art Miniature Exhibition, Canada in 2000.

My paintings are inspired by my study of African Art and more significantly African women. I was always fascinated with the black woman and how they carry themselves whether they are working in the fields, dressed for an occasion or just being supportive of each other. The black canvases help to add to the mystique of women and their complex nature which men find difficult to comprehend. Joyce (Miriam) Roach

Soul Sisters is a representation of the close bond which exists between some proud, graceful black women. It is also representational of their striking beauty and artistic nature especially in showing their assets.

Soul Sisters Acrylic on Canvas 24” x 30”

Sande Women Acrylic on Canvas 35” x 45”

This painting depicts the formal interaction of women of the Sande Society of Sierra Leone Africa as they prepare their young women for the passage into womanhood. A striking feature of the ceremony is the „Bondo Mask‟ which was commissioned and worn by a female member of a Sherbro-Mende woman's Sande society in Sierra Leone. The Sande society is responsible for the instruction of young girls into adulthood. This process occurs in the forest under the guidance of senior Sande members and Bondo nature spirits. Once taught basic female values and trained for marriage, domestic life, and religious, economic, and political pursuits, the girls are integrated back into the village as women. On this occasion they are accompanied by masqueraders wearing masks such as this one.

GAIL POUNDER-SPEEDE Hi my name is Gail Antonia, Gracelyn Pounder-Speede and I was born in Barbados. I am a professional artist and creative educator. In 1994 and 1998 respectively I attained an Applied Associate Degree in Fine Art and the Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts with Honours. In 2005 I was awarded an Advanced Certificate in Education Management from the University of Leicester in England. In 2007 I received a Post Graduate Diploma in Education and Leadership. In 2011, after much ado, I successfully completed a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies (critical thinking) from the University of West Indies. I am currently a practising professional artist with two solo exhibitions under my belt and have collaborated in many international and national exhibitions. I am a teacher but I like to refer to myself as a creative educator. This is because it is my belief that each child has a gift that requires what I call a “creative nudge” that will enable them to unravel their individual uniqueness. I am currently working on several art works depending on the exhibition, but primarily working on a large body of work titled the alphabet series. It is my hope that this work once it is completed will lead to a third solo show and add to continuous advancement. I am presently a visual arts teacher at Harrison‟s College.

Formation 30

Naissance

The connection and life

Artist Statement: 1998-2001: phase : the pain.

Palm Tree Syndrome II Permanent seal 2a 28”x36” Mixed Media

Alphabet Series: B is for Betrayal 36”x42” Mixed Media

My Art is moody. It reflects my past, present and future. The pieces move in and out of each other to create an inter-play of music and dance. My pieces relate to each other, forming an environmental installation; a soft passionate painful journey into the heart of a life. The art may exist on it’s own, for it will have its own story, yet the different pilgrimages create a scrap book of travels. The journey continues with each new horizon. 2002-2008 phase : the love My art remains moody but it is now trapped in a maze of uncertainty .The journey has matured. The hope of the future is clear but seems unattainable. She must fight the battle and win and let not a mortal put asunder. Images, words and sounds have shifted my art mania and I think this journey will be a most exciting voyage. 2009-until phase 3: the family My art has evolved. It seems to hint at social issues that concern me, yet these issues are trapped in a world because my life experiences and desires are the vessels that chain my art. They appear to be chained to socially accepted norms which are symbolized by the Eurocentric motif of power and plantation glory of palm tree. 2011-until: alphabet series MY words are ALL.

DON JUNIOR SMALL Don Junior Small… fine artist...sculptor...educator. He has exhibited extensively both locally and internationally and has had residencies in both North and South America. His many awards include the Governor General‟s Award of Excellence in 2005. He holds a BFA (Hons.) from the Barbados Community College and is presently a visual arts teacher at the Frederick Smith Secondary School. “As a visual artist, I am blessed with the gift to impress upon the future generations, making my own mark on history’s page. I am blessed with a vision that no one else has. I use my blessings to document through my paintings, my true authentic cultural heritage and experiences. I offer a vivid glimpse of the past so that the future generations will have a visual experience of my boyhood days living in the rural parish of St. Andrew and also, to re-create a culture that has died.” Don Small

Feeling for a Bite 1 Acrylic on Canvas 16”x20”

Checking the Bait Acrylic on Canvas 20”x24”

Feeling for a Bite 2 Acrylic on Canvas 16”x20” 33

Feeling for a Bite 3 Acrylic on Canvas 16”x20”

JOHN W. F. WALCOTT

For me, True Art is an expression or a reflection of life itself; with all its beauty, tragedies, love, hate, lessons, questions, prejudices, journeys, interpretations, misinterpretations, all open for interpretation. It is timeless and should always be relevant at any time in history. When I am creating a work, whether on canvas, in three D, in song, the written word or the spoken word, it is mine to have and to hold, to alter or destroy, to breathe life into, or to take it away. I, along with my sources of influence reinforced by my divine authority, have the ultimate authority over it. When it‟s completed and I release it out there, it is now shared to the world. What I think is no longer relevant. This is not to say that I wouldn‟t defend any of my works as if they were my own children, because ultimately they are. But I always think of the artists who created works centuries ago. We are not able to talk with them yet their work speaks volumes. What you, the viewer, feel, don‟t feel or bring to the painting matters most even if it conflicts with what I, the artist, had intended to convey to you. To me that‟s more exciting. The painting or work should speak for itself; if I have to explain it to you for it to impact you, it‟s weak. If it doesn‟t make you stop and pounder, marvel at its beauty, or make you cringe or buckle in pain, make you uncomfortable, make you fantasize or gnaw at your five senses, its worth nothing. My ultimate aim is to become the consummate artist of world class. JOHN W.F. WALCOTT (BFA Hons.)

Considered by many as a National Treasure, this multitalented Barbadian is not only a popular television personality, but is also a trained teacher, Writer, Producer, Actor, and Director of many short plays and television commercials. As a Fine Artist of 30 years, he specialises in oil on canvas and prefers to explore themes which tell the story of our rich Barbadian culture. This BA (Hons.) graduate in Fine Arts of the Barbados Community College, adores painting both urban and rural landscape, and has a passion for rendering the human figure, particularly the female form. John exhibited widely both locally and internationally with private and corporate collections spanning the globe. As a seasoned actor this gentleman has thrilled audiences at home and abroad with rib ticking comedy and thought provoking theatrical pieces, working under the direction of the genius of the late Earl Warner, Ken Crosby and Thomas Cross.

Old Bedford Cane Truck, 36 X 24 Oil on Canvas (R)

Old Cheapside 36 X 24 Oil on Canvas

Turro The International Musical Maestro and Son of the Soil Acrylic on Canvas 37 X 27

Blondey 2 (R) 27 X 36 Oil on Canvas

RONO WEEKES “Exist in fullness, Embrace life and love.” Everything I have experienced and that has or has not occurred, led me to this present stage of my creative journey. I find myself, a mere silhouette of what I truly believe my being to be, hence I have embarked on a quest seeking to grasp my real existence and full potentiality. Rono Weekes Rono's work explores and expresses bold colour within Nature, Life and Relations … between Women and Men. He is the consummate artist and lives and breathes his art. Rono is a trained graphic and fine artist, and is currently a visual arts teacher at Deighton Griffith School.

Improvisation 3 Vol. 3 Oil Pastel on Black Paper 8.5” x 9”

Improvisation 1 Vol. 3 Oil Pastel on Black Paper 8.5” x 9”

Improvisation 2 Vol. 3 Oil Pastel on Black Paper 8.5” x 9”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with any major project, you need the encouragement and support of those around you. I am blessed to have an extremely supportive family, who allowed me the long hours and late nights needed to fulfill the demands of the project. Without the vision and foresight of the Director of the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Professor Gladstone Yearwood and his team of programme coordinators, this project would not have been possible. My sincere thanks is expressed to the Producer and Executive assistant to the Director, Ms. De Carla Applewhaite, for her guidance on the project, not to mention her editorial skill and dexterity. Special thanks also to the Administrative Staff of the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, Mrs. Frances Hinds Griffith and Ms Nicole Pinder, and the Manager of the Centre Mrs. Carla Springer Hunte. I am grateful to Ms. Paula Mascoll and the technical team of the Errol Barrow Centre for preparing the gallery space and ensuring that the exhibition would be seen in its „best light‟ and for their technical consult in the hosting of this exhibition and complementary events. My continual gratitude is extended to the visual arts teachers who shared the vision and gave their wholehearted support. By extension, I also thank the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, without whose support „Watchmen of Our Heritage‟ would not have been possible. Finally, my sincere thanks to the graphic design team of Mr. Jehroum Wood and Ms. Cheri Gajadhar for their contribution in the design and lay-out of this catalogue. .Thank you all for making „Watchmen of Our Heritage‟ a reality.

ÂŠ 2013 Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus

Cover Design Graphics: Jehroum Wood Cover Layout: Cheri Gajadhar Design and Production: Althea Wood