“Someone at my church tested positive for COVID-19…what’s next?”
April 12, 2021
Our common backyard
April 13, 2021
The Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ASTT) celebrates Easter 2021 with an exhibition entitled: ‘Easter Traditions & Religious Art’.
The exhibition opened to the public on Tuesday, March 23 and continues to Friday, April 17 featuring the work of some of the Society’s members, which include new, emerging, and established artists.
During the year, members rent the ASTT Gallery and manage their own exhibitions and Easter has been a time when members choose to work with a religious theme.This year, however, the ASTT did not just have one member artist wanting to display religious works, but many artists responded to the call.
The Curator of the exhibition, ASTT President, Peter Sheppard further expanded the theme to also include Easter traditions in Trinidad and Tobago, as it’s a popular time for friends and families to spend fun times together across the twin-islands.
This exhibition explores some religious themes in a variety of media as well as nostalgic scenes of some favourite pastimes, such as flying kites or a day at the beach.
The show features 57 original works of art done in acrylic, watercolours, oils, guauche, inks, textiles, clay, photography, graphite and even gelatin.
The Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago is the oldest Visual Arts NGO in the Caribbean and invites members from not just the creative community, but the wider public who wish to support the visual arts of Trinidad and Tobago.
Through exhibitions such as this, artists can display their work and sell them to art collectors. Some of them are first-timers, having never shown their work before. It’s platforms such as this and the support of the public, which boosts confidence with the artists.
With support from corporate and private sponsors, the Society can expand its programme to include community outreach, workshops, partnerships, movie nights, En Plein Air outings, life drawing studios, and other visual arts activities.
For information on ‘Easter Traditions & Religious Art’ and the Society’s programmes, call 622-9827 during gallery hours, email admin@artsocietytt.org or visit their Facebook page, facebook.com/artsocietyTT.
Some of the artwork on display
Repentance by Lestra Henry Oil on Canvas 12” x 9 “ This painting is a reminder that prayer is always the way to freedom. Lestra Henry from her home studio she creates work using mainly oils and pencil. Her style is Realism with she tries to create photographic smoothness . She acquired a Diploma in Art from Pen Foster Career School as part of her plan to utilise art in her retirement career.
My Lord is Risen by Petra Berment
Watercolour 22”x16”
When conceptualising this piece Petra thought of Christ’s ascending and His enduring Love and the impossible made possible
Petra is self taught in drawing and pursued a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Fashion Design after establishing herself as the first female Assistant Race horse trainer and youngest, Open Race horse trainer, she also enjoys doing volunteer work and is currently working on reworking this piece on a larger scale for one of the backdrop panels for St. Peter’s R. C church Orange Valley , Couva.
Pieta by Gregory Garcia
Caran D’ache pencils 12” x 8”
Gregory Garcia has worked in the usual mediums oil acrylic watercolour, but now has taken an interest in working in coloured pencils mostly. While he did not study art formally in school he learnt about art by reading books from the public library since he was nine years old.
This piece is a religious work about the lamentation of Christ. The art work is done with artist quality, fade resistant Caran D’ache Luminance 6901colour pencils
Kite Season by David Subran
Oil on Canvas 15 x 18
Kite flying continues to be and important Easter Tradition
David Subran is an artist who retrieves memories of the past that were pleasurable and uses paintings to share them with viewers. He was awarded the President’s Challenge Trophy award in the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago’s November Exhibition in 2020
See Me Flying High by Wendy P-A
Mixed Media 8”x8” and kite tales
Born and raised in Port of Spain Wendy P-A is passionate about her creative endeavours, although her craving for colouring fabric using various techniques persist, this “passion to paint” now takes on a life of its own weaving threads across different media and styles whilst the artist in her seeks to find one voice which takes second place to helping other upcoming T&T artist gain the exposure they deserver.
This mixed media piece the Artist Wendy P-A had fun letting her imagination out of the box and off the canvas to create this original whimsical piece that would add great delight to the décor of any children’s room. “Just for fun see me fly across the walls”
The Curatorial Team
The Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago
