Caribbean Womyn's Art Exhibit

Yesterday, Maya and I travelled to St. George’s to drop off paintings for the up- coming Caribbean Women's Art Exhibition. I am honoured and humbled to be part of this powerful exhibit whose theme "Home and Away" depicts womyn’s stories of home, of distance, of immigrant life, of the womyn in the diaspora, of identity and place. Questions were posed such as, what does it mean to be a female artist in the Caribbean? What does it mean to live or grow up in another place; to build a new life; to return to another home? Questions that guided our visual stories and are presently being gathered in preparation for the Opening March 31st, 2012! Below you will find the poster and write up of the show. If you are in Grenada I hope to see you there! And if not stay tuned for a visual blog on the event!

I also want to give a big Thanks and Praise to Tracey Chan and Stacey Byer, two soul spirit Caribbean artists, whose energy and creativeness have inspired this show and other womyn inspired shows!
Much love, gratitude and respect!









Caribbean Art project and 4Hr Nap Collective will host Women Make Art (WOMA) 2012, “Home & Away”, an art exhibition featuring over 30 women artists from the Caribbean and the diaspora. The show includes emerging and professional Grenadian artists as well as artists from Trinidad, Jamaica, Haiti, Aruba, and the Bahamas and working in Canada, the US, the UK and Germany.

This diverse group of women will share works that have interpreted the theme “Home & Away” in unique ways. Through their use of diverse media: painting, illustration, photography, and mixed media these artists seek to deal with many aspects of the identity and place - of distance, of the working woman, and of life in the diaspora.

Chan says “This year we decided to expand our reach and invite artists from the region to join us. We are not disappointed – we are showing works by some of the region’s top contemporary artists like Olivia McGilchrist (Jamaica) and Florine Demosthene (Haiti/NY).” On the Grenadian art selection, Byer is excited, “We have full range of work – painting, digital art, photography, weaving and metal work, with artists like Malaika Brooks-Smith-Lowe, Cecilia Younger, Géraldine Le Leannec and Kato Charles.” The show will also feature a guest street artist installation outside the Gallery building from Trinidad-based team Pinky and Emigrante.

Caribbean Art project (CAp) has previously hosted exhibitions with prolific Grenadian and international artists. Their mission involves informing, educating, documenting and exhibiting Caribbean artists, building a database, and allowing individual development and sales opportunities, as well as facilitating development in artist and collector communities. Erik Johnson and Meg Conlon direct the organization, and have partnered with 4Hr Nap once more for this show.

4Hr Nap is an art collective that visual artists Stacey Byer and Tracey Chan have created as a framework for creativity, inspiration, exhibition and education. Their vision is to contribute to local and international art communities; create opportunities for Caribbean artists through exhibitions and events; and collaborate with other professional artists and groups. Their talents form a fluid team with dynamic energy that offers fresh, innovative ideas. They have been working together since March 2011, curating Grenada’s first all women art exhibition, Women Make Art (WOMA) and November 2011’s “Paradise”.

The exhibition’s opening reception on Saturday, March 31st is at 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Gallery, Paddock, St. George’s (Springs-Belmont Junction - below Europa). Weekday openings are Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm, Thursday 6-8pm, and weekends, 11am - 5pm or by appointment. The show runs until Saturday 14th April, 2012.