The ArtFRESH Sweet 15 in their own words (Part 11)

Ruth Howard, Arts & Education Writer

They're the 15 faces being heralded by The Mutual Gallery and Art Centre Ltd as the promising posterity of Jamaican art. This year's ArtFRESH exhibition winners have met the criteria for being creatively authentic and committed to their art careers. Today, nine of them share their thoughts on their pasts, present, and futures in art.

• Rohan Cargill - 'Inspired by art'

Age: 41

Exhibit piece: 'Jackfruit'

Did you choose art or did art choose you?: I started my art career in 1985. I started doing art because I was inspired by other artists and their work. It was as if art had chosen me from the early parts of my life.

How hard/easy is it to be successful in art in today's economy?: Art is my only means of income as it is my life's career. So far, all the responses to my piece at the ArtFRESH exhibit have been good, so perhaps I may just go out on the international level in future events.

• Christopher James - 'A Born Artist'

Age: 18

Exhibit pieces: 'Time To Mourn', 'Untitled 1', 'Untitled 2'

Inspiration: God inspires my art. I'm motivated by the things that God does for me. I can see a specific tree, song, movie, then try to use the principles and elements of art to portray that.

Did you choose art or did art choose you?:

I'm a born artist. I use art in everything I do. You could say art chose me, or God gave me the artistic ability.

How easy/hard is it to be successful in art in today's economy?:

As a painter, it's difficult to get the quality, brand and amount of art supplies you need sometimes. I operate a farm as well.

Future: I'm looking to expand my farming so that I can get some money together to finish art school. I don't think I'll ever stop art. I want to find a unique style, to make it mine, and continue to use art to tell stories.

• Leo Rhule - 'Driven by Curiosity'

Age: 29

Exhibit pieces: 'Study of Rest' (#1-4)

Inspiration: I had questions and needed answers, the idea of emotion and how we consider each other. In a word, curiosity.

Did you choose art or did art choose you?: I started working in art at a very young age. I grew up in a family of artists - my father, grandfather ... I didn't consider art seriously till about 20. Art chose me.

Future: Doing more art, and exhibitions. Going from group to solo exhibitions, and being known.

• Aundre France - With Art until Time
  Ends'

Age:
18

Exhibit piece: 'Kingston
Harbour'

Inspiration: Well, nature
plays a big role in inspiring me, as well as critics - they motivate and
drive me to do greatly.

Did you choose art
or did art choose you?:

When I was at
primary school, all my male classmates were very good at drawing comics,
and I wasn't. I took time to practise the elements. Later, I got
better, and now, I don't know the limit of my ability and talent. I
guess you could say I chose art, but now, it's embracing me as
well.

How hard/easy is it to be successful in
art in today's economy?:

Well, it's very
difficult for me as I live in a lower-class family from Arnett Gardens. I
made a lot of sacrifices, I even starved myself to save to buy art
supplies in high school. Another problem was to get my work out and get
my name across the country. Since leaving [high] school, I've applied
for numerous jobs, but [have not found one yet]. I try not to waste any
time and invest this free time into my
art.

Future: I see myself going on
with art until time ends. I aim to be not just one of Jamaica's top
artists, but also internationally [successful], by God's
way.

• Amanda
  Gibson - 'Art Is My Life's
  Purpose'

Exhibit pieces: The
Solarisation Series - 'Determination', 'Elation',
'Satisfaction'

Inspiration: I'm
depicting moods of the soul, a complicated
process.

Did you choose art or did art choose
you?:

I knew photography was my life's
purpose from age 14. I had a calling for it. I always photographed flora
and fauna.

How hard/easy is it to be
successful in art in today's economy?:

It's
very difficult as a young artist. There isn't much support because of
the economy. People love art. They always appreciate it, especially in
Jamaica. [But] I have a nine-to-five job in advertising. I also do
photography as a business - portraiture, photo restoration ... it keeps
the creative juices flowing and forces me to be up to date. I'm a
purist. I will always love film, but I also have to move with the way
things are going.

Future: A solo
show is my number-one goal. I would like to show all 10 pieces [in the
Solarization Series] and create a second series. For this series, all
title names end in 'tion'. Maybe for the next one, I'll use 'sion'. I
definitely want to get more
exposure.

• Stacy-Ann
  Hyde - 'Art Is Calling
  Me'

Exhibit pieces: 'Kingston
Harbour' (three different
pieces)

Inspiration: I'm wondering
why people are surprised by breasts. Breasts represent wholesomeness,
femininity, something that looks good. It's a self-expressive series to
help me deal with what I'm going through.

Did
you choose art or did art choose you?:

Art
has always been a way of escape for me, [It has ] helped me on an
emotional level. It's a passion of mine. I feel better completing a
piece of art than working in the corporate world. I took a hiatus from
art, started avoiding exhibitions, but people kept asking me about my
art, so I stopped
resisting.

Future: Well, the art is
calling me.

• Nicholas
  Rose - 'Going All-out'

Age:
26

Exhibit piece:
'Jamaica 50'

Inspiration: There are
feelings in it, expressions - politics that the country has been
through. I used colours that are not very common [to represent] the
struggle and toil that we've been through. The lines show vibrancy and
strength. It basically depicts the current situation in the country.
Plus calmness and stability to balance
it.

Did you choose art or did art choose
you?:

Art chose me. In my childhood, I
remember lying on the floor drawing; covering paper with
lines.

How hard/easy is it to be successful
in art in today's economy?:

It is
challenging. I have to do several other things. I have a small business
in Trelawny, and teach in Manchester. It's hard
work.

Future: I will try for the
under-40 biennial, try to take my work overseas, go
all-out.

• Esther
  Chin - My Work Is My
  Voice'

Exhibit pieces: 'Esther Chin
Series #2', 'Zai'

Inspiration: My
inspiration is my cultural identity, and I love the environment. I like
to use recycled or discarded materials ... I make use of them to bring
something beautiful into our lives. For example, the bougainvillea,
which has a paper-like quality. The petal is delicate, aesthetically
appeasing, soft, subtle, feminine, meticulous. [Creating art] takes deep
meditation, [but] this is my strength. I speak through my work. My work
is my voice.

How hard/easy is it to be
successful in art in today's economy?:

It's
very difficult. The materials are quite expensive, but when you use
materials you can readily find in your environment, it cuts cost. Art is
my mainstay. I get my materials, and an amazing desire to create
something [follows].

Future: More
shows, to continue to create in spite of the economic climate. [Art is]
my voice. It's how I can be part of this world. Even if you don't
purchase the work, somehow, it will remain with you and have a positive
impact.

• Marc
  Thomas - 'The
  Environmentalist'

Age:
24

Exhibit pieces: 'Into
The White', 'Beauty In Chaos', 'Abandoned
Mill'

Inspiration: My love for
photography and the environment. It came out of my appreciation for the
environment. I was always in environmental clubs and so
on.

Did you choose art or did art choose
you?:

My career has nothing to do with art.
I'm a chemical engineer. But my art comes out of my appreciation and
concern for the environment.

Future: I wouldn't turn
down the opportunity to do art full-time, but I do it because I love
what I do, kinda as a hobby, and, at this point, it would only be a
secondary source of income.