There is a picture of a painting that hung in my office that everyone would always stop to notice.
It was a composition and combination of vibrant colors that immediately captivated my attention the first time I saw it. The picture captures a fusion of sulfur, alum, gypsum and iron oxides (volcanic minerals) at the bottom of a gorge which dissect the mountains. On either side of the mountain are ferns, woodlands of mosses and lichens. The streams cascades at various levels over the edge to collect in two pools.
The painting depicts an area at the top of the Great Alps waterfall in Montserrat. It was painted by a local Montserratian artist and friend Kevin West. This area was destroyed by the volcano but today the painting has a coolness that fills my home. Although I am not sharing the painting with you in this post; I will show you a very similar photograph. The photograph at the top of the page, is a post card taken of the same area.
I am thankful for the creation of photography which dates back to the 1820s because today it allows me to enjoy such austere beauty.
Today let us celebrate and enjoy the photographs that provide such comfort as they grace our homes.
Photographed by Susan Koster
I once heard the expression “If you have a talent and you do not use it you will surely lose it.” This echoes as I received a piece of art today from my dear friend Susan. This took me back to 1990 when I did my preparatory art work (Batik/Androsia) for my Caribbean Examination Council Exam (CXC). I remember that day; the anxiety, the prayers, the sweat. Now that I look back at it, God has been extremely good to me as it was the best art piece that I have ever produced.
The examiners were totally in agreement as I got a Grade 1. It was the norm that the examiners (All of the students work was shipped off to Barbados for grading ) did not return any pieces back to Montserrat. My Art teacher had even made a special request to have my piece returned. What makes me a bit upset is that – I have just recently learned from an acquaintance that the Barbadian students receive their exam art pieces back. Yet, I still remain hopeful that one day I will walk into a house or office that is displaying my CXC art work on their wall.
I have not used the batik art form since then. Every time I see a piece of Batik/Androsia I am invigorated with sentiment and absorbed with my thoughts as the method is still accurately practiced in my head.
Organic in hot water pan
A montage of whimsical shapes
Driven by a well pattern plan
Punctuated by lines, breaks
Waxed with rhythm of motion
Whirls, twirls
The Jig of dye in rotation
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A tapestry of emotion,
Wet with excitement contains
Bright colors, light colours first
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Mind-set transposes
The sun sears, patches of white retains
Sly smile slid from the soak
The mind twisting effect of strings ropes
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The repetition, infusion
The tubs of cold water
As the fabric gazes
Pegs, swaying on nylon lines
Delights
We wait
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Credible with time
The aural elements
As tender images shines
The resonant emotion
Spring to Life with expression
Hammering the rhyme
Of the impression
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Poem by Brenda L McCartney
Painting by Romeo Downer
Most radio stations in the Caribbean mark the end of the week by playing up beat music; calypso, soca or steel band music.
People are in a festive mood as they celebrate the end of the week.
Back home at the end of the work day they would hang out (lime) at bars and in the evening the go dancing at the discotheque (disco). The jovial atmosphere embraced the entire island.
I join my compatriot Arrow in singing too much fete never kill a man yet.
Thank you all to my supporters and subscribers and who took the time to write personal notes from around the world who tune in daily to read my blog.
Today begins the Calabash festival in Montserrat. Recently I have heard of Calabash Bay Andros. Calabash Bay is a prominent beach in Saint Elizabeth Parish Jamaica. There is Calabash Bay Lodge in Australia and a Calabash hotel in Grenada and today the feature picture is made from calabash in the Island of Martinique. Although the calabash grows in Nassau, including in mother-in-law’s yard it is not usually used or decorated. What is usually decorated in Nassau can range from drift wood to seeds and many other natural materials. There are so many talented people who employ the use of nature in their art. This brings to mind the Parish Church of Holy Cross in Nassau. This church has some of the most talented people that I know of in the Bahamas. (I really wonder if they are descendants of Calabash Bay.) They have an annual Arts and Crafts day. I am awaiting their next arts and crafts day when I may attempt to paint my first calabash.
It’s Saturday afternoon the chores are all finished we washed clothes, washed our hair cooked our pot of soup, cleaned up our yard. In this soup is usually pumpkin, dumpling, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, onion, thyme, sea salt, cabbage, yam, bananna, breadfruit, carrots, christophine, chicken all marinated with some ‘Cock Soup.’ We shopped for the week to carry our lunch to work and to fix our meals for another week. We have taken out and ironed our Sunday clothes and now we relaxed in the yard with friends and family. Some may even go for a Saturday afternoon drive.
This happened in almost every Caribbean house on the weekends. Now we await another day.
Photograph by - Olga's Gallery / ABC Gallery
As I woke up this morning I thought about all of the pieces of art that have delighted me over the years. It took me back to my first love – ART and the definition we used back then that always stayed with me; Art is the expression of oneself. It brought to my mind the many international artists that I have admired. Famous and unknown including painters, architects, and poets or engineers (Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Picasso, Leonardo, Walcott, Shakespeare, Christopher Wren, Borges); they have all left an indelible mark on society and history. I also recall those talented people in my life who have helped to nurture and bring to the forefront my own gifts – especially the teachers.
There are many young talented people in the world and as individuals it is up to all of us to try to nurture encourage their gifts. My thoughts right now go to Michelangelo who was regarded as an exceptionally talented youth. As a young artist, with little or no experience he asked to paint the Sistine Chapel. Today as we have young ones around us let us encourage them in the pursuit of what they love. I always admire the celebrity Will Smith for encouraging his son to be the best he can be. We all grew up hearing the saying beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Let us inspire motivate and help those children around us to hone their skills and their widely different potentials. This may come in the form of a kind word, through giving insights or in practical ways.
Today think of those artists whose work you have enjoyed so well and seek to nurture talent where you find it.
Painting by William H. Johnson
I had a colleague who had her first child at forty two years of age. When I met her, her son was nine years old, healthy and very intelligent. Every afternoon at three o’clock she would complain about the traffic congestion on her way to pick up her son. One day I could not withhold my thoughts anymore, I said to her “think about the woman who wishes she had a child to pick up after school. She came to me a week later and said Brenda you know that day you told me to stop complaining from that day onward, I realized how blessed I was to have such a duty of care. ” She continued to express that no matter how long she had to wait, it was joy to see her son at three o’clock. It has been years since that talk and every time I see her she says thank you for that day.
Sometimes someone just needs a word of correction/praise/encouragement life can be changed just by a simple decision we make. Today look at your problems and complaints and see your gift(s) or blessing(s).
I read a book called ‘Walk Tall’ by Carleen Brice and this exercise always resonates with me as someone who loves the arts. She writes “Close your eyes and picture your life as a work of art – a novel, song, sculpture or painting. What are the words, sounds, shapes and textures and color you see. Now open your eyes. Is this what you want your life to say, sound like or look like? If not change it”
Today create your beauty.
Happy Father’s day to a wonderful father; my husband Enrique A. McCartney
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