The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

KERRI Bascom’s confidence has been bouyed since she took part in an art show that celebrated the Bahamas’ 40th Anniversary of Independence.
 The 17-year-old graduate of Queen’s College has a deeper appreciation and love for art because of the experience.

Art is not just something Kerri does to kill time. It is the avenue in which she shares her most inner thoughts, opinions and perspective with others.

Her sometimes unspoken emotions, hurt, love, joy, and happiness, are expressed with paint, a brush and canvas.
 Kerri’s love affair with artistic expressions started long ago. As a child she often sketched images and doodled objects in school books.

As her skills were finetuned she finally saw what her family, friends and teachers could already see - raw talent.
Although Kerri’s favourite genre is realism, her first abstract painting won first place in the recent Island Art Explosion competition hosted by Atlantis Resort. It celebrated the islands of the Bahamas to mark the 40th anniversary milestone.
For the exhibit Kerri depicted the various ways Bahamian people have experienced freedom over the past 40 years.
“We have political and legislative freedom, but also we have cultural freedom. We have our own music, and our own sound. We have our Junkanoo, and we also have our environmental freedom. We live with our environment and we are free in it. So I wanted to depict that,” she said.
“I find the Bahamas and all that makes us who we very special. I always wanted to do a piece that blends all aspects of who we are together,” she said.
Kerri did not enter the competition expecting to take home the top prize.

She said being able to participate mattered more than winning, because she was able to see firsthand the kind of work other young artists are producing.
Kerri has participated in other art shows including the RBC Finco Summer Art Workshop in 2009 when she came first.

She was third in the drawing category of the workshop as well.

Kerri was also the winner of the Nutrition Diabetes Poster competition in 2008, and was second in the National Arts Festival (art and design category) in 2009.
Kerri’s artwork is inspired by the natural environment as well as her own experiences.
She said: “My favourite medium would be acrylic paints or pencils. With acrylic paints even if you make a mistake you can go over it. You can always tweak it. The blending allows you to do all of that. My favourite things to paint are the Bahamas landscapes. I love marine scenes, coral reefs. I find those things beautiful. That is what I love about the Bahamas.”
Art is not only fun but it is also therapeutic. Kerri said whenever she has a stressful day, she takes out a book and sketches, because it is soothing. She said her love affair with art can never end because art is everywhere.
“Every day we wake up and open our eyes to an array of colours from all shades of the colour spectrum. Art is everywhere, in many shapes and forms and its diversity never ceases to amaze me. My mission is to produce art that will challenge and amaze the minds of all people. I want others to view the world through my eyes as I share a little piece of myself with everyone,” she told Tribune Arts.
Kerri said: “I view art as an interpretation of an individual’s view on certain topics or a copy of what we find to be most beautiful in the world. Painting allows one to take a moment and freeze it in time with the use of a brush. It gives power to the artist to form a passageway between their creative mind and another’s. This makes me unconditionally committed to developing whatever talents, gifts or abilities I have, so that I can create art that reflects high standard,” she said.
Despite her love for art and talent, Kerri wants to pursue a career in civil engineering. However art will always be a part of her.
“Life is a journey riddled with obstacles in our path. However, our goals direct us and allow us to remain steadfast through our voyage. At university, I aspire to major in civil engineering and minor in art. I am confident that with God’s power, I will be able to accomplish my goals,” she said.