The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

THE BAHAMAS National Trust (BNT) opened its gates for the 23rd annual Wine and Art Festival, last Saturday.

The annual festival featured more than fifty talented artists, a selection of more than sixty wines from Bristol Wines and Spirits and a wine and food pairing demonstration sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism’s Culinary Tourism Division.

Lynn Gape, deputy executive director and director of education at the BNT said the event gave patrons “an absolutely amazing” introduction to Bahamian art. She said an array of talent was on display at the festival.

“The amazing thing that we really do notice is that the inspiration for the art really seems to be the environment of the Bahamas,” said Ms Gape.

Judith Papillon flew from Andros to exhibit her art. She said most of her paintings are inspired by the ocean and the sky.

“I use acrylic work as the medium; I make all my own frames and the paintings are all stretched by myself. This is my third year participating with the Wine and Arts Festival and it is a really well organised activity. The volunteers make it simple for the artists, they help us even with unloading trucks with our work,” said Judith.

This year, Judith said she was very pleased with the feedback she received in regards to her works. At the members evening last Friday, she said the response was fantastic.

“For me it is really important, I live on Andros, I’m isolated from the main stream, and here I get to receive great feedback when I visit,” she said.

It is very difficult for an artist to have their own gallery, and so you have to kind of run around and look for a place to show your art. You end up having your art work in your home and you would like or have a place to show your work. This event is an incredible boost because we also get to see other artists and their work, so that is motivating for us as artists. It is also encouraging because we get people coming to us to tell us about our work,” said Judith.

Willard Cunningham was a first time exhibitor at the BNT Wine and Arts Festival. “On display, I have some sample drawings. I draw for a local newspaper called ‘The National Voice’, and these are some of the comics that I would have originally drawn for that paper. Also, I have my portfolio drawings that I have done stemming from 2012. I am trying to just get more establish as an artist,” said Willard, who specialises in caricature.

Willard said he looks at the festival in a positive light because once you are out there as an artist, people are going to see you. “Even if they shove you in the corner somewhere, you never know, the right person may walk in that corner and it may just be you’re big break,” he said.

Jeff Cooper’s art focused on the female form, specifically the characteristic “Bahama Mama”. “My work is inspired by the real true beauty of the islands, not the landscape, but the women. When people pass, sometimes they are shocked to see a painting actually with a woman, a voluptuous woman. They are fascinated by it and they realise that it is something they would like to have,” said Jeff.

Abstract artist Kirkwood Deal said as a nineteen year old the Wine and Arts Festival gave him the chance to have his work seen by so many different Bahamians.

“I keep most of my work at home where many people don’t get to see it, so this helped me to make good contacts. So far I have been getting a lot of feedback. I have been giving out my cards. On the members night I sold one of the biggest pieces that I had out here,” said Kirkwood.