Sunday 23 November 2014

Creativity with an old medium: Clay demonstration




My previous blog introduced the medium of clay as an old medium which was illustrated using still photographs but I also filmed Thomas Haskell actually doing a demonstration on the potter’s wheel. This demonstration is being used as a tuition aid in my classroom and since Thomas explained the techniques so well I thought the video could be used to inspire creativity in young potters.  

Friday 21 November 2014

Creativity in Photography



Photography preserves memories of images from the past.  Light is one of the most important elements of design in the art of photography. Effective use of light creates the illusion of depth, contrast in value and texture as well as mood and atmosphere. Creativity in manipulating composition and lighting insures a memorable photograph.  Globally renowned photographers like Yousef Karsh and Annie Leibowitz were creative at mood and atmosphere whilst Dorothea Lange had creative compositions.
 
I did a photography course in my first year of my Bachelor’s degree programme and whilst it was very informative it was also very frustrating.  As a fine artist it is a lot easier to move a tree in a painting to improve my composition than it is to find a natural view with the perfect lighting to create the atmosphere in a photograph. 





In Trinidad we have bright natural light which means taking photo is best suited to early and late in the day.  The diverse subject matter available to Trini photographers allows them to be very creative in their compositions. A photographer’s dream world is the diversity of cultural activities, architecture, natural landscapes and foliage all found in Trinidad and Tobago. So the creativity of photography is much more than a ‘selfie’, it is the art of capturing a moment in time and making it memorable through effect use of the elements and principles of design. 









Thursday 20 November 2014

Everyday Creativity


 

When an artist is able to take an everyday scene and creatively turn it into a work of art you know you are in the presence of talent. Dermot Louison is indeed talented; he is a renowned Trinidad painter who paints images of rural lifestyle and landscapes.  I grew up seeing Louison’s depictions of landscapes with their flowing brush strokes and sharply contrasting colours. 

At 81 years old Dermot Louison is still avidly painting. His current exhibition at Horizons Art gallery showcases 42 acrylic paintings on canvas board. This body of work is shows the creativity of this artist in the wide selection of subject matter ranging from seascapes to animated back yard scenes. His effortless use of colour ranging from harmonious colour schemes that contrast sharply with bold dark almost black tones makes these paintings full of vitality.

 Ironically Louison is depicting lost images of rural Trinidad as well as the epic journey of his own life. While there is nostalgia in the subject matter the boldness and liveliness of Louison’s brush strokes creatively brings these scenes into the 21st century.
A lot can be said of the mark you leave on this world and at 81 years old Dermot Louison’s  creatively scrawled signature says he is definitely making his mark and he obviously has more to say.









Monday 17 November 2014

Creativity with an old medium.



The medium of Clay is as old as the earth, you can’t get any older. Clay was used to make many functional objects associated with food preservation in the time of the Amerindians such as the monkey jars and coal pots.  Clay vessels such as deyas were made for religious rituals and ceremonies like Divali, the Festival of Light. Clay was also used as a binding material to construct tapia houses.
 
Creativity with a particular medium comes from an artist having a natural affinity or skill with that medium.  I am more creative with acrylics than water colours, I can use both but I am just much more comfortable and happy with acrylics. However I was taught to use all different types of medium to be able to teach technique to my students.
 Teaching is a two way street,  as a teacher I pass on knowledge and technique and students return the favour by responding to the teaching and surpassing my expectations.  One of my past students, Thomas Haskell came to visit my school last week, he was a student who I can say I taught him two dimensional art and I in turned learnt about three dimensional design from him. He definitely had a gift for working with clay; he started off working with polymer clay and is now most comfortable with different types of clay. Thomas is currently studying for his masters in ceramics at OCAD. 

Thomas’s visit was indeed a pleasure to see him passing on his creativity and skills to younger students. He worked on the potter’s wheel and the 4 and 5 year olds were enthralled in very much the same way as the 15 year olds later that day. You can always tell how skilled a craftsman is by how easy they make it look. Mastering a potter’s wheel takes a lot of practice especially when you want to create a unique piece of pottery.









Thursday 13 November 2014

Personal expression of creativity

Gran Riviere
Balandra
I have been an art teacher for more than 28years during this time I have exhibited as a student and a teacher alongside my students. It is very difficult to produce art pieces for your own pleasure and expression when you are continuously correcting and guiding students. However I made a conscious decision a few years ago to produce at least 2 or 3 art pieces per year for myself as well as practicing in the field will make me a better teacher.
Balandra
Blanchisseuse
Although I live and work in the city I am happiest near the ocean. My childhood vacations were always spent by the sea. I have an affinity with the ocean which goes back to my ancestors; I learnt to swim before I learnt to walk. This trait was passed on to my children who will still declare that a holiday is not overseas travel but a couple days spent by the beach on the North East coast of Trinidad.

Blue Devils
Stanmore Ave.
My favorite subject matter is water, its translucent nature and the effect of light on water has always influenced me to paint it. My favored mediums are acrylics and chalk pastels. This year’s paintings are from the North coast, Gran Riviere and North East coast, Balandra.  They are currently on exhibit at the Trinidad and Tobago Art Society annual exhibition in Federation Park. This exhibition runs until 20th November, it is an exhibition of the creativity of T&T artists featuring well over 170 pieces of work, a worth while visit.
Bamboo Canyon
La Regalada
Family Portrait