Guyana gradually moving toward the world stage

COCONUT leaves and lucky beads were two of the most essential materials used by Natasha David in making a set of three dolls; one of her more famous artistic pieces done recently. Each one of the dolls is well adorned in their own fashion and style.

She made them beautiful and seemed quite happy in their own individual attire – fully clothed in coconut leaves. One doll’s dress is made of cleverly organised red lucky seeds; while the last doll is majestically attired in tibisiri, trimmed by lucky seeds and coconut leaves. Both are decked with hats made of coconut leaves, tibisiri straw and cotton thread.

So where did the artist get these and all her other ideas from?

David, who has been into art and craft for over nine years, said that she never went to school to learn how to do all the things she now does. “My artistic education came from inspiration from ‘on high’. I never went to school to learn how to do these things and with my mother being an Amerindian lady, it gave me the urge to create many of the indigenous things I am now putting out there,” she told the Pepperpot Magazine.

She stated that because of her love for the Art, she started with what she considered to be the smaller, less challenging things. “I started with dolls and then I began to see the need for clothing – not only for the dolls, but also clothing that people would wear. Not long after, I also saw the need for accessories to go with the clothing and I started adding these to the pieces of craft I was making. Now I am only getting stronger with all these items,” she stated.

SUPPORTIVE FAMILY
David is a wife and mother. While working hard to satisfy the needs of her husband and son and also managing a home, she strives to balance it with the demands of her business. She was proud to state that her husband and son are also very supportive of what she is doing.

“In fact, my husband is also an artist and while he would do his own things, he is very helpful to me in ensuring that I get the job done and that my demands are met. I have a very supportive family,” she said.

With so many art and craft exhibitions around the world these days, Guyana is not to be left behind and David, with each and every opportunity she has so far gotten, said that she has done everything possible to ‘show-off’, not just her pieces, but the beauty of Guyana as well.

THE PROSPECTS FOR GUYANA
Guyana has its fair share of cultural events throughout the year and David said that she would usually take full advantage of it. “Whenever there is an event people would order all sorts of things – from clothing to accessories for that day. Also, on regular days people also show interest in what I make and I am happy about it,” she pointed out.

She said that as a member of the Guyana Arts and Craft Association, where she is able to meet with other artists, who are excelling in their area of work, she has been able to become more aware of what is taking place in the art and craft arena, not only in Guyana, but also in the Caribbean and around the world.

David, who said that she is always proud to put Guyana on the map whenever the opportunity arises, told of having the chance to attend a number of art and craft exhibitions in Guyana, and other countries such as Barbados, Suriname and Miami. She said many other Guyanese also attend some of these exhibitions and they are all well appreciated wherever they go.

In general, art and craft, which continues to be a growing industry in Guyana, is being advocated as a panacea, which encourages education development. There is one school of thought which says that an artist is usually more in love with what he does than with the money he can gain from it. On the other hand, studies have shown that there is a correlation between the love and exposure to arts and a person’s ability to learn easier.

Dr. Kerry Freedman, Head of Art and Design Education at Northern Illinois University said, “Children need to know more about the world than just what they can learn through text and numbers. Art education teaches students how to interpret, criticise and use visual information and how to make choices based on it.”

Studies went further to say that the involvement in art and craft provides opportunities for children, in particular, to learn words for colours, shapes and actions; that art education strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills and that there is a correlation between art and other achievements.

For David, the creation of art and craft came naturally. “I had a love for it [the art and craft] and I just started doing things,” she said, while explaining that as she started playing around with dolls – doing things to make them look even more beautiful, eventually she moved from stage to stage, creating more and more pieces, and then advancing to the level she is at the moment.

She is now encouraging young girls and boys, as well as adults to do whatever they are comfortable with – once it is something good and honest; if possible, make a career out of it and there will be no regrets; you have to work hard at it; you have to have big dreams and visions. It is not always easy, but with energy and determination it can be done, she assured.

(mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)