MANY artists capture the beauty of God’s creation in their work. Nature serves as a source of inspiration and therapy. Presently the National Gallery is hosting an exhibition of paintings by two women artists, Sandra Bell-LaRocque and Aelisha Garnett-Williams entitled Nature Bloom. As you enter the gallery space, you walk into a serene environment of visual representations of Guyana’s landscape and a glimpse of Dominica. The earth tone palette sets the tone of the room. The artists capture our seawall, canals, sunsets, sluice (koker), flowers and more. Rather than displaying a replica of our environment, the artists choose to depict a representation of it.

It’s always stimulating to be in conversation with young artists. I had the pleasure of talking with Sandra Bell-LaRocque about her first exhibition. Sandra is a Dominican born, Guyanese trained artist. Although Sandra is a mature person, she is a young artist who believes that now is the time for her to follow her dreams. Captivated by nature, Sandra reminisces on her upbringing, that she believes would have sparked her passion for nature. “I grew up in a small farming village in Dominica. I spent most of my days outside enjoying the fresh air and admiring the beautiful sunsets. Surrounded by an organic environment, I came to understand how the environment works. I witnessed nature’s power to regenerate itself. In my opinion, the soil has a lifecycle where the micro and macro organisms do what they have to. When a chemical is added, we destroy that order. The antibodies and minerals that are naturally produced in fruits and vegetables will degrade, resulting in a weak production and a weak human system. I am hoping that my work can cause people to do some reflection”, she stated.

Passion makes a person pursue his/her dream. Passion, coupled with discipline motivates persons to practice. It is through practice that artists develop their skills and apply their theoretical knowledge. As knowledge increases, artists grow to a point where we teach ourselves; where we can move beyond traditional boundaries and create our own techniques. It is a continuous learning process because the work is always expanding and as artists, we are free to express ourselves with more clarity. However, for some of us, the ability to practise is limited. In Sandra’s case, her current environment limits her from practising sculpture. But for now, she is content with her ability to paint and explore her artistic desires.

Nature Bloom is a painting exhibition to visit. I admire Sandra’s determination to express her actual experience in her paintings. ‘A Cut into the Forest’ is an acrylic painting based upon her experience at Iwokrama. ‘Embracing City Life’ is a representation of the canals in Guyana. This piece is quite fascinating because it depicts our canals as a tranquil environment where our beautiful lotus flowers can flourish, rather than a harsh one. She painted an abstract representation of Kaieteur Falls and entitled the piece: Beauty and Fury. It represents the captivating beauty of water, coupled with the stories of death by suicide at the falls. These pieces are beautiful representations of nature and life experiences.

In her closing remark, Sandra stated, “If it satisfies your soul, go for it”. The exhibition continues until Saturday 2nd November 2019.