THE Burrowes School of Art was named after Guyanese artist, Edward Rupert Burrowes, who was also an art teacher.
The Burrowes School of Art is an undergraduate institution accredited by the University of Guyana. The school is currently hosting an art exhibition at the Castellani House in the city to showcase the talent of students who would have completed their fourth year of study there.

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with the school’s Director of Studies, Hamilton Young, who shared the central focus of the event.
“This year, we are featuring eight full-time students who would have completed three to four years of studies at the school. On display, we are featuring jewellery design, textile design, and sculpture, just to name a few. Our Final Year students would have worked assiduously over the years, more so in the past few weeks to mount this exhibition,” Young said.
Young noted during her comments that all students participating in the exhibition are aspiring artists, and had been taught by Guyana’s renowned artists.

“We are proud to present this exhibition this year. We would like to congratulate the Class of 2023 for the work they have on display, and we wish them well,” Young pointed out.
Young, who has been the institution’s Director of Studies for the past seven years, noted that she finds joy in the fact that her students come with a basic knowledge of art, and when they leave, they are professional artists.

She also shared that some of the students eventually become tutors at the institution, while some establish their own businesses.
Through the various forms of art, including fashion design, jewellery design, and much more, Young believes that the public gets a greater appreciation for Art and the Art culture.

Creativity aside, Young mentioned that students still encounter some difficulties during their studies. These include the fact that students would have to fund the cost of their own materials for usage in the classroom. She noted, though, that the Ministry of Education bears the responsibility for the students, and the Ministry of Public Service would often assist with funding.
“We have found, over the years, that the Ministry of Public Service has been a little bit helpful in terms of granting students a stipend to offset probably travelling costs or material costs to an extent, but it is not the full cost in terms of a scholarship,” she said.

PROUD MOMENTS
Young disclosed that there are many successful and delightful moments for her since she got this job.
“We look forward to our Final Year exhibition yearly, our students’ participation in Carifesta, and generally when students participate in events that would shed light on their work. I know our fashion design students who have been exposed to various fashion shows, whenever, wherever we are highlighted, it is a proud moment,” the Director noted.

Hamilton Young’s interest in art began in Third Form, and then heightened, as she once worked with the Ministry of Culture for 14 years, while being attached to the Museum of African Heritage (formerly the Museum of African Art and Ethnology) and dealing with sculptors. She simply loves Art.