Participating Artists 2025
CaFA Fair Barbados 2025 - PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
CaFA Fair Barbados 2025, March 5-9, 2025
Pelican House, Princess Alice Highway, Bridgetown - Barbados
ART FROM THE CARIBBEAN
DIASPORA IMAGES
Ademola Olugebefola – US Virgin Islands
Dr. Ademola Olugebefola began his professional career as a bassist, playing with several small ensembles throughout the New York metropolitan area during the late 50s and early 60s. In the late 60’s he turned his creative energies to the visual arts and frequently incorporates musical ideas and theories in his extensive body of work. Over the past four decades, Olugebefola’s works have been included in hundreds of exhibitions at major American museums, universities and cultural institutions internationally. Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, he has lectured and participated in forums at universities, museums and cultural institutions in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. He is a highly respected cultural activist and renowned Harlem artist whose art and career papers are in the permanent collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Hatch Billops Archives, Howard University, and scores of other well-respected American institutions.
Afreekan Southwell – Antigua/US Virgin Islands
Afreekan Southwell was born in Antigua. He moved to the US Virgin Islands in 1981. He is a self-taught artist whose creativity ranges from oil paintings and poetry to acting and music. He is a master wood carver and drummer. His wood carvings reflect his love for his African Heritage. He uses mahogany as his medium and with his hammer and chisel creates a transformation of this beautiful wood that is nothing less than spectacular. Afreekan has recently added a new skill to his already long list of talents, wood turning; creating smaller objects that exhibit his extraordinary gift of communicating with the wood he is working with. Afreekan’s first solo exhibition in New York City, “Reflection of a Culture”, debuted in 2001 to positive critical reviews. He has since exhibited his creations multiple times in USVI, Barbados and the USA.
Ann Rudder – Barbados
“I recall ‘winning’ art competitions during my early years of primary school in Englewood, New Jersey. My Barbadian family and relatives were all very creative. On scholarship, I graduated from New York Phoenix School of Design with a major in Advertising Art. Post college jobs culminated as Assistant Fashion Co-Ordinator for Sterns’ Bros. Department Store, 42nd St. between 5th & 6th Aves. NYC. In San Francisco,1969 - 84, I free lanced in music and art productions including the Bill Graham organization, earning my Santana Abraxas album “Continuity” credit . Thereafter I designed applique banners for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire Group. Subsequent private clientele commissioned their armorial achievements: including San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral and the Royal British Legion, London UK. In 1986 I joined the Commonwealth Institute “Caribbean Focus” project, sponsored by the Borough of Hackney. Six British/Caribbean applicants were taught how to sew & craft the “Heraldry of the Commonwealth Caribbean” banner exhibition. Purchased in 1989, it is part of the Barbados Parliament Art Collection. During my art sojourn in “Bimshire”, I have shown in local and international exhibitions. My commissioned clients are personal, corporate, scholastic and religious organizations. For CaFA Fair 2024, I offer a social-history themed artwork entitled “SACRED RITES, GLORIOUS HARVESTS, OUR ICHIROUGANAIM”. It is a mixed media, acrylic, fusion artwork rendered on Barbados Blackbelly Sheepskin. Although written narratives by the original Lokono-Arawak inhabitants are rare, I’ve created a visual dialogue of documented awareness about food, customs and religions of ‘Those who survived before We arrived’ during centuries of Caribbean exploitation.
Bernard Stanley Hoyes - Jamaica
Bernard Hoyes lives and works in Palm Springs, California. However, his career in art began at an early age in Kingston, Jamaica when he enrolled at The Institute of Jamaica, Junior Art Center. At fifteen years old he moved to New York City to continue his academic and artistic endeavors. Classes at the Art Students League introduced him to the art scene in N.Y.C. He continued his studies at Vermont Academy, in Saxton River, VT and in 1974, he received a B.F.A. in Painting from California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. Hoyes is particularly known for a body of work that recalls his Afro-Caribbean roots, specifically the rituals of African Spirituality and Christianity. This body of work has earned him multiple awards of excellence internationally. Hoyes has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across the globe. He has created murals in the inner city of Los Angeles, CA, has curated exhibitions and served on the board of the Museum of African American Art in Los Angeles. His works have been featured in numerous television and film productions, as well as collected internationally. Most recently he was commissioned by the City of Palm Springs to create his “Diversity” steel sculpture as part of the Pillars of Palm Springs public art installation.
Carlton Murrell – Barbados
Carlton Murrell has been painting for over forty years with well over one hundred exhibitions to his credit. As a child growing up in Barbados, Carlton began exploring his artistic talent by drawing and painting the various lifestyles of his Island nation. He began his painting career at 18, inspired by the richness of Caribbean living and the world beyond. He traveled to many distant places in search of a universal sense of art, which led him to immigrate to capital city of art – New York City. While there, Murrell was awarded a scholarship to pursue additional advanced studies at the Art Students League. He later attended the Pan American School of Fine and Pel’s School of Commercial Art and Illustration. He has exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, the National African American Museum, the United Nations and Howard University, as well as numerous galleries throughout the United States. Master Impressionist painter Claude Monet tremendously influences his painterly style. Drawing on the influence of European Impressionist painters, Murrell’s layering of paints, short strokes and usage of color emerges with a unique painterly style. His ability includes a rare understanding of the effects of light on color. Murrell combines his rich Caribbean heritage with traditional island and urban living to impact upon the viewer thought provoking visual messages. His works hang in permanent collections of Carver Federal Savings Bank, the Copper Corporation of Chile, South America, Howard University, and The Central Bank of Barbados, among others. Mr. Murrell has to his credit received numerous awards, prizes and citations. He has served as curator of art exhibitions at the Community Gallery which was formerly located within the Brooklyn Museum and the Skylight Gallery. He also works his skills as an art consultant and art teacher. His work can be found in the homes of many collectors in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe and South America.
Charles Jean-Pierre - Haiti
Charles Philippe Jean-Pierre is a Howard University Alum and American University adjunct professor in fine arts. His exhibitions include the U.S. State Department, IMF, IDB, Smithsonian, & Embassy of Haiti. He was a 2015 Obama White House invitee for arts in Youth Justice. His practice recognizes the erasure of our complex histories & challenges the narrative that we are perpetual outsiders. JeanPierre's work attempts to create the informed cultural context needed to make sense of the American connection to the global south, and vice versa.
Cher Antoinette Corbin – Barbados
Barbadian Forensic Scientist, Visual Artist & Writer, Cher-Antoinette is multi-faceted and has been successful at NIFCA in Photography 2009, Literary Arts 2011/2012/2013/2014 and Fine Arts 2012/2013. She has published a poetic anthology MY SOUL CRIES in 2013, VIRTUALIS: A New Age Love Story in 2014 and ARCHITECTS OF DESTINY: Poetry & Prose in 2015. Her artistic journey started in earnest in 2014 where she decided to let her work speak to her life. A self-taught emerging artist, the process included finding what media she was most comfortable with and resulted in works of Watercolour, Pen & Ink, Charcoal, Acrylic and a mixed media of all three. Most recently she has ventured into Modern Pointillism and Hard Edge Abstract Art. Cher has gotten much attention since the launch of C-Toi Wearable Art, a jewelry line that showcases her Acrylic Fluid Art. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and brings art to the average person in an affordable form. The pieces are also enhanced with healing crystals such as amethyst, hematite and black onyx. She has had two solo art exhibitions, “Just Call Me Sarah” at the UWI in 2017 and “The Colours of My Life” in 2018 at the OAS Marcus Garvey Gallery and the Barbados Embassy in Washington DC. Cher is an active artist within the local fraternities of Artist Alliance Barbados, who hosted a national exhibition celebrating our island’s 50th year of Independence; and Artist Studio Tours Barbados who showcases the artists via onsite studio visits and online gallery viewing and auctions.
Chris Cumberbatch - Barbados
Christopher Cumberbatch is an acclaimed artist, a graduate of Art and Design High School, and Parsons School of Design. He has been an active member of the Local 829 Scenic Artist Union for over 20 years and developed a thriving decorative paint company. Chris is presently the Charge Scenic Painter for the 2022 upcoming movie The TV Glows and The Best Man 3. In 2021 he was the Camara Scenic on Michael Che’s “Comedy Show”, and Saturday Night Live. Chris worked as Camara Scenic and Scenic Artist on Awkwafina “Nora from Queens”, he was Camara Scenic on the Netflix production Kevin James “The Crew”, and he was a Scenic Artist on the Fox TV production “Prodigal Son”. A few film productions that he worked on includes, Tonya Lewis Lee’s Monster, Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, Crooklyn, and Robert De Niro’s A Bronx Tale. Chris designed the set for the 2022 National Black Theater productions Gong Lum's Legacy. In 2020 he was the Poster Designer for the documentary film, “Chicago, Americas Hidden War”. 2017 Chris’ received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Black Theater Festival. Other theatrical awards include 6 Audelco Awards: 2019 “Looking for Leroy”, 2018 “Harriet’s Return”, 2015 Black Wall Street, additional Audelco Awards include, Nuyorican Poets Café, presentation of “Meeting Miss Lilly”, and Julius Caesar set in Africa” and National Black Theater presentation of “The Shaneequa Chronicles”, Woody King Jr’s New Federal Theater “Finding Leroy”. His fine art paintings were featured in a solo exhibition at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza’s “Skylight Gallery” in 2006 as well as exhibitions at The Poets Den Theatre and Gallery, NYC, 2009 and 2013.
Diogenes Ballester – Puerto Rico
Diogenes Ballester, visual artist, educator, and writer holds an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a BFA from the Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He has taught as Professor of Art at The Cooper Union in New York City, the State University of New York at New Paltz, the College of New Rochelle and The State University of New York at Albany. Mr. Ballester’s work explores oral history, memory, mythology, ritual, and cultural identity along a transnational spectrum. In recent exhibitions, he has appropriated cultural objects and historical artifacts together with painting, drawing, prints and new media as a way of accessing the past and re-interpreting the present in a trans-Caribbean dialogue. Ballester has received numerous honors for his artistic work and has exhibited widely in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. His work is in numerous private and public collections.
Heda Rose – Jamaica /USA
Heda Rose is a self-taught, multidisciplinary artist who embarked on her artistic journey in 2014, driven by a profound spiritual calling. Her creations draw inspiration from the transformative and healing power of art, vividly expressed through the vibrant colors that celebrate her Caribbean heritage. As well as the emotional landscape from which her Art arises, by transferring personal pain into purpose. Some of her career highlights include being selected as one of 150 participating artists for the Chianciano Biennale, Tuscany, Italy; selected for 2022 Museum of the Luxembourg Art Prize; selected as a participant in the 2023 London Biennale Award VII Edition. Heda Rose’s dual talents are that in addition to her achievements in fine art, she is also a National Recording Artist, having been part of a Billboard-charting group under the Interscope Records label. Heda’s work radiates as visual melodies of hope and resilience, interwoven with themes of unity and love. Her pieces portray vibrant color, dense textures and emergent imagery as well as a profound aura of healing and interconnectedness. Heda Rose's artistry is a celebration of life's vibrancy and the enduring spirit of humanity.
Jemma St. Lawrence – Trinidad & Tobago
Jemma L. St. Lawrence is an artist currently living in Concord in the Charlotte/Concord metro area, in the state of North Carolina, since April 2017. She has resided in the New York metropolitan area for the largest part of her life, and she has also lived in South Florida for six years, and in New Jersey for a little over four years. Born on October 3rd, 1959, she migrated to New York City in 1973 at 13 years old, from the twin Caribbean Islands of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. She completed high school as a resident of Washington Heights, also known as “Spanish Harlem”, at George Washington HS, in January 1976, and immediately commenced undergraduate studies at the age of 16 at City College of New York (CCNY), CUNY, February 1976. She attained a BA in Art with an Illustration concentration and minored in Humanities in February 1982, but officially graduated with the Class of 1980. Jemma has also attained an MS in Organizational Management and Leadership aspiring to combine art and business in a unique background of skillsets. To that end, she has also run an art consulting company and curated and exhibited art in service to other artists in the underserved Black, Latino and women artists’ art market. Jemma’s influences in art began from the beginning in her formative years, as she experienced and participated in the renowned Trinidad & Tobago Carnivals and the many cultural and religious festivals the people of Trinidad and Tobago celebrate year-round. Living her early years in a country that is very diverse ethnically, racially, and culturally, while also being in an amazing bio-diverse tropical environment, left an indelible mark in Jemma’s life and psyche that would eventually allow her to express uniquely through her art. Then in her later youth and beyond, she lived in a dynamic New York City environment in the 70s and 80s, surrounded by incredible art, culture and architecture everywhere with influences from all over the world. Jemma now creates predominantly abstract works in oils, acrylics, graphite and colored pencils, although as a student she focused on illustration and realism. In her current career stage, she intends to straddle both the realism and abstract styles and combinations of both. She also plans on creating art that uses text and calligraphic methods for drawings and paintings, explore religious and cultural symbolism, and draw from her experiences while creating and designing costumes. Jemma believes that the ultimate space of the artist is when one can ‘escape’ the physical and earthly space of awareness to be immersed and connected in a spiritually creative realm, transcending into a spiritual realm and consciousness for a free flow of creative energies to come forth. Only then, can an artist truly experience true creativity.
Kerry Horton-Wiltshire – Barbados
Kerri Horton is an artist whose latest work, L'irrek, emerged from a transformative period in her life, sparked by deep conversations and emotional reflections with a supportive friend. This collaborative journey became a turning point for Kerri, as it encouraged her to venture into uncharted artistic territory. Initially grappling with self-doubt, Kerri's perspective shifted dramatically when she shared a piece from L'irrek. The genuine excitement and encouragement she received from her friend validated her efforts and fueled her creative spirit, allowing her to delve deeper into her art. Drawing inspiration from the stunning landscapes of Barbados, Kerri's work highlights the unique beauty of Bajan stones. She believes that the essence of L'irrek is rooted in her homeland, where each piece reflects the vibrant spirit of her surroundings and intertwines her narrative with the rich cultural heritage of her country. Kerri invites you to join her on this artistic journey as she unveils L'irrek, celebrating the transformative power of creativity.
Malique Shorey - Barbados
Malique Shorey was born Barbados on February 6th, 2000. He was not always an artist initially. He was more of an aspirant to greater things or a dreamer, but always to something vague and unsure, always fleeting. His path as an artist started on a whim after his CSEC exams. With no clear route at the time he chose to attend the Barbados Community College and obtain an Associate Degree in Fine Art. Now his body of works consist mainly of small and medium sized paintings but seek to extend outside of traditional bounds of art by using sculpture, painting, storytelling and designing to create not only a set of art works but also a space for them to exist and belong. Malique’s work has been exhibited at The Barbados Community College Gallery and at the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. Since exhibiting at Caribbean Fine Art Fair Barbados in 2019, his work has attracted the notice of international collectors especially in the USA. Not one to be confined to just the galleries, he has also created logos and tattoo designs for companies and individuals alike.
Maxanne Rock – St. Vincent & The Grenadines
Maxanne Rock is a visual artist based in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and has a degree in Fine arts from the Academia de Artes Plásticas Eduardo Abela in Havana, Cuba. His artwork includes paintings and drawings and has been creating artwork for over twelve years. His paintings are done using different mediums which include acrylic, oil and charcoal on canvas while the drawings are done using graphite, charcoal or coloured pencil. Maxanne’s passion and energy is to transform the inner thoughts into a masterpiece. His style is inspired by the many different art movements. He states that his artistic style is not set in one tone but is still ever evolving. His art pieces can be found in St. Vincent, Barbados, USA and Italy. He was also the principal lead on the mural painting displayed at the Coreas Distribution Limited Headquarters, Diamonds, that reflected the history of the airports and air travel in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Maxanne is also an art teacher who keenly seeks to inspire the youths to appreciate art and to be creative in every aspect of their lives. He finds joy in showing them how to develop and enhance their artistic abilities to better themselves in the future. Maxanne has always had a love for art from childhood. He believes that “art says a thousand words” to those who behold its beauty.
Michael Lees – Dominica
Michael Lees is a Dominican filmmaker and photographer whose work focuses on the themes of nature, development, and our relationship to the natural world. Michael graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he transitioned from majoring in business at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, to a degree in communication studies with a focus in media production, minoring in business & PPE (Political science, philosophy, & Economics). In 2020, Michael released his debut documentary, “Uncivilized”, which led him into the forests of Dominica, where he would face Hurricane Maria alone in a palm leaf and bamboo hut. The film premiered at the Trinidad Film Festival in 2019 and went on to screen at festivals across America, Europe and the Caribbean. It won the Caribbean Spirit award in 2020 at the Barbados Independent Film Festival, as well as best documentary at the Cinestar Festival in Guadeloupe in 2022. Lees has written, shot, and edited for clients including National Geographic, Lonely Planet, UNICEF & Billboard. He has exhibited his photography work at national exhibitions as well as the OECS exhibition Climate Change: An Eastern Caribbean Journey. Michael is an Executive member of both the Waitukubuli Artist Association & SHAPE (The Society for Historic Architectural Preservation & Enhancement).
Moses Ros-Suarez – Dominican Republic
Moses Ros‐Suárez is best known for his intense paintings and sculptures that transform common objects in his characteristically expressionist style. His large graphics of figures and objects explore themes such as AIDS awareness, the global economic crisis, and personal versus national identity and power. Ros--‐Suárez has had one--‐person exhibitions at museums in the United States and the Caribbean, including the Yeshiva University Museum, New York; the Paterson Museum, New Jersey; and the Instituto de Cultura y Arte in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The New York Department of Cultural Affairs and the Bronx Council for the Arts have awarded him commissions for public sculptures, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority for stained glass windows. A licensed architect in the state of New York, Ros-Suárez is a graduate of the Pratt Institute.
Patricia Brintle - Haiti
Self-taught artist Patricia Brintle was born in Haiti and immigrated to the United States in 1964. Although she has made the U.S. her residence, her colorful style reflects her native land. Her works on the Holocaust are on permanent display at the Holocaust Center of Temple Judea in New York and are used as teaching tools for visitors. One of her religious works, The First Mother, travelled with the Black Madonna Exhibit which made its debut at the famed National Museum of Catholic Art and History in New York and toured museums throughout the United States. One of her paintings hangs in the permanent collection of Albert Schweitzer Institute in Hamden, Connecticut, and her images have been published in both secular and religious periodicals.
Patricia Stuart - Barbados
“My art is inspired by the environment I grew up in. I was raised by Barbadian grandparents who nurtured and tended a colorful garden in the front yard, and backyard of our house in Washington Heights, New York City. My grandmother’s appreciation for color was seen in the pink and blue floral linoleum in the living room. The pink slip covers on the sofa really stood out. The beautiful, colorful flowers in the garden was such a delight to see. I loved to just stare at them. Morning Glories, pink and white Carnations, Chrysanthemums and Roses were among some of the flowers she grew. I was surrounded by color growing up. I didn’t know it back then, but my love for art grew out of that colorful environment. I spent a lot of my free time drawing and coloring as a child. Eventually, all of that culminated into a passion for Arts and Crafts. I went from painting in art journals to painting on canvas. My paintings reflect anything that I have found to be beautiful in life. Being able to express that artistically, is a privilege and a blessing! Painting aspects of my heritage is of utmost importance because it allows me to make profound statements as I shed light on a much-needed subject. My work has been exhibited multiple times in libraries, and galleries. I am compelled to paint and create art because art tells the stories that need to be told!”
Rachel Smith Sepulveda – Puerto Rico
Smith Sepulveda is an artist from Ponce, Puerto Rico born in 1989. She completed her studies in architectural drafting and land surveying at the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, also studied Mural Science and visual arts in the UNAM, and the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Ponce. She dedicated her next years to community art, creating works in marginalized urban spaces on her own and through art festivals designed to restore public areas. Her works are featured in cities such as Buenos Aires (Argentina), Bogota (Colombia), Santiago (Chile), and Bangkok (Thailand), Puerto Rico among others. She has actively created and participated in a number of contemporary art expositions. Through her works, Smith Sepulveda promotes a thematic principle that reflects the collective repudiation of the austerity measures that the United States imposes upon its colonies and how those measures tend to negatively impact the colonies’ economy and development. Currently founded the Artistas pa’l Sur movement, artist resident and member of the sinergetic contingent in La Casa de Arte y Cultura de La Playa de Ponce and working a new curating project SMITH CURATES.
Ras Ilix Heartman – Barbados
Ras Ilix Heartman, wood sculptor and farmer, was born in Barbados. His first international exposure was at the Third Havana Biennial in Cuba which was followed by the “In The Spirit Festival" at Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, Since then his work has been exhibited at numerous exhibitions in Barbados and in the U.S. His sculpture Melchizedek was awarded "Best In Show" at the 1997 Black History Month Exhibition held at New York’s Hintersteiner Gallery in Washington Heights. Ras Ilix’ 2012 solo show received critical acclaim at the Queen’s Park Gallery in Barbados. His sculptures are a part on many private and public collections including the Barbados National Collection.
Shadrach Burton - Dominica
Born October 1986, Shadrach Burton is a visual artist from Wotten Waven, Dominica. His older brother Gharan, along with his father David, are artists also, and this was a key factor in his art collection currently dating back to 1994. After being introduced to Earl Etienne and Ellingsworth Moses in the year 2000, he participated in exhibitions at the age of 13 and has since stacked up over 50 exhibitions including 6 solo art shows. He recently graduated with a master’s degree in fine art after studying for 7 years in Hangzhou, China. Before going to pursue studies in China, in 2007, Shadrach majored in Biology and Physics and even taught high school biology for 3 years. He currently produces art using a style that is influenced by nature, music, pop culture, social commentary and his odd sense of humor.
Steve Reid - Barbados
Steve Reid is a University of the West Indies trained agriculturist who has worked within the agricultural and financial services sectors for over two decades. Pottery making, however, has always appealed to his creative spirit and was brought to light in the early ’90s with displays at the Bridgetown Market and at the Barbados Crop Over Festival. His work often shows plant life and natural features of his environment, and embodies an ancient spirit in a unique, contemporary style.
Stephen R. Smith – Barbados
Barbadian professional photographer Stephen R. Smith started dabbling in photography as a 15-year old high school student back in 1976. After a brief stint with the Press, he founded Photo Dynamics Inc. in 1984. In 1997 he established the popular Pro Photo Studio – Sheraton Mall as Barbados’ first Digital studio. He has enjoyed prominence as a top international Events photographer. Stephen is a veteran of the N.I.F.C.A. Photographic Competition where his work was first presented to the public in 1977. He was a regular participant and received numerous Awards for his photography. He went on to become a Judge for the competition and served for fourteen years as Chief Judge, successfully overseeing the transition of the competition from the film era to the digital era. Stephen has participated in several group shows. He has also hung two major solo shows: Portrait of An Island – 2000, and Out of My Mind in 2011, an eclectic show which prompted famed British architect and interior designer Mr. Peter Inston to comment: “This is a world-class show of very high quality and unusual beauty..” Both shows received critical acclaim and are considered groundbreaking and iconic by photographers and art enthusiasts.
He is one of Barbados’ most respected fine art photographers.
Tau Battice – St. Kitts/Nevis
Tau Battice was born in Basseterre, St. Kitts-Nevis, and is based in New York City. He is a lifelong lover of the photograph and its power to preserve the moment, proclaim nuance, and propel humanity to positive action. He teaches at Guttman, City University of New York and lives in Harlem. Specializing in portraiture, with a primary interest in creating visual ethnographies of the underrepresented African diaspora, Tau engages in long-term personal projects from the Bronx to Brazil where he strives to honorably document communities of African descent. He has done photographic work in The Dominican Republic, Colombia, Chile, England, and Brazil. He exhibits widely with 27 solo and group exhibits to date. His images have been published from the U.S. to Japan in publications such as “The Huffington Post”, “HYCIDE, “The Nation”, “The Village Voice”, “Kajima” and “Nueva Luz. On the strength of his ethnographic portraits of his Caribbean homeland, Tau was selected to deliver the nationally televised Prime Minister's Lecture in Basseterre, St. Kitts in September 2022 and "40 x
40: A Photographic Journey of Independence and Resilience" at the National Arts Center in Ottawa, Canada in September 2023. Tau is currently working on his first monograph, “Daddying”, which visually explores the relationships between Black fathers and their sons.
Trevor Todd - Bermuda
Trevor was born in Hamilton, Bermuda in 1965 and is a diverse artist whose works consists of mixed mediums. This technique allows him to express himself freely, with the ·intent of encouraging each individual viewer to interpret and take their own personal journey as they observe and analyze his work. Trevor also expresses his artistic talents at times through music (didgeridoo), photography, poetry, as well as through performing as Bermuda Gombey dancer; an iconic symbol of Bermuda with indigenous, African and Caribbean roots. Trevor's journey to becoming an artist is a combination of self-discovery and a trip Australia in 2005. It was during that particular journey while exploring the Aboriginal people's unique culture and art in particular, that he credits to opening up his mind to the possibilities within artistic expression and the freedom it provided him to express himself in such a way that was new, invigorating and therapeutic for his soul. Originally self-taught, Trevor later continued his progression as an artist through formal classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York City; studying different artistic styles and techniques whilst there, gaining a deeper understanding of different artistic methods that intrigued him,in addition to utilizing the experiences to help him further develop his own craft. His work has been exhibited widely at galleries and institutions in Bermuda, New York City, and Aux Molieres, France.
Zoanne Evans – Barbados
Zoanne Evans is an Instructor at UWI Cave Hill Campus where she teaches business writing and creative writing. An avid writer and artist, she holds a PhD in Literatures in English and a certificate of participation from the Prima Linea private art school in Paris where she participated in a pen and ink drawing class. She is a member of Writers’ Ink, a writing group headed by Barbados’ Poet Laureate, Esther Phillips and she is also a member of the Plein Air painting group founded by celebrated local artist Neville Legall. Zoanne’s literary publications include a collection of poems entitled The Song Within Me which won an honourable mention at the inaugural Frank Collymore Literary Endowment Awards and In the Shade of the Shak-Shak, a collection of award-winning short stories and poems. Her children’s novella Tameisha’s Adventure won the Prime Minister’s Award at the 23rd annual Frank Collymore Literary Endowment Awards and was short-listed for the Bocas Children’s Book Prize. Zoanne enjoys pen and ink drawing and sometimes adds water colour to her renderings. These pieces comprise aspects of Barbadian society that are vanishing or that speak to the artist’s sense of old Barbados and the landscape around her. She has exhibited her work at CaFA fair in the past and her artwork is on sale at the Barbados Arts Council in St Thomas. One hundred percent of the proceeds from Zoanne’s artwork and books go to her children’s charity Kids in Action. This Christian charity seeks to instill biblical principles in our children while encouraging them to stay in school and to hone their gifts and talents.
“Diaspora Dialogue “XII” – special exhibition of Global Diaspora Artists
Cecil Lee – USA
Cecil W. Lee (C. Lee) is a visual artist specializing in Computer-Evolved Digital Compositions, a hybrid art form that fuses traditional techniques such as painting and photography with cutting-edge digital tools. His journey as a digital artist began in the late 1980s when he purchased his first computer, captivated by the creative possibilities of a new technological frontier. Without formal training, C. Lee developed his craft through years of experimentation, guided by a sharp eye for detail and a vivid use of color—hallmarks that continue to define his work.
Colette Fournier – USA
Collette V. Fournier has an MFA in Visual Arts from Vermont College and a BS from RIT in Communications and Photographic Illustration. Born in Harlem, she grew up in Brooklyn and Queens, NY. She is the retired staff photographer from Rockland Community College and adjuncts in the Photography Department. Fournier has worked as a staff photographer for The Rockland Journal-News, The Bergen Record, about...time magazine, and freelanced for The New York Post. Fournier was selected by the University of Rochester to photograph three educational tours to Senegal, West Africa and has traveled to Ghana, Togo and Benin with Chiku Awali African Dance and Culture. Fournier curated several exhibitions including a multi-sited exhibition “There is a World Through Our Eyes: Perceptions and Visions of the African American Photographer” exhibited at Rockland Community College, ACOR, Arts Alliance of Haverstraw, Rockland Center for the Arts and Blue Hill in 1993. Fournier is an active member of Kamoinge Inc., an African-American photography collective, Timeless was published to celebrate the Collective’s 50th year. As a Soros fellow (OSI), she documented Post Hurricane Katrina. Through Atria Books, Kamoinge published Sweet Breath of Life, A poetic narrative of the African American family by Frank Stewart with writer Ntozake Shange. Fournier’s work is published in tabletop and textbooks and she is completing a personal narrative on her journey through photography. Fournier is a member of Society for Photographic Education (SPE) and was honored by AAUW for her photography. She received the Artist of Year Award by the County Executive Arts Awards and Arts Council. She shares her photography “Retrospective Series: Spirit of a People” with the global community. Fournier has been Artist-in-Residence at the CEJJES Institute in Pomona, NY. and is on board to develop The Gordon Black Cultural Arts Center. Her photography work is collected in Photography Collections Preservation Project (PCCP), Finkelstein Memorial Library, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Smithsonian Institute, WDC, Women International Archive, CA. and in private collections.
June Truesdale – USA
June DeLairre Truesdale attended Fordham University of Technology in NYC where she received her BA in Studio Art. June joined the New York City Police Department in 1988 as a photographer covering community events, parades, police promotions, anyone else interested other venues requiring police presence. June is distinguished as being the first Black female photographer employed by the New York City Police Department. June worked as a freelance photojournalist 50 + years. She’s covered assignments for newspapers and magazines and has covered events in the political, and theatrical arena. Notably: Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre of Harlem, Frank Silvera’s Writers Workshop, The Negro Ensemble Company and The AUDELCO Annual Awards in the Black Theatre Arts. June was President and on site photographer for Alpha Construction, Harlem NY Photographing before and after work progress creating photographic portfolios demonstrating quality of work for Alpha and other Construction Companies
June was official Photographer for Fordham University's Theatre Arts Department where she captured all aspects of Student produced Plays and Productions. She was Fordham University's Alumni Association photographer and acted as Photo Editor for Fordham's EVEX Newspaper. June was a staff photographer for Encore Magazine, a NYC based magazine dedicated to national and international news regarding the African Diaspora. She was Actress/ Singer Phyllis Hyman's Personal NYC Photographer. and the Personal photographer to the Late New York State Senator Joseph L. Galiber and family. In addition, she worked with Gordon Parks on his Catalogue Project and was movie set photographer for Melvin Van Peebles Indie Movie,"Identity Crisis."
Her work hangs in the permanent collection of Chicago's DuSable Museum and the African American Museum in Philadelphia, PA. her photographic works also hang on the walls of a number of private collectors. Currently, June is working on her book, "Come Sunday: Harlem Churches Great and Small", a compilation of 350+ Harlem churches and places of worship. Her church photographs span the time frame from 1986 to 2022. "Come Sunday: Harlem Churches Great and Small" is June’s tribute to preserving and protecting Harlem's rich vital religious/geographic history. June is a member of KAMOINGE INC, a consortium of black New York City based photographers who are dedicated to preserving positive images of our Black and Brown communities.
Khuumba Ama - USA
Khuumba Ama hails from the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor of Savannah, Georgia. She now resides in Harlem, USA. She is a full time multi-dimensional Visual Artist, Storyteller and Reiki Therapist. Khuumba uses various textures to tell the stories of her art, such as, images printed on canvas, a technique Ms. Ama developed while experimenting with various materials to create her collages; sand and felting. Khuumba is currently the President of National Conference of Artists (NCA), New York Chapter. As a Teaching Artist, her classes are designed for elevating “Life Skills Through Art”. In September 2019, Khuumba received a Citation from the City Council of New York, for Outstanding Work in Community Service.
Lisa Dubois – USA
Lisa DuBois is a curator, visual artist and writer dedicated to exploring subcultures within the broader fabric of mainstream society. Her ethnographic photojournalism aims to enlighten and inspire viewers to consider other cultures in a deeper and meaningful way. Preserving and promoting awareness of cultural diversity, as revealed through ritual and performance, is at the center of her artistic mission. DuBois received a degree from the Germain School of Photography and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been exhibited nationally and in India, France and Greece. She has freelanced for Getty Images and The New York Daily News and has been recognized by The Guardian and New York Times for her tenure as curator of Harlem’s X Gallery. She’s currently Diversity Advisor and Photo Editor for Social Documentary Network. In 2023, Lisa received a BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) Grant and a
grant from En Foco.
Philip “Muzi” Branch - USA
Philip “Muzi” Branch, a Native of Richmond, Virginia, received both his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and his Master of Art Education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He was hired as Director of the Cultural Programs Department at the VCU Medical Center in 2005. Prior to his employment at the Health System, he was an art instructor with the Richmond Public School System, Virginia Union University, Virginia State University and Saint Paul’s College, Lawrenceville, VA. He served as Assistant Director of the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology in Petersburg and Executive Director of Arts on the Square, in downtown Richmond. His award-winning paintings have been exhibited at The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, PANAFEST, Ghana, West Africa, The Banneker Douglass Museum, Annapolis, MD, The African American Museum, Dallas TX, The Ohio History Museum, Columbus OH and The Daura Gallery, Lynchburg VA. His work is included in the collections of SunTrust Bank, Richmond Community Hospital, Lynchburg College, and First Market Bank. While participating in the Virginia Commission for the Arts “Artists in Education" Program, he completed over 20 mural-painting residencies in public schools across the state of Virginia. Philip, also known as Muzi, is an accomplished bassist and songwriter. He performs with the internationally acclaimed musical group, Plunky and Oneness.
S. Ross Browne – USA
S. Ross Browne studied Communication Art and Design at Virginia Commonwealth University and Photography at The Corcoran School of the Arts. He is also an alumnus of The Miller School of Albemarle, Charlottesville, Virginia. He has taught art and design for inner city and at-risk youth for the Fresh Air Fund of N.Y.C, Weed and Seed, Project Ready and Art 180 of Richmond, VA.
Valerie "Valstyle" Kirk - USA
New York based artist Valerie Kirk uses vibrant colors and abstract form to evoke her own way of pleasing the eye. Her work was influenced by the ancestors, her parents, her uncle Charles Morris and mentor G. Falcon Beazer. Valstyle is her artist’s name from the martial arts and fashion world incorporating African motifs of Adinkra symbol of Ghana in her style. Her work is informed by her background in abstract acrylic, calligraphy, computer graphics, mosaic, mixed media, photography, printmaking & watercolor. Ms. Kirk received a B.A. in fine arts from Lehman College, CUNY. Her work was recently exhibited in Harlem USA at the Kente Royal gallery in March 2024. She has shown in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Multicultural Museum in Maryland, and she was part of the South of the Navy Yard walking tour in Brooklyn & black wash on Bronxnet. Currently Valstyle is a Fulton Art Fair artist and a Harlem Arts Alliance artist.
“My mood dictates anything I execute for a series of artwork. Sometimes my thoughts flow freely in the morning or night at any time I’ll get a burst of inspiration from life’s experience, being around the African diaspora and my travels. My new series R.E.M. is related to my older series funk color dreams started over twenty years ago. When I started drawing the word dream in graffiti tag form. “Dream” is continuously repeated in most of these paintings of mixed media, feeling so inspired I rolled out a body of work to show and for you to enjoy.”
ZENC ART – representing artists:
Alberto Opoku - Ghana
Alberto Opoku hails from the Kumasi Ashanti Region of Ghana. From a young age, he has admired nature and its profound influence on humanity. This passion led him to create visual art that reflects the beauty of nature and explores the diverse experiences of people across the globe. As a full-time artist, Alberto's mission is to share his artwork with the world, believing it can inspire and connect us all.
Bismarck Mensah Bensu – Ghana
Bismark Mensah Bonsu, hailing from the vibrant town of Sehwi Wiawso in Ghana, is an artist whose work transcends mere aesthetics, embodying the philosophy that "Art is Life, Feel It and Love It." From a young age, Bismark exhibited a profound passion for creativity, drawing inspiration from the colorful landscapes, diverse cultures, and the everyday lives of the people around him. His artwork often reflects the intricate dynamics of life in Ghana, capturing emotions and experiences that resonate universally. Through various mediums, including painting and mixed media, he invites viewers to engage with the raw beauty of human existence. As he continues to evolve as an artist, Bismark Mensah Bonsu remains a prominent voice in the Ghanaian art scene, advocating for the transformative power of creativity.
Daniel Quarico – Ghana
Daniel hails from the Kumasi Ashanti Region of Ghana. He has trained with master sculptors from this traditional art community and has imbued the traditional art forms with his own contemporary flourishes. His unique combination of African hardwoods from Ghana and Togo infused in many cases with w/melted British Coins (circa pre-1962) is a tribute to the ancestors who endured the strictures of colonialism.
Manian - Senegal
Manian grew up in Dakar, Senegal with a grassroots solution. On Goree Island, a former slave forte, he was coach and mentor by trained sidewalk artists. He eventually crafts his own style of expression, painting from the soul. In his artistic process, he primarily employs chalk, pastels and oil on canvas or paper. He uses his unique 3D imaging to create some of the lines.
ZENC Bean & Art Imports Ltd
Founded in 2019 by Hashim Estwick during visits to Senegal and Ghana, ZENC Arts emerged from the discovery of talented artists who skillfully wield color to create stunning paintings. He witnessed established artists nurturing emerging talent, enhancing their skills and creativity. Their mission extends beyond supporting these artists in their livelihoods; the aim is to promote their culture and heritage through art. West African art serves as a vital voice, connecting deeply with the soul of its people.