September to early December is when my In-Box is most filled with notifications enticing me to attend openings to a variety of artist exhibitions. 
There are so many in the Port of Spain area that I can’t keep up. I had originally intended to focus this blog on artists and art reviews but I would have ended up being extremely busy visiting art galleries during this art season, then twiddling my thumbs in the feting and holiday seasons when the market drops for the rest of the year.
Though I have gone to a few art openings for the season already, I sadly missed quite a few good shows as they often hang around for a few days only. I like it when there are a number of openings on the same day as then I can organise an ‘art gallery crawl’. Even that is limited as the events are usually only for an hour and a half in the evenings. Some galleries, such as 101 Art Gallery on Woodford Street, only open during the day but then parking and traffic become an issue.
The openings are so much fun. People tend to dress up and it’s like a party, meeting up with people you haven’t seen for a long time. The artist(s) on show would have invited many friends and relatives to support them so it can get quite crowded, especially if the gallery is small. Sometimes there is live music. Drinks are always on offer and often bite-sized snacks too. Horizons Art Gallery on Mucurapo Road usually present the best food! It’s exciting to see a red dot going up on the wall next to a work of art which means it has been sold. Some artists are so popular that they have show-previews for serious buyers, so that most of the artwork is already sold by the time the exhibition opens. Prices for pieces vary hugely depending on how established the artist is, the medium used (oils are usually more expensive, for example), and of course the size and complexity of the work.
There is all kind of art available in Trinidad, from classic oil paintings of landscapes or portraits to bizarre, modernistic pieces. Work may include sculptures, fabric, wire bending, enhanced photographic art, or whatever an artist’s imagination can conjure up.
This season I attended openings so far for:
- Peter Sheppard, famous for his tiny acrylic landscape paintings and the occasional huge pieces. His show at Y Art Gallery in Woodbrook was a sell-out. Peter is the current president of the Art Society of Trinidad & Tobago (ASTT)
– Wulf Gerstenmaier, a talented German who has made Trinidad his home, and has blessed us with many imaginative pieces over the years. I’ve always wanted 
to own one of his paintings and I did purchase a piece at his recent ASTT opening, entitled ‘Savannah’. Apparently, it was painted with oils on glass, then pressed on black paper for a most unusual and beautiful effect.
– ‘Treasured’, a group exhibition of top artists at Horizons Art Gallery, from a private collection. I particularly loved the Boscoe Holder portrait at the top of the flyer. I wrote about this superstar in a previous blog.
- Hayden Geeawan, an up-and-coming and very talented acrylic artist who focuses on realistic scenes with wildlife, portraiture, and yesteryear themes. I was most drawn to his huge painting of dolphins and also his fine portrayal of an Indian
lady dancer. His prices are very good considering the quality of the work. At the opening he presented a beautiful painting of Eric and Julia Morley to Ysabel Bisnath, T&T’s Miss World representative, as a gift to Mrs. Morley, chair of the Miss World Organisation. This show took place in October 2018 at Horizons Art Gallery.
If you are interested in finding out what’s on in the art scene in the Port of Spain area, then I suggest that you contact the best-known galleries listed below, to get on their mailing list. Click on the name to get more details. Alternatively, join the Art Society and receive their weekly newsletter highlighting upcoming shows from various galleries, as well as art courses, workshops, etc. Sadly, there do not seem to be many art displays elsewhere in the country, although I have been on a couple of road trips to San Fernando with fellow Art Society members to attend group shows there. There is certainly a wealth of talented artists from that region.
101 Art Gallery: 84 Woodford St.
628-4081 Newtown
Fine Art Ltd.: Cnr. Rosalino & Warren Sts.
628-4669 Woodbrook
Horizons Art Gallery: 39 Mucurapo Rd.
628-9769 St. James
The Art Society of T&T: Cnr. Jamaica Blvd. & St. Vincent Ave.
622-9827 Federation Park
Y Art & Framing Gallery: 26 Taylor St.
628-4165 Woodbrook
