Contrast Gina Samson CARIBBEAN ARTS FESTIVAL: MIGRATION OF COLORS November 16, 2019 – January 17, 2020 Created in partnership with the Friends of Queens Public Library

QueensLibrary.org CARIBBEAN ARTS FESTIVAL: MIGRATION OF COLORS

This winter, we’re celebrating the Caribbean with visual art displayed at nine branches: Cambria Heights, Central, Douglaston/Little Neck, Hollis, Laurelton, Rochdale Village, Rosedale, St. Albans, and South Hollis. Join us to see different styles of art, ranging from impressionist to abstract to surreal. Artists from Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad will participate, in addition to numerous artists from around the world. Lectures, films, and other programming will complement the festival’s art exhibition. Come explore the Caribbean, a place that is a microcosm of the planet.

Anguilla Antigua & Aruba Bahamas Belize Barbuda

British Virgin Turks and Cayman Islands Dominica Islands Caicos Islands Curaçao

Jamaica Grenada Guyana Haiti Montserrat

Saint Lucia Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Vincent and Suriname Trinidad and Grenadines Tobago

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ARTISTS BIOS

Chantal Paret Antoine Ludwig Borgella

Artist’s statement: My art Artist’s statement: It is my originates from a place ultimate focus to of loss, longing, and educate, inspire, and nostalgia from the fact enlighten all about the of having been uprooted beauty of Haiti through from my birthplace. my lens.

Artist’s artwork medium: Oil pastels, Artist’s artwork medium: Camera pencil drawings, water color, and painting Patricia Brintle Samuel Augustin Artist’s statement: I do not follow any particular Artist’s statement: I often school but rather I let consider myself an my rich Haitian culture ‘Artist Reporter’ and its vibrant colors be because of my ability to my creative muse. create some small but important details of life and Artist’s education: Self-taught sometimes the dire circumstances of the Haitian experience. Michael Brundent Artist’s artwork medium: Painting, Artist’s statement: collaborative mixed media Painting is for me what sun is for the plant. Sherwin Banfield Artist’s artwork medium: Artist’s statement: I’m Painting, calligraphy, very interested in graphic design, stage decorations, personal stories, and decorative art particular memories of one’s personal journey and the impact of such memories on their physical makeup, face and body language.

Artist’s artwork medium: Painting, sculpture, and mural design

3 Stephanie Cavé Emmanuel Dostaly

Artist’s background: She started Artist’s statement: My Kapha Group in 2016 to serve as dream is to see both fine a platform for the promotion of arts and the crafts made primarily Caribbean art and with the in Haiti reach such a mission of giving back by supporting level as to eliminate the the cause of nonprofit organizations abject poverty and whose work she admires. sufferings of my country.

Artist’s artwork medium: Her Artist’s education: Self-taught mediums of choice for painting are acrylic and oil with cold wax. Sherese Francis Ifeatuanya “Ify” Chiejina About the artist: Sherese is a Queens-based poet, Artist’s statement: Ify is a process- text artist, workshop oriented visual artist born and raised facilitator, and literary in Queens, NY. Ify is a black Igbo curator of the mobile female with ideas, thoughts, and library project. truths that are rooted and reflective of different customs and traditions. Artist’s artwork medium: Francis is an emerging visual and mixed media Artist’s background: Ify is one of the artist whose works look at text and founding members of the Southeast language as forms of art too. Queens Artist Alliance (SEQAA). Collette V. Fournier Jorge A. Cotto, Jr. Aka “Driven” About the artist: Fournier is an active member of Artist’s statement: Have NYC-based Kamoinge you done all you can do Inc., an African- today so you can better American photography tomorrow? Work hard, collective. play harder, repeat.

Artist’s artwork medium: Airbrush, acrylic, digital art, pen and pencil

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Miriam Duarte Gallarob Tariq Julfiker

Artist’s statement: I love Artist’s statement: I realize drawing portraits and art is an intellectual showcasing the natural activity, a sustained expressions in people. inquiry involving me and My art has made me the world. more self-confident and making art at this stage of my life is something that I really enjoy. Marvenia Knight

Artist’s artwork medium: Paintings Artist’s Education: She and drawings studied graphic and advertising design at the Empire and Parsons Dr. Francois Ricles Garcia schools.

Artist’s statement: Art for Artist’s artwork/medium: Mixed me is an elixir, a potion, media collage, photographs, acrylic which relaxes me and paintings invigorates me. It all depends on the states that I am in, deep in my soul. Rejin Leys

Artist’s artwork medium: Painting, Artist’s artwork medium: ceramics, water color, and book Rejin is a mixed media illustrations artist and paper maker based in Jamaica, NY.

Dianne Ifill Artist’s work can be seen in the collections of the Schomburg About the artist: My new Center for Research in Black Culture work reflects my and she is the recipient of a fellowship concern for the planet from the New York Foundation of the and the affect our Arts. carbon footprint will have on future generations.

Artist’s artwork/medium: Sculpture, painting, and drawing

5 Fenel Meziles Glenn Roopchand

Artist’s statement: I am Artist’s background: influenced by the, Trinidadian born and Haitian artists Bernard Pratt Institute alum, Séjourné and Dieudonné where he won a Cédor. scholarship to attend.

Artist’s artwork medium: Drawing and Artist’s artwork medium: Exploring painting and creating mixed media pieces consisting of beads, glass, wood, and other found objects indicative of his Mandi Patricia Raines, PhD Caribbean heritage. Artist’s statement: I have taught art in the New Gina Samson York City public school system for 31 years and I Artist’s statement: Art am extremely grateful. reflects the importance of creation and immigration. My art Robert V. Reid explores the memories of Artist’s education: Trained Haiti and the migrant architectural draftsman, experience. My recent series focuses with a passion for on the relationships between visual painting arts and music, especially the jazz I listen to while painting. Artist’s artwork/medium: Graphite, charcoals, watercolor, and Artist’s artwork medium: Painting, oils. Reid uses these elements to drawing, and collage create emotive rendering of human form. Reginald St. Fort

Artist’s statement: “(R+?)=!” An equation which summarized Reginald, with a universal curiosity, interest, and creativity observed in life which personifies the varied and dialogue expressed in my art.

Artist’s work medium: Painting

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Carlo Thertus Vincent Wise, Jr.

Artist’s statement: It is Artist’s background: Born and raised time for the world in Jamaica, Queens, Vincent has leaders to consciously always had a deep passion for the understand the privilege arts and been inspired by community of life and as humans to engagement and education. do the right thing for the future of mankind. My paintings are A graduate of LaGuardia Community expressing my hope and desire for all College, Vincent is a multidisciplinary humanity to live in peace. artist operating in the genres of abstract painting, photography, Artist’s artwork medium: Painting, literature. collage art education, gallery instructor and owner, The-R-TUS. Farhana Yasmin Patrick Wah Artist’s statement: In my Artist statement: Painting painting, I am concerned is my life. It is what I do with the act of best. I have always relationship combined strived for excellence, with the even as a young artist in interrelationships of the Haiti. world around us.

Artist’s artwork medium: Painting and Artist’s work/medium: Farhana uses sculpture oil and acrylics

David G. Wilson

Artist’s statement: The artist who wishes to enhance his facilities for creative intervention may look at a stain on the wall and therein perceive whatever he wishes to see.

Artist’s education: Self-taught artist who has been painting for the past 46 years

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NOVEMBER 16, 2019 – JANUARY 17, 2020

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