Art stepped outside the gallery and into nature on Saturday, as creatives from across the country joined a worldwide celebration of painting in the open air. Tucker Valley in Chaguaramas became their canvas, as they traded the studio for the outdoors, capturing our natural beauty.
Artists in 21 countries participated in the International Plein Air Painters Worldwide Paint Out.
Locally, the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago joined the event, continuing its tradition of taking art into public spaces.
“Over the past several years the Art Society of Trinidad and Tobago has represented T&T in this event always painting somewhere where the public can come and enjoy the artistes painting on site. For example we have painted in the past around the Queens Park Savannah, the Botanic Gardens at Wild Flower Park and now today at U-Pick.”
This year’s paint-out took place at U-Pick Farms in Chaguaramas, where the natural surroundings became the artists’ canvas.
For one participant, the experience also reflected a personal connection to Trinidad and Tobago’s artistic heritage.
“Sybil Atteck is a founding member of the Art Society back in 1943 she was a teacher at Holy Name Convent, she actually taught my mom. So I was very much influenced by painting, I was taken to see her painting when she was still alive, my mother was quite attached to her and actually we had one in our house. So I have quite an affiliation with Sybil Atteck and she was very influential at that time.”
For Penny Sealy she says painting outdoors allows her to connect with nature while closely observing light and form.
“I am inspired by nature, I ove being in nature so I think that being able to do two things that I love at the same time, painting and being in nature is a great experience for me. I just think it makes you really look, you’re looking at maybe not each individual leaf in the tree but you’re looking at the shape and where is the light falling and what’s happening behind.”
As for Beverly Fitzwilliam-Harries she will be exploring that connection in her new exhibition, Outside, Inside, which celebrates the natural world.
“I represent mother nature, I love everything outside, I don’t know how else to explain it, everything that the planet has given us, I give praise to it and only want to paint that.”
And for the youngest painter, Isabella Bridglalsingh, the bamboo-filled landscape offered a chance to capture something unique about the environment before her.
“The wilderness and the freeness of the bamboo trees and the grass and the earth in general and the sun which was mainly the focus of the painting to shine through the bamboo to show that show how everything is connected with roots and that everything works together.”
The Art Society says its commitment goes beyond showcasing art, creating opportunities for artists of all ages and experience levels to participate, connect and express themselves.