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Women In Art
Organization
Bio-profile
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The Women In Art
Organization of Trinidad and Tobago, founded by artist Fraulein Rudder was
launched on the 20th July 1996 with twenty-five women artists. This
event took place at the Normandie Hotel in Port-of-Spain with Artist Leroy
Clarke delivering the feature address.
Under the leadership of
the ongoing President, Fraulein Rudder, the organization now boasts of an
increased membership of one hundred and twenty members comprising, art
teachers, professionals, amateurs and aspiring artists. Women artists from the
other Caribbean islands have indicated their desire to join and participate in
the Organization’s annual exhibition. One year a Londoner of
Trinidadian parentage and a national of the island of St. Vincent took part in
the exhibition.
The aims
and objectives of the Organization are:
·
To help women to explore,
discover, develop new techniques and to assist young aspiring
artists, both girls and boys.
·
To mount an Annual Exhibition
of “Women In Art”.
·
To provide for the promotion
and appreciation of Art.
·
Host workshops and seminars
for members and aspiring artists.
·
To interact with Women Art
Groups in other countries.
·
To arrange Field Trips to
locations of Aesthetic interest.
The Annual Women In Art
organization Exhibition has been quite successful through the years. It has created a
greater awareness of the achievements of our women in the arts. It is an avenue
for them to display their talents in the diverse forms of visual arts in the
categories of painting, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, and fabrics. This is a
juried event so that the best works are exhibited. Artists are requested to
submit no more than four pieces of a standard size indicated on the list of
rules.
Fellow artists who once
lacked self-confidence are now venturing into partnership or solo exhibits. A
workshop is held during the exhibitions where members meet to discuss their art
works on the walls. Facilitators for this event over the years were Mr. Ken Critchlow and Greer Jones Woodham both professors at the University of the West
Indies.
A series of workshops
was introduced with the view to encourage artists to meet, exchange ideas,
develop techniques and to exhibit their work. These were held at the annex of
the National Museum and Art Gallery and open to both members and non-members.
Participation Certificates were issued at the end of each course. The
facilitators were known artists of Trinidad and Tobago. Among these workshops
were Figure Drawing and pottery classes.
A book entitled “Women
In Art 2000” was produced by
Fraulein and was published by her daughter Simone Rudder, a Graphic Artist. The editors
of the publication were the then Senator Diana Mahabir Wyatt, and Mrs. Joy Moore,
an artist.
This attractive, fully
coloured, glossy paged book of coffee table size, comprises thirty-eight women
artists from the Organization, each artist represented with a bio-profile, a
photo portrait and one of her artworks. The production was sponsored mainly by
a local insurance company. There was some assistance from other
corporate institutions of Trinidad and Tobago.
The
books have been distributed to all public libraries, schools, art galleries, and
some book stores. The demand for such a publication was long overdue and there
is hope for another production in the near future. The launching took place on
August 8th 2000 as a millennium project.
There is
an annual retreat to some chosen Nature spot where the artists meet to discuss
and exchange ideas, rekindle the enthusiasm for painting, appreciate nature,
hold painting sessions and enjoy camaraderie.
“There is need for
artists to withdraw from the normal humdrum of life in order to energize,
rejuvenate and amass creative and spiritual energies thus resulting in deeper
and more meaningful creations” quote—Fraulein Rudder.
Another important event
hosted by the Organization is a Biennial Art Competition for Fifth and Sixth
Form Art Students. They compete for Challenge Trophies and several other
prizes in categories of Portraits, Landscapes/seascapes, Experimental, Abstract,
Still Life and Graphics. The art works which are of a high caliber are juried by
a panel of distinguished local artists.
Finally, the membership
donates paintings to charitable organization for auction in fund raising
ventures.
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