Contrasting artists exhibit

THE title of this exhibition, Contrasts, was chosen because of the contrasting styles of art by the two artists, Colin Bootman and Alexander Guerrero.

Bootman was born in Trinidad, where he lived until he was seven years and was inspired by the rich and diverse culture. Soon after moving to the United States, he embraced art as an escape from the pressures of adjusting to a new environment at an early age. He cites finding his first comic book as the life-changing experience that marked the beginning of his career as an artist, said a media release.

Bootman trained at La Guardia High School of the Arts, which served to deepen his appreciation for other disciplines, and solidified his own passion for the visual arts. In college, he studied photography, writing, and illustration and was encouraged to pursue children’s book art, as it allowed him the freedom to express himself through various media. He writes and illustrates children’s books, the first of which was published in 1994.

Bootman now lives in Trinidad, and his representational paintings reflect many aspects of life here. Guerrero is a mixed-media artist from Venezuela, working and living in TT. His work strives to be informal, authentic and peaceful, the release said. He is a self-taught artist who was inspired by his mother. As a child, he used to watch her sew, making his clothes for Christmas and also his school uniforms. Now, he aims to create art with paint, fabric, thread, canvas, beads, feathers, wire and whatever is needed to bring to fruition the work of art he sees in his mind’s eye.

His original, abstract paintings are usually inspired by life experiences, nature or music and are intended to lift the spirit.

Strong composition, visual texture and bold use of colour are just some of the elements he employs in creating works that elicit emotional responses from viewers. His work at times may be subtle and at other times vibrant and bold; his focus is on following his intuition and instincts.

New Works, Contrasts opens at the 101 Art Gallery in Newtown tomorrow from 10 am to 2 pm and continues until May 23.