Youth artists show off their craft

BUDDING artists displayed their work before the judges at NGC’s Sanfest (San Fernando Festival of Arts) at the Creative Arts Centre, Circular Road, San Fernando.

Young artists from schools throughout TT brought colour pieces in keeping with this year’s theme Be Different Be You. Art student Acacia Le Matre-Joseph, 16, explored different facets of beauty. A student of St George’s College in Barataria, Le Matre-Joseph displayed a waterfall made of clay and several paintings depicting personalities with unique styles from her school.

“Youths today are showing off beauty in their own unique way,” she said, “and many people are moving away from trends, instead, wearing their hair and clothes in styles that suit them.” Her posters showed faces complete with false hair and coloured lips. Real cloth was used to create the styles of various personalities on show on October 17.

Asked whether she might consider art as a career, Le Matre-Joseph was quick to say yes.

“I think because of social media, one can sell art easily,” she said, adding that there are many unique pieces that cannot be copied and this is where money can be made.

Le Matre-Joseph is studying visual arts, Spanish, French, literature, integrated science, maths, English and history.

She loves to take colour pencils to canvas and start drawing anything that comes to mind.

“I do not believe in drawing in still shots like the coconut trees and beaches. I would rather draw a picture that depicts a scene, like the doubles vendor selling, and people lined up to get their hot doubles, and someone hanging clothes to dry out in the open,” she explained.

Apart from art, Le Matre-Joseph would also like to study political science and become a politician. “I think politicians can really develop a nation, and I feel many times people are thrown in this field for the wrong reason,” she said.