Dear Editor – The month, before MACFest, I visited the Art Gallery to see local art work and I must say, exhibits included impressive carvings, jewellery, and some paintings.
Also, I witnessed, the work of an American artist, who was on an art demonstration tour arranged by the American Embassy in Papua New Guinea; her refined technique for painting surreal images, is, referred to as “Painting with Fire.” Yes, folks! She presented a video of working in her studio. After painting, let us say, a cloud with images of birds in flight, she fired up a blow torch and applied heat to the canvas, occasionally stopping to apply brush strokes to achieve a desired result and if the image required more “fire” the torch was once again lit and the flame was applied to the canvas. It was a unique and first-time experience for me and the local artists.
After her presentation, the remainder of the day’s program included a second session, working exclusively with local artists to develop ideas for improving their ability to enhance, expressions of their artwork.
Saturday morning at the National Art Gallery. Children with their moms and dads, teenagers, young and older adults plus two older senior Americans who have adopted the Solomon Islands were all there enjoying the exhibits.
The following expressions represent the test:
Afterwards, and upon reflection, of the first and second impression of local artists’ works, especially the paintings, I strongly suggest the Art Association should meet and discuss the possibility of having the gallery Administrator, contact art galleries by email and attach a photo-brochure, with a minimum of one dozen works of art and send it to curators in capital cities, throughout the developed world, requesting curators to arrange art exhibits for Solomon Islander’s works.
If we get confirmation of six or more galleries willing to accept our artists’ paintings, the Solomon Islands’ art gallery Administrator with other artists would follow-up with each prospective gallery by scheduling, transferring works, from one gallery to the next. Select a five, or, seven- person, contingent of artists, consisting of females and males to travel with the exhibition.
There are several States/cities with art galleries in America that would certainly be interested in exhibiting items from the Solomon Islands; namely, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, California (San Francisco, Los Angeles and Laguna Beach), Texas (Dallas), Colorado (Denver), Massachusetts (Boston), Illinois (Chicago), New York (New York City), Arizona (Sedona), and Washington, D.C., to name a few cities but keep in mind the test could include Australia and New Zealand which would have at least three cities each with art galleries.
First, contact a specific gallery in the USA/Australia/New Zealand; once confirmed, then broaden the prospective itinerary with other cities in either country, arrange date-time-specifics with a transportation company that will pack and deliver Solo’s items to the galleries, with schedules having the show travelling in one direction, i.e., from east coast to west or west coast to east within either the USA and Australia and south to north or vice-versa in New Zealand.
Negotiate the duration of the show in each gallery, and finally, prepare a budget for the total activity to include international and local air fare, vehicle/train transportation, hotel accommodation, cost to transport art work, etc., for the total round trip.
An idea for unsold artwork is to consider an auction in either the USA, Australia or New Zealand or donate the work to either non-profit girls and boys clubs, clinics or hospitals. Also, upon returning home, artists could auction unsold art pieces. Enjoy your trip and the expansion of your mind.
Don Boykin
Honiara
