We Pledge Allegiance - Exhibition - A Feast for the Eyes!

"We Pledge Allegiance" Curated by Oneka Small

This is one of those exhibitions that if you missed, you really missed out.  It was a real treat to experience the feeling of going into an Art Gallery and feeling like a kid in a candy store, with such a feast to the eyes, at every corner you looked there was a delight to be viewed.  

This was truly a brilliant exhibition.  Curated by Oneka Small, it ran from November 15th - December 17th at #1 Manor Lodge a 8,000 square foot space donated by Adrian Elcock. 

I had many favorite pieces

It was perfect, it was transformed from an office space to an art gallery in two weeks!  It was expertly filled by Oneka a very talented artist and curator and her team of people who gave their assistance to make this happen.

It was amazing, as soon as you walked into the space you knew that you were going to have every one of your senses inspired.  The space felt like it had always been a gallery and had breathed inspiration, creativity and talent, and you wanted to spend time there and you left feeling filled.

The location was ideal and it would be great if it could be used in the long term as a gallery.....

..... a space among us ....hidden in plain sight... there all along, housing the creative talents of the many artists living in Barbados!  It definitely is something to think about and the 'Manor Lodge Gallery' or the 'Elcock Gallery' has a certain ring to it!! (smile)

There were over 90 artists and well over 350 pieces of art by talented established as well as up-and-coming artists in Barbados - here are Artists that exhibited - 

Adrian Richards, Aguinaldo Belgrave, Akyem-i Ramsay, Alison Chapman-andrews, Allie Callender, Ancel Daniel, Anya Stephen, Ann Rudder, Anisah Wood, Arlette Sthill, Ashanti Trotman, Aurelia Walcott, Bill Grace, Catherine Forter Cheeatow, Cher Antoinette, Cherise Harris, Combemere School, Corrie Scott, Cy Hutchinson, Danielle ☥ Toppin, David Skinner, Don Small, Ewan Atkinson, Frank Taylor, Franz Phillips, Fred Odle, Gail Pounder-Speede, Graham Gill, Heather-Dawn Scott, Hedy Klineman, Henry Fraser, Heidi Berger, Heshimu Akin-yemi, Ichia Tiyi, Ilix, Indra Rudder, Ireka Jelani, Ras Jamonn Roberts, Jeena Chatrani, Joyce Daniel, Julia Seymour, Juliana Inniss, Kenneth Blackman, Kraig Yearwood, Leslie Taylor, Lilian Sten-Nicholson, Lorna Wilson, Lisle Warner, Marlon Ilion Skeete, Martina Pile Zahles, Margaret Herbert, Mathew Clarke, Na La, Nakazzi Hutchinson, Natalie Atkins-Hinds, Neville Crawford, Neville Legall, Nick Whittle, Oneka Small, Petra Toyin, Rae Garnes, Ras Ishi, Risée Chaderton-Charles, Rivenis, Rodney S. Ifill, Ronald Williams, Rupert Piggott, Sade Payne, Simbah Pile, Steven Haynes, Tandem, Israel Mapp, Taneisha Shepherd, Tracy Greenidge, Troy Romelle Bourne, Victor Collector, Virgil Broodhagen, William Cummins, Willie Alleyne, Woodpecker, Eileen Hamilton, Mary Armstrong, C Skeete, Norma Talma, Karl Broodhagen, Gordon Parkinson, Robert J MacLeod, Golde White, K C Hawkins, Bertalan.

Check out some of the names.  Luckily for you an online album has been created for viewing.  Check out the ONLINE GALLERY  Some of the work may still be on SALE so if you see something you like let them know.  

Once again, we were treated to  a really great exhibition, and I am looking forward to the next one!

If you want to keep updated with news check out the Barbados Visual Arts Event and you can Pop over to my Destination Barbados - Wanted in Barbados Blog for more creative ins and outs that I get up to on the island - a bit more of a taster.

BBC - Wanted in Paradise - Trip to Barbados

Wanted in Paradise - Me, Alan and Sekani as we visit one of 3 properties on the island

Wanted in Paradise - Our accomodation

Last year we had the opportunity to take a trip to Barbados with the BBC to see what it would be like to live there. You can see the post I wrote HERE 

The Wanted in Paradise series follows 8 families around to see what goes into the decision to relocating to another country, and we went to sunny Barbados.  We explored the heartache and soul searching that goes into making a decision in a search for a better quality of life.

You can see our program HERE

Wanted in Paradise

We met lots of people and found out lots of information to help us inform our decision. For those of you that are familiar with my blog and my story as a carer you will know that I look after my mother who is suffering from dementia, so thoughts of relocation will have to be thought through with great care.

I have always thought my ideal will be the ability to stay in both places when the weather is at its' best - 6 months in the UK and 6 months in Barbados, obviously my work - art and creativity have to be able to be flexible and in an ideal world I will have an gorgeous studio like the artist I met - Janice Silvia Brock

The program aired on Thursday and there were lots that we filmed that wasn't included, people we had talked to and family members who had given their point of view.  I guess that there is a limit in an hour to what can be included and you would probably need a whole new show to fit every thing in!

Overall I felt that it gave a flavor of the decisions that we had to make the difficulty of the very thought of leaving family and friends behind to embark on a new place to call home.  Take a look and see how difficult the decision was and what we eventually decide.

Stay blessed and be a blessing!