Mango Tango Art Gallery on Route 38 announces the opening of both the Kat Stevens and Brenda Sylvia Exhibition and the Holiday Gift Show on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
To add to the festivities, Neko Crush will be spinning Christmas Obscuria, Roots Reggae, Ethnotronica, and Organic House. Also, spirits and appetizers will be served in the parking lot. The gallery walls and tables will be brimming with engaging paintings and local and world crafts.
Stevens and Sylvia each present an intimate grouping of small to medium works, Stevens in oil on various supports and Sylvia in acrylic on canvas. For many years they have garnered avid collectors at Mango Tango.
Stevens calls her grouping of seven paintings “Out of Nowhere.” The paintings range in size from 16 by 20 inches and square foot works to 6 by 6 inches. Self-taught Stevens explains her process: “The best things in life are usually unexpected. An unexpected gift, maybe flowers, a new very interesting friend, an encounter with nature, something that snaps you into the present moment and taps your inner child on the shoulder. Sometimes I have a clear image of what I want to convey through the paint. Those times I would choose to paint what I see. A memory tugs at my heart and I feel I must express it. Sometimes I just choose color and play with the paints, smearing with my fingers, and enjoying the freedom to not make anything on purpose. In the end, watching the paint dry and watching clouds can be a lot alike. What is looking back at me? Do you see it too?”
Classically trained Brenda Sylvia explains that the natural beauty of the islands brought her to the Virgin Islands. Her works are 8 by 8 inches and 6 by 6 inches. She initially enjoyed job experiences that allowed her to explore outdoors. Working on boats and taking groups on kayaking tours was what she needed to experience nature first hand to inform her process.
She says “When you see me at the beach, you will find me painting on the beach, not shooting photographs to paint later. This helps create an immediacy in the painting. Hurricanes and family health issues pushed me back to the states, to Virginia. If you wonder how I can still capture that moment of time at a Virgin Island beach or hiking trail when I am painting in the states, it’s quite easy. Every seascape or landscape I paint vibrates with the tropical colors that drew me to the islands. Those colors are the splendor of the islands I celebrate in my paintings. My memories are based on those tropical colors. And I also visit often.”
The Gift Show includes functional ceramics by Sara Lee Hayes and Jessica Rosenberg, made in the Virgin Islands, and Talavera ceramics from Mexico. Soapstone hearts, angels, and animals from Haiti and Kenya make great stocking staffers, as do Haitian magnets made from discarded oil drums transformed into fish, geckos, turtles, and moko jumbies. Olive wood from Kenya carved into salad server sets and appetizer utensils make lovely gifts. Haitian metal angels range in size from 4 inches to 18 inches. Haitian metal sea life comes in many sizes and is good indoors or outdoors. Gourds from Peru are fashioned into ornaments, nativities, purses, and boxes. Captivating 4 inch to 7 inch bronze female figures are created in Burkina Faso. Woven baskets from Ghana and wooden masks from many African nations add to decorating possibilities. Courtney Devonish carves beautiful hearts, figures, fish, and birds from pine and mahogany.
The show continues for one month. You may view the show on the gallery’s website: mangotangoart.com. Call 340-777-3060 for more information.
