Feb. 19, 2003 –– St. Croix resident Lauren Larsen has been appointed deputy commissioner for curriculum and instruction in the Education Department.
In a release announcing the appointment, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull said: "This position is critical to the department accomplishing its goals in preparing our children from the elementary level through high school."
Larsen previously served as the Education Department director of curriculum, assessment and technology.
He received bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Morgan State University and holds a doctorate in American history from Howard University.
Larsen was an assistant professor at Howard and a lecturer at Morgan State before joining the V.I. Education Department in 1997.
He is a member of various professional bodies, including the Organization of American Historians and the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
His published works include "Danish Emancipation in Hemispheric Perspection" and "Emancipation in the U.S. Virgin Islands: 150 Years of Freedom."
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LARSEN NAMED TO HEAD CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION
Feb. 19, 2003 –– St. Croix resident Lauren Larsen has been appointed deputy commissioner for curriculum and instruction in the Education Department.
In a release announcing the appointment, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull said: "This position is critical to the department accomplishing its goals in preparing our children from the elementary level through high school."
Larsen previously served as the Education Department director of curriculum, assessment and technology.
He received bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Morgan State University and holds a doctorate in American history from Howard University.
Larsen was an assistant professor at Howard and a lecturer at Morgan State before joining the V.I. Education Department in 1997.
He is a member of various professional bodies, including the Organization of American Historians and the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
His published works include "Danish Emancipation in Hemispheric Perspection" and "Emancipation in the U.S. Virgin Islands: 150 Years of Freedom."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
In a release announcing the appointment, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull said: "This position is critical to the department accomplishing its goals in preparing our children from the elementary level through high school."
Larsen previously served as the Education Department director of curriculum, assessment and technology.
He received bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Morgan State University and holds a doctorate in American history from Howard University.
Larsen was an assistant professor at Howard and a lecturer at Morgan State before joining the V.I. Education Department in 1997.
He is a member of various professional bodies, including the Organization of American Historians and the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
His published works include "Danish Emancipation in Hemispheric Perspection" and "Emancipation in the U.S. Virgin Islands: 150 Years of Freedom."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
LARSEN NAMED TO HEAD CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION
Feb. 19, 2003 –– St. Croix resident Lauren Larsen has been appointed deputy commissioner for curriculum and instruction in the Education Department.
In a release announcing the appointment, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull said: "This position is critical to the department accomplishing its goals in preparing our children from the elementary level through high school."
Larsen previously served as the Education Department director of curriculum, assessment and technology.
He received bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Morgan State University and holds a doctorate in American history from Howard University.
Larsen was an assistant professor at Howard and a lecturer at Morgan State before joining the V.I. Education Department in 1997.
He is a member of various professional bodies, including the Organization of American Historians and the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
His published works include "Danish Emancipation in Hemispheric Perspection" and "Emancipation in the U.S. Virgin Islands: 150 Years of Freedom."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
In a release announcing the appointment, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull said: "This position is critical to the department accomplishing its goals in preparing our children from the elementary level through high school."
Larsen previously served as the Education Department director of curriculum, assessment and technology.
He received bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Morgan State University and holds a doctorate in American history from Howard University.
Larsen was an assistant professor at Howard and a lecturer at Morgan State before joining the V.I. Education Department in 1997.
He is a member of various professional bodies, including the Organization of American Historians and the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History.
His published works include "Danish Emancipation in Hemispheric Perspection" and "Emancipation in the U.S. Virgin Islands: 150 Years of Freedom."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
CONGRESS OKS FUNDS FOR VITRAN, V.I. POLICE GEAR
Feb. 19, 2003 – The territory has won congressional approval of $500,000 in federal funds for new VITRAN buses and $250,000 for crime fighting equipment for the Police Department in Omnibus Budget Act which cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on Monday.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
CONGRESS OKS FUNDS FOR VITRAN, V.I. POLICE GEAR
Feb. 19, 2003 – The territory has won congressional approval of $500,000 in federal funds for new VITRAN buses and $250,000 for crime fighting equipment for the Police Department in Omnibus Budget Act which cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on Monday.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
CONGRESS OKS FUNDS FOR VITRAN, V.I. POLICE GEAR
Feb. 19, 2003 – The territory has won congressional approval of $500,000 in federal funds for new VITRAN buses and $250,000 for crime fighting equipment for the Police Department in Omnibus Budget Act which cleared the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on Monday.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Announcing the funding in a release, Gov. Charles W. Turnbull noted that Congress has also appropriated $500,000 for new buses in the territory last year, along with $1.2 million to fight crime.
He said the new money "will go a long way in assisting our efforts to provide a modern pubic transportation system for our citizens and to strengthen our ability to control crime."
The omnibus bill will fund operations of the federal government for the remainder of the current fiscal year.
Brian Modeste, an aide to Delegate Donna M. Christensen, said the territory had sought $2 million for buses. However, facing possible war with Iraq and homeland security issues, Congress slashed funding across the board. "They went into the budget with a meat cleaver," Modeste said.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
RECYCLING ON HOLD UNTIL MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE
Feb. 19, 2003 – Hang on to your recyclables. While the Anti-litter and Beautification Commission's program on St. Thomas and St. John is temporarily shut down, its chair, Edwin Davis, said on Wednesday that he expects it to resume before the end of February.
The problem, he said, is that the program has used up its current funding allotment.
"We were overwhelmed. We had no idea so many people are interested in recycling" he said.
He said the paperwork is in progress to secure an additional allotment.
Davis said the program, which began last September, had expended more than $400,000. The money comes from a tax on aluminum cans and glass bottles imported into the territory that has been in existence for 11 years.
Newspaper, office paper, cardboard and glass are worth 5 cents a pound, plastic brings 25 cents a pound, and aluminum, 50 cents a pound.
Davis said that some heavy-duty customers turn in $4,000 and $5,000 worth of glass bottles for recycling at a time. However, he said people with minuscule amounts of recyclables are equally important to the program. "It saves all this stuff from going to the landfill," he said.
In November, the program shut down for a few weeks to allow the recycler, Zan's, to catch up on processing all the materials that had been turned in.
When operations resume, here's where and when you can trade your recyclables for cash:
St. Thomas:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day — Zan's Recycling, located behind Lima's Superette in Bovoni.
2 to 5 p.m. Fridays — the cricket field next to Ivanna Eudora Kean High School.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays — the PriceSmart and Lockhart Gardens parking lots.
2 to 6 p.m. Sundays — the USO parking lot on the Charlotte Amalie waterfront.
St. John:
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays — the parking lot next to the public tennis courts in Cruz Bay.
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The problem, he said, is that the program has used up its current funding allotment.
"We were overwhelmed. We had no idea so many people are interested in recycling" he said.
He said the paperwork is in progress to secure an additional allotment.
Davis said the program, which began last September, had expended more than $400,000. The money comes from a tax on aluminum cans and glass bottles imported into the territory that has been in existence for 11 years.
Newspaper, office paper, cardboard and glass are worth 5 cents a pound, plastic brings 25 cents a pound, and aluminum, 50 cents a pound.
Davis said that some heavy-duty customers turn in $4,000 and $5,000 worth of glass bottles for recycling at a time. However, he said people with minuscule amounts of recyclables are equally important to the program. "It saves all this stuff from going to the landfill," he said.
In November, the program shut down for a few weeks to allow the recycler, Zan's, to catch up on processing all the materials that had been turned in.
When operations resume, here's where and when you can trade your recyclables for cash:
St. Thomas:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day — Zan's Recycling, located behind Lima's Superette in Bovoni.
2 to 5 p.m. Fridays — the cricket field next to Ivanna Eudora Kean High School.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays — the PriceSmart and Lockhart Gardens parking lots.
2 to 6 p.m. Sundays — the USO parking lot on the Charlotte Amalie waterfront.
St. John:
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays — the parking lot next to the public tennis courts in Cruz Bay.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
HEALTH CARRIER STOPS WRITING INDIVIDUAL POLICIES
Feb. 19, 2003 – Mutual of Omaha has announced that it will no longer write new individual health insurance policies in the Virgin Islands or renew existing ones.
Carl Gotts of Gotts and Associates Insurance said the company recently sent him a notice not to write new or renew such policies effective immediately. While he hasn't received official notice from the company on how to deal with existing policies, he said, historically insurance companies do not cancel current policies but rather let them expire.
The problem will be particularly acute for sole proprietors who have no employees, because they usually are not eligible for group plans, Gotts said.
He said people who can qualify for a two-person group will face higher premiums. However, their policies will be better.
All health insurance agencies in the territory wrote policies for Mutual of Omaha, according to Gotts. He said the company offered the best individual health insurance policy available locally.
He said Mutual of Omaha most recently was rated by Weiss Ratings Inc. as A-, which is an excellent rating. Information from Weiss indicates that Mutual of Omaha is among the safest companies to consider.
According to Gotts, Mutual of Omaha's departure leaves the territory with three companies — Clarendon, Atlantic Southern and Amidex — offering individual health insurance coverage. "And there are no new companies on the horizon," he said.
All three companies are ranked far less favorably then Mutual of Omaha by Weiss.
Amidex gets a C-, which indicates that the company offers fair financial security and is currently stable. However, Weiss indicates that in an economic downturn, the company may have difficulty maintaining its financial stability.
Clarendon has a D+ rating. Weiss advised people looking for insurance to seek coverage from a safer company because it has significant financial weaknesses which could get worse in a weak economic climate.
Atlantic Southern holds a D- rating from Weiss. This indicates the company has significant weaknesses that could negatively impact policyholders, particularly in an unfavorable economic climate.
Mutual of Omaha's action is not narrowly targeted at the Virgin Islands. It also will stop writing individual health insurance policies in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
Gotts said that health insurance is no longer an attractive commodity to insurance companies. "It is no longer cost effective. I'm sure it was purely a business decision," he said.
Efforts to obtain more information from Mutual of Omaha were unsuccessful.
Deverita Sturdivant, director of banking and insurance in the Lieutenant Governor's Office, said she was not aware of the Mutual of Omaha situation. But she said the entire nation is facing a health insurance crisis. "It needs to be addressed, perhaps legislatively," she said.
In some locations, pooling arrangements group individual policyholder together for group coverage. Sturdivant said the strategy tends not to work in small areas such as the Virgin Islands because it doesn't spread the risks around sufficiently.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
Carl Gotts of Gotts and Associates Insurance said the company recently sent him a notice not to write new or renew such policies effective immediately. While he hasn't received official notice from the company on how to deal with existing policies, he said, historically insurance companies do not cancel current policies but rather let them expire.
The problem will be particularly acute for sole proprietors who have no employees, because they usually are not eligible for group plans, Gotts said.
He said people who can qualify for a two-person group will face higher premiums. However, their policies will be better.
All health insurance agencies in the territory wrote policies for Mutual of Omaha, according to Gotts. He said the company offered the best individual health insurance policy available locally.
He said Mutual of Omaha most recently was rated by Weiss Ratings Inc. as A-, which is an excellent rating. Information from Weiss indicates that Mutual of Omaha is among the safest companies to consider.
According to Gotts, Mutual of Omaha's departure leaves the territory with three companies — Clarendon, Atlantic Southern and Amidex — offering individual health insurance coverage. "And there are no new companies on the horizon," he said.
All three companies are ranked far less favorably then Mutual of Omaha by Weiss.
Amidex gets a C-, which indicates that the company offers fair financial security and is currently stable. However, Weiss indicates that in an economic downturn, the company may have difficulty maintaining its financial stability.
Clarendon has a D+ rating. Weiss advised people looking for insurance to seek coverage from a safer company because it has significant financial weaknesses which could get worse in a weak economic climate.
Atlantic Southern holds a D- rating from Weiss. This indicates the company has significant weaknesses that could negatively impact policyholders, particularly in an unfavorable economic climate.
Mutual of Omaha's action is not narrowly targeted at the Virgin Islands. It also will stop writing individual health insurance policies in 36 states and Washington, D.C.
Gotts said that health insurance is no longer an attractive commodity to insurance companies. "It is no longer cost effective. I'm sure it was purely a business decision," he said.
Efforts to obtain more information from Mutual of Omaha were unsuccessful.
Deverita Sturdivant, director of banking and insurance in the Lieutenant Governor's Office, said she was not aware of the Mutual of Omaha situation. But she said the entire nation is facing a health insurance crisis. "It needs to be addressed, perhaps legislatively," she said.
In some locations, pooling arrangements group individual policyholder together for group coverage. Sturdivant said the strategy tends not to work in small areas such as the Virgin Islands because it doesn't spread the risks around sufficiently.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice… click here.
MANGO TANGO SHOWING 4-ARTIST COLLABORATION
Feb. 19, 2003 – A "Caribbean Collaboration" by four individual artists working in different mediums will go on exhibition Sunday afternoon with a reception at Mango Tango Art Gallery on St. Thomas.
The public is invited to view the works of Kathy Carlson, Courtney Devonish, Carrolle Devonish and Caroll Sirhakis between 2 and 6 p.m. All four artists will be on hand to discuss their work.
Carlson, a St. Thomas oil painter, and Courtney Devonish, a wood sculptor based on Anguilla, exhibited together for the first time last year at the Raphune Hill gallery. They are joined now by Devonish's wife, Carrolle, a bead jewelry maker, and Sirhakis, a St. Thomas metal design artist.
"The work of each of these artists is quite spiritual," Mango Tango owner Jane Coombes says, as all have "directed energy into a medium that best expresses inward feelings or ambitions."
Carlson captures current island life and that of years gone by in her paintings. Originally from the mainland East Coast, she was a professional educator for more than 30 years, the last three at Antilles School. She now works full time as an artist.
Courtney Devonish sculpts wood into sensuous female forms and thought-provoking abstract shapes. Originally from Barbados, he studied sculpture and ceramics in England and Italy and has exhibited internationally. He has a studio and gallery on Anguilla.
Carrolle Devonish came to the islands from Philadelphia. She helps operate her husband's gallery, runs her own boutique and finds time to bead jewelry. The beads she works with are from throughout the world, many collected on her extensive travels.
Sirhakis, a 35-year St. Thomas resident, was formerly a fabric designer in New York. She studied at the Moore Institute of Art in Philadelphia and Pratt Institute in New York. A co-founder of Down Island Traders, she designed the St. Thomas gallery and gift shop's signature logo, T-shirts and packaging.
She has been working with artisans in Haiti for decades. The pieces she created for the Mango Tango show represent six months of design work and her directing of metal artisans in Haiti. The collaboration has yielded bowls, wall hangings and mirror frames.
Coombes says of the four collaborators: "Carlson shines capturing a luminosity in each oil painting. Courtney Devonish shows a special kind of sensibility for shapes and forms. Carrolle Devonish creates in wearable art a joining of diverse cultures. Sirhakis combines her classical art training to manipulate metal, a material to which she responds, with decorative designs."
The show will hang for a month at the gallery, located in Al Cohen's Plaza. For more information, call 777-3060.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The public is invited to view the works of Kathy Carlson, Courtney Devonish, Carrolle Devonish and Caroll Sirhakis between 2 and 6 p.m. All four artists will be on hand to discuss their work.
Carlson, a St. Thomas oil painter, and Courtney Devonish, a wood sculptor based on Anguilla, exhibited together for the first time last year at the Raphune Hill gallery. They are joined now by Devonish's wife, Carrolle, a bead jewelry maker, and Sirhakis, a St. Thomas metal design artist.
"The work of each of these artists is quite spiritual," Mango Tango owner Jane Coombes says, as all have "directed energy into a medium that best expresses inward feelings or ambitions."
Carlson captures current island life and that of years gone by in her paintings. Originally from the mainland East Coast, she was a professional educator for more than 30 years, the last three at Antilles School. She now works full time as an artist.
Courtney Devonish sculpts wood into sensuous female forms and thought-provoking abstract shapes. Originally from Barbados, he studied sculpture and ceramics in England and Italy and has exhibited internationally. He has a studio and gallery on Anguilla.
Carrolle Devonish came to the islands from Philadelphia. She helps operate her husband's gallery, runs her own boutique and finds time to bead jewelry. The beads she works with are from throughout the world, many collected on her extensive travels.
Sirhakis, a 35-year St. Thomas resident, was formerly a fabric designer in New York. She studied at the Moore Institute of Art in Philadelphia and Pratt Institute in New York. A co-founder of Down Island Traders, she designed the St. Thomas gallery and gift shop's signature logo, T-shirts and packaging.
She has been working with artisans in Haiti for decades. The pieces she created for the Mango Tango show represent six months of design work and her directing of metal artisans in Haiti. The collaboration has yielded bowls, wall hangings and mirror frames.
Coombes says of the four collaborators: "Carlson shines capturing a luminosity in each oil painting. Courtney Devonish shows a special kind of sensibility for shapes and forms. Carrolle Devonish creates in wearable art a joining of diverse cultures. Sirhakis combines her classical art training to manipulate metal, a material to which she responds, with decorative designs."
The show will hang for a month at the gallery, located in Al Cohen's Plaza. For more information, call 777-3060.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
MANGO TANGO SHOWING 4-ARTIST COLLABORATION
Feb. 19, 2003 – A "Caribbean Collaboration" by four individual artists working in different mediums will go on exhibition Sunday afternoon with a reception at Mango Tango Art Gallery.
The public is invited to view the works of Kathy Carlson, Courtney Devonish, Carrolle Devonish and Caroll Sirhakis between 2 and 6 p.m. All four artists will be on hand to discuss their work.
Carlson, a St. Thomas oil painter, and Courtney Devonish, a wood sculptor based on Anguilla, exhibited together for the first time last year at the Raphune Hill gallery. They are joined now by Devonish's wife, Carrolle, a bead jewelry maker, and Sirhakis, a St. Thomas metal design artist.
"The work of each of these artists is quite spiritual," Mango Tango owner Jane Coombes says, as all have "directed energy into a medium that best expresses inward feelings or ambitions."
Carlson captures current island life and that of years gone by in her paintings. Originally from the mainland East Coast, she was a professional educator for more than 30 years, the last three at Antilles School. She now works full time as an artist.
Courtney Devonish sculpts wood into sensuous female forms and thought-provoking abstract shapes. Originally from Barbados, he studied sculpture and ceramics in England and Italy and has exhibited internationally. He has a studio and gallery on Anguilla.
Carrolle Devonish came to the islands from Philadelphia. She helps operate her husband's gallery, runs her own boutique and finds time to bead jewelry. The beads she works with are from throughout the world, many collected on her extensive travels.
Sirhakis, a 35-year St. Thomas resident, was formerly a fabric designer in New York. She studied at the Moore Institute of Art in Philadelphia and Pratt Institute in New York. A co-founder of Down Island Traders, she designed the St. Thomas gallery and gift shop's signature logo, T-shirts and packaging.
She has been working with artisans in Haiti for decades. The pieces she created for the Mango Tango show represent six months of design work and her directing of metal artisans in Haiti. The collaboration has yielded bowls, wall hangings and mirror frames.
Coombes says of the four collaborators: "Carlson shines capturing a luminosity in each oil painting. Courtney Devonish shows a special kind of sensibility for shapes and forms. Carrolle Devonish creates in wearable art a joining of diverse cultures. Sirhakis combines her classical art training to manipulate metal, a material to which she responds, with decorative designs."
The show will hang for a month at the gallery, located in Al Cohen's Plaza. For more information, call 777-3060.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The public is invited to view the works of Kathy Carlson, Courtney Devonish, Carrolle Devonish and Caroll Sirhakis between 2 and 6 p.m. All four artists will be on hand to discuss their work.
Carlson, a St. Thomas oil painter, and Courtney Devonish, a wood sculptor based on Anguilla, exhibited together for the first time last year at the Raphune Hill gallery. They are joined now by Devonish's wife, Carrolle, a bead jewelry maker, and Sirhakis, a St. Thomas metal design artist.
"The work of each of these artists is quite spiritual," Mango Tango owner Jane Coombes says, as all have "directed energy into a medium that best expresses inward feelings or ambitions."
Carlson captures current island life and that of years gone by in her paintings. Originally from the mainland East Coast, she was a professional educator for more than 30 years, the last three at Antilles School. She now works full time as an artist.
Courtney Devonish sculpts wood into sensuous female forms and thought-provoking abstract shapes. Originally from Barbados, he studied sculpture and ceramics in England and Italy and has exhibited internationally. He has a studio and gallery on Anguilla.
Carrolle Devonish came to the islands from Philadelphia. She helps operate her husband's gallery, runs her own boutique and finds time to bead jewelry. The beads she works with are from throughout the world, many collected on her extensive travels.
Sirhakis, a 35-year St. Thomas resident, was formerly a fabric designer in New York. She studied at the Moore Institute of Art in Philadelphia and Pratt Institute in New York. A co-founder of Down Island Traders, she designed the St. Thomas gallery and gift shop's signature logo, T-shirts and packaging.
She has been working with artisans in Haiti for decades. The pieces she created for the Mango Tango show represent six months of design work and her directing of metal artisans in Haiti. The collaboration has yielded bowls, wall hangings and mirror frames.
Coombes says of the four collaborators: "Carlson shines capturing a luminosity in each oil painting. Courtney Devonish shows a special kind of sensibility for shapes and forms. Carrolle Devonish creates in wearable art a joining of diverse cultures. Sirhakis combines her classical art training to manipulate metal, a material to which she responds, with decorative designs."
The show will hang for a month at the gallery, located in Al Cohen's Plaza. For more information, call 777-3060.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
