Benoit Builds with Bricks of Identity

Oliver Benoit’s “Anima Externalised” Approaching Oliver Benoit’s solo show titled, “Anima Externalised”, viewers will see familiar elements of Benoit’s paintings but Grenada’s foremost abstractionist offers new and provoking material based on Grenada’s collective identity and heritage. “Anima” is a psychology term coined by Carl Jung that is an archetype of collective unconsciousness. The paintings, depicting…

Big Art Adventure!

The ultimate of art adventures, the Venice Biennale has for 155 years been the premier art exhibition in the world.  Grenada’s artists have not yet had the privilege of  representing their country in art at this prestigious event, nonetheless, a contingent of Grenada’s leading artists found their way to Italy to be inspired by the…

September show for Art and Soul Gallery

We rehung the gallery today–have a look!  New work by Oliver Benoit, Maria McClafferty, Asher Mains, Susan Mains, Marie Messenger.   We think it looks really sleek and elegant–what do you think? Oliver BenoitSusan MainsThe archives The archivesMarie Messenger raku ceramicsits on a glass plain by Maria McClafferty Asher Mains with portrait, “Istra with the…

How to Collect Art in Grenada

                  Recently, I wrote an article on the socio-economic value of collecting art, especially when compared to other things you may spend money on. Some people may be excited about collecting art and converting their money into a timeless and never ending supply of beauty and inspiration but with the myriad of options may…

Bio: Marie Messenger

Marie Messenger breaths life into lumps of clay. Her delicately modeled figures seem to be mid-sentence, pausing pensively before going on. Messenger uses a Raku method for firing her ceramic figures. Mostly self taught, Messenger moved from the UK to continue her art work in Grenada in 2002. Since then she has been an active…

Bio: Rene Froehlich

René Froehlich started to paint when he was 14 years old and studied Art and Sculpture in Germany. “Here in The Caribbean, I have come to realize how intense human beings and their social problems fuse with nature. Here, the powerful energy of the people and nature have stimulated my thoughts and spirit. It has…

Bio: Oliver Benoit

Oliver Benoit is a Grenadian artist who has been painting for over 35 years. Oliver began as a landscape and still life painter before devoting his time to the abstract genre. His paintings are in oil, acrylic, and encaustic. His multilayered and thus multidimensional work seeks to provoke the viewer, imploring them to question their…

Bio: Susan Mains

In a word, Susan Mains paints with passion. The resonance of vibrant colour, the broad, gestural stokes of the brush or knife, and the mystery of the tale she spins in each painting convincingly portrays her passionate love for the Caribbean. Born of American parents, Susan came to the Caribbean in 1970 while yet a…

Bio: Stephen Mains

Oldest son of Susan Mains, Stephen’s work represents a lifetime of experience in the Caribbean and the subsequent conceptual process of environmental extraction. His minimalist approach to the canvas creates a meditative locus similar to a Rothko painting. His ‘Newman-sharp’ horizon lines bisect his two palettes of color, each simultaneously placid yet quietly tumultuous. Stephen’s…

Bio: Asher Mains

With his recent appearance with Grenada’s first Official National Pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale, Asher Mains is an emerging voice in the Southern Caribbean that is worth noting. Having shown work in his home country of Grenada over the past 20 years, Mains has also shown in New York, Berlin, Barbados, Shanghai, and Rio…