The recently opened Art Centre in Villa is proud to announce its second exhibition, featuring veteran Vincentian Artist and Mas-man, Owen Ralph; who for the past 60 years has been a huge force in cultural events in St. Vincent and the Grenadines by providing creative inspiration and entertainment to the people of this nation.
Ralph, who hails from Sion Hill, is known for organizing carnival activities in the his community: he has played steel pan, sang calypso, and became well known for designing and building carnival costumes with his cousin, the late Roy Ralph. Owen has been the ‘man’ behind the Carnival band ‘Owen Ralph and the Professional’ for over 30 years, which has brought joy, fun, and entertainment to the Sion Hill community in particular and the nation in general.
In addition to his involvement in Carnival, Owen has distinguished himself as a true visual artist. He began painting at the age of fifteen, while still a student at the School.
After leaving school, he went to Trinidad and Tobago to join his father, who worked for an advertising company, painting signs. While working for his father, he was able to augment his painting skills. He returned to SVG three years later, and began his Carnival career, which continues to this day.
Owen stated that he gets his inspiration from reading, and from his surroundings. He paints nature, people, and buildings. He shared that each year after the Carnival Season, that’s the time he sits down to paint on canvas, and make sculptures. The Owen Ralph’s Retrospective Exhibition opened on Thursday 13th April 2017 and runs until May 15th.
A Press Conference will be held on Wednesday April 19th between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon, where Mr. Ralph will speak about his work and answer questions from the media. Another local artist, Miss Sherika Sayers will be present, as her work was part of the Art Centre’s opening Exhibition in March.
Sherika’s striking painting, The Pond, will be auctioned at a reception for the artists on Saturday 29th April, 2017, at The Art Centre, 4:30 -6:30 pm, when both Owen and Sherika will speak about their work, and a video of Owen’s carnival work will be shown.
The public is invited to view the exhibition Mondays to Fridays 10:30 am to 6:00 pm, and Saturdays times will be announced. There is an entrance fee, children under twelve enter for free once accompanied by an adult.
