NICOLE CRAIG'S Chango

Up-and-coming artists in the Caribbean require multi-talented stick-to-it- iveness: creative genius is one criterion and entrepreneurship skills another. Agreeably, Nicole Craig, award winning advertising campaign executive, artist, writer and poet, meets the criteria. Nicole adopts the voice of the emerging artist: she takes up the issues that others only speculate about, as it’s her mission to assist newbies to the galleries in figuring out what to do with the pieces that don’t sell at the exhibitions. As the incumbent management’s assistant at One Voice @ Vino held at More Vino, Trinidad’s premiere wine house—she prizes and prioritizes her collaboration with other artists whilst she builds a vibrant reputation for her own art.

Ascending that rare ladder of artistic success, Nicole has taken part in a multitude of exhibitions, the most recent being Queendom at Softbox Studios, and Absolut Connections. The latter came as a pleasant surprise to Nicole; it began with a phone call to submit her portfolio for the project, after which a panel of judges selected her from among five others in Trinidad. Artists throughout the Caribbean and Latin America were chosen for the venture. The objective? To unite two cultures through positive imagery. At the opening night launch in Bogota, Columbia, for the first time in Nicole’s career, people crowded her for autographs.

All this I uncovered as we sat outdoors at Sweet Lime restaurant on Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook, and chatted about her art, its bold colour, fauvist feel and detailed explorations, the artists who’ve influenced her and what the paintings all mean. Nicole’s Queendom explores world Goddesses - a collection inspired by studies of ancient matriarchal societies, and the rich iconography of their female goddesses—featuring among others Aphrodite, Lakshimi, Pax, Carmenta and Ch’ango. It’s part of a mixed media collection, fusing materials and techniques in eclectic perfection: water colours, acrylics, pen and elements of Caribbean aesthetic including Carnival materials with sequins, leatherette and feathers.

Notably, Queendom explores different stages of a woman’s life. Nicole believes that the feminine principle deserves to be celebrated more in art women that would immediately remind one of their inner strength and innate ability to overcome. Ch’ango is the signature Queendom piece. She’s a Chinese moon goddess and represents growth and manifestation: her festival is a national event in China. In her depiction, Nicole created the soft effect of moonlight, employing silver paint, glitter and liberal touches of spray painted stencils. The use of green colour connects the idea of transformative growth.

Nicole’s latest work Interactions is yet to be released. It’s an emotive, fascinating collection that contends with expressing the natural bonds that develop between individuals and groups. I gingerly perused the piece Family as Nicole mentions that her inspiration for this style is from artist George Rouault, and immediately one makes the connection. The work is a deliberate return to simplicity—acrylic on canvas, with strong lines, and bold colours. The collection is scheduled for release in early 2009.

- Aliyyah Eniath