Canvas to Life
KAREN SYLVESTER: In her own words

Karen Sylvester’s art is her business; and she excels at it. As we delve into her life and work, we understand how this has come to be, and how she chooses to wield her influence.

My parents were my biggest supporters

Being constantly told we believe in you gave me the confidence I needed as an artist. As a child, my parents realised that I possessed a natural talent and love for painting. Rather than steering me away from a career in art, they were my strongest allies. They researched high schools that focused on an art stream, and were always on hand to lend support and guidance. Both came from creative backgrounds; my father was involved in local mas and my mother with Best Village productions. I was constantly surrounded by a creative environment, which greatly influenced me.

I am a country girl through and through

I grew up in Maraval and Paramin, surrounded by nature. There was a river bordering my house; sometimes that river would make its way into my home during the rainy season. Being around such natural beauty paved the way for my career as a land and waterscape artist. Nature has always been my foundation, an intrinsic part of my life. Through my paintings I hope to evoke an awareness of something unnoticed or forgotten in our surroundings, to invite viewers to move into the scene within the picture frame, and return with renewed love and respect for our natural environment.

I used to keep my paintings under my bed

After high school, I worked in accounting for seven years. While there I asked permission to set up my easel in the lunchroom, and I would paint when no one was around. I kept my paintings under the bed though; at the time I did not know how to go about establishing myself as an artist. One day my father brought a friend home, a businessman who was hosting a tea party. He asked if I would loan all my paintings to hang on his wall. I did. And by the end of the night all the paintings had been sold. I guess you can say that that was my first show.

Most artists would say they were influenced by the Old Masters… me, I learnt from our Local Masters.

While in high school I would make frequent visits to local art galleries and the museum. I would take my notebook with me, and study these wonderful paintings, make notes, and question any artist that was available. In fact, I remember telling the curator at Art Creations that one day I would have a show there.

My first love was Cazabon of course; I would visit the permanent exhibit whenever time allowed. I learnt something from all the local greats—Hinkson, Leroy Clark, Louison, Mosca, Bryden and Minshall among others. Their works gave me the impetus I needed.

I truly believe that you can always learn more from other artists. This learning makes you better; gives you a different perspective; your technique should evolve constantly.

My favourite thing to paint is water; it makes my work distinctive

Water is challenging to paint, and I am constantly learning in this regard. This natural element is influenced by everything else around it, under it, and within the landscape. You have to capture the movements, the lighting, the colours, and the transparency. I love to paint water in various forms—the sea, a river bed, a swamp. It is so versatile and so beautiful, so constant and yet so fickle.

I care about nature, so I refuse to put people in my paintings

I was disenchanted about society’s disregard for nature, so this was my way of saying, step back and look at our land, place more value in things that are natural, return to the source of everything, to Nature. I wanted people to transport themselves into my paintings, and learn to appreciate natural beauty. We as humans have a tendency to destroy our natural surroundings without thinking about it. One of my main goals is to encourage the viewer to acknowledge and help to sustain the beauty of our land.

I am an environmental advocate, and I do my part in whatever way I can. There is so much destruction of our natural surroundings to make way for so-called progress. Environmental and historical interest groups contact me before a landscape or landmark is destroyed so I can paint it for historical records. One of my first commissions was painting the historical buildings around Port of Spain. I have also done most of the churches throughout the country. Currently I am doing pieces on the Ortoire River, as well as the Mayaro/Manzanilla coastline, both of which are slowly disappearing due to manmade construction. Sometimes people look at my work and ask “where is that?” and they are shocked when I say “Santa Cruz” or somewhere that is currently being developed. Sadly, many of my landscapes—nesting grounds, river banks, forested areas, waterscapes and so on—probably no longer exist in real life.

I strive to ensure that the owner is personally invested in the piece

My painting should mean more than a pretty picture on the wall. I want the viewer to figuratively step into the canvas, to experience what I saw when I conceptualized the piece; the glint of sun that shone on the river rocks, the gentle swaying of bamboo, the ripples on the water surface, the vibrant colours and detail. I am humbled when others tell me about their experiences through my paintings. One of my past clients contacted me after his wife passed away from cancer, to let me know that in her last moments, she requested that they clear the room she was in, and just leave one of my paintings on the wall, and she looked at that painting until her eyes closed for the last time. Who knows what that painting meant to her? Or what she felt when she looked at it? When you hear a story like that, it humbles you, gives you a new perspective on your work.

You are always welcome at my studio

It’s located in Santa Cruz, and anyone can visit me there, whether you are an established artist, a student or someone interested in local art or the environment. People come and bring their portfolios. We sit and chat; it’s all very informal.

If you are thinking about coming up to purchase a piece though, be forewarned; these days paintings leave the studio as soon as the canvas is dry. It’s very hectic, but I am thankful to be working continuously. Most of my work is commissioned, which leaves little time to amass the number of pieces needed for a show, so I haven’t had a solo exhibition in a while. My paintings can be found in galleries and private collections worldwide, and I am proud to be able to promote the beauty of Trinidad and Tobago on an international level.

Being a starving artist was never an option for me

The odds were of course against me, an unknown artist trying to make her way in a very hard market. At that time, there were few artists who focused on detailed landscapes like myself, so I found my niche and started pounding the pavement, literally. I walked the streets with my paintings, visited businesses, art galleries, anywhere that I felt I could show or sell my work. I really wanted to not only succeed as an artist, but to also generate income from it.

If someone expresses the desire to be an artist, I always say go for it, but be prepared to work at it. As a society we need to understand and accept that being an artist can be a legitimate career, and not a sideline or a hobby. I also believe that you can’t hide behind the excuse of society’s perception of artists; if you are struggling in your field, then it’s up to you to work towards your goals and achieve them. God gave us the tools we need to achieve our dreams; you have to look within yourself, and find the power and discipline to nurture your talent. As clinical as it may seem, if you’re serious about being an artist, you have to treat art like a business, and make others understand that that is your business. You have to do the groundwork; no one is going to come knocking on your door to buy your paintings. It’s a hard road, but a very rewarding one.

Cassia Parrage is a freelance graphic / web designer. Visit her visual playground at www.creatavision.net