From now on, I'll be featuring an art piece from a top Caribbean Artist every Monday - First up is a pick from Trinidadian Leroy Clarke. Mr. Clarke is a striking, physically imposing man. He steps into a room and simultaneously radiates and absorbs energy, if that's even humanly possible. The first time I met him was at the recently reopened Tragarete Road Gallery 101, way back during my school days; my class mates and I went there to check out his exhibit. We were all art students/painters and sorely lacking in the 'artistic inspiration' department, so we thought a browse of Mr. Clarke's exhibit would spawn something great in us. I remember not knowing exactly what he looked like up-close, but getting that 'I know you' feeling upon meeting him. He was charming and slick; according to him, I was 'such a beauty' and my friend had 'gorgeous, large orbs' for eyes. We were giggling and acting so typically girly, it ain't funny!
His voice carried across the entire gallery, booming and reverberating through the rooms - you know how some people get really quiet and prissy once they're in a supposedly artsy-fartsy, aisy-faisy space? Pursing their lips, snapping their fingers, nodding their heads, pretending they understand the jumble of colours in front of them? He's not one of those people... Looking at De Arranger, his piece featured this week, I remember that first meeting with Leroy Clarke. The oils leap off the canvas, and the colours blend into each other whilst boldly standing out. There's so much motion and life in the piece that each brush stroke jumps up and shouts at you. It could easily be just another almost artsy, too busy piece, but instead its vibrant. Just like its creator.
Go look up Leroy Clarke!
L.M.N. Harris
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