“Art does not have to be exciting or evoke strong feeling or thought, just some feeling and thought. A person who just knows how to apply a medium to a surface or take great photos only has created a picture with great technique.
“But what makes the person an artist is figuring out how to put the whole composition together so that the piece evokes feeling and thought which add meaning to that artwork and give it a relationship to its viewers.”
These words were penned by art critic Norman F. Simms as she wrote on the subject What Makes Good Art.
Many may or may not agree with the above statement but, for sure, it seems to apply to artist Vanita Comissiong. She surely meets the criteria with The Very Vanita Line – a line of colourful and beautiful paintings that adorn kitchen items such as aprons, placemats, coasters, throw cushions, tea towels and bags.
Her work can be viewed at On The Wall Art Gallery, Earthworks Complex, Edghill, St Thomas.
It’s just unbelievable how Comissiong has placed her artistic stamp on those items in such a way that they each tell their individual stories while being used as everyday items – the women working in the fields, fishermen hauling in their nets, women dancing, people at the market, and more.
Comissiong’s work is surely an extension of her creativity and ability to move away from canvas and create lovable, practical items for lovers of “something different” – even if only just for use in the kitchen or home. Well done! (CH)
