By Cheryl Harewood
Contemporary visual artist Alex Marshall always loved drawing and wanted to be an architect. Life, however, had something else in store for him.
He took to painting instead, and ten years ago, the now 33-year-old insurance broker began his journey as a self-taught, brilliant artist, who actively explores a wide range of artistic styles and continues to refine his practice through ongoing studies.
Alex’s exploration with painting started at the age of 21, when he was fresh out university.
“I found myself with this free time, and was trying really hard to change some of the habits that I had. My mum said I was good at drawing and that my brother was good at music. One day she just bought me art materials and I taught myself art, with the help of YouTube. I knew the basics from my days of drawing and sketching at Harrison College and I had completed art studies at the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) level, but it was not until I was 21 years old that I took art seriously.”
Alex first tried his hand at water paints, then oils. But when he discovered that he was allergic to oil painting, he transitioned to acrylic and has never looked back.
Currently working on a mural at Treasure Beach Hotel, Alex’s early work as an artist was rooted in spontaneous realism, a dynamic style defined by expressive brushstrokes and a vibrant colour palette used to portray reality with bold energy. Often focusing on portraits of cultural icons who inspire him, as well as scenes reflecting Barbados, he has been able to bring this approach to life through a series of live-painting events across the island. These events allowed his community to engage directly with his creative process in real time.
He has participated in numerous group exhibitions at galleries across the island, including the Caribbean Brushstrokes at Pelican Village, on the outskirts of The City, and the Gallery of Caribbean Art, Speighstown, St Peter.
In fact, he is currently part of an all-male art exhibition, titled, Cultural Fusion, which is being held at the Gallery of Caribbean Art. It comprises Jamaican and local artists. Alex’s work can also be found at Tides Restaurant, Holetown, St James, which is where some local artists display their pieces.
A major milestone in Alex’s career came when a portrait he created featuring Barbadian National Hero and international superstar Robyn Rihanna Fenty and her partner, A$AP Rocky, was gifted to her, and later featured in her Fenty Beauty advertising campaign.
As his artistic journey evolved, Alex developed a strong connection to pop art, a genre that resonates with different audiences and provides him with a platform to explore themes of identity and cultural pride. His recent work often blends the raw energy of spontaneous realism with the bold, graphic sensibilities of pop art, resulting in a visually-striking and contemporary signature style.
In addition, Alex’s versatility and dedication have led to his success in the commercial art world. In recent years, he has collaborated with both local and internationally recognised brands, creating murals and art installations throughout Barbados. Notably, he partnered with Planteray Rum to design artwork featured on three collectible bottle labels for their No. 5 Extreme Series.
Blessed with an international following, Alex’s work is also featured on the cover of “Barbados in a Nutshell” publication. It is featured in a style with is detailed and presented in bright colours.
The inspiring artist told Buzz, “”I always want to find my styles, so I am always experimenting. People love Caribbean scenes and I love pop art.”
One of four artists who presented their work under the brand PM Splash, and dedicated themselves to hosting live painting shows, Alex now works closely with artist, Shain Clarke, to create murals and other forms of art work under the brand, Roam. This involves partnering with a major hotel chain, and hosting events at hotels across the island. The two perfectly blend cuisine with live painting shows and art installations.
“We want to create more sculptures and 3Ds styles, as opposed to just creating work on canvas. Currently, we are looking at the possibility of installing a sculpture of some sort at Speightstown, St Peter. I love Speightstown and want to see it develop more. I believe that a sculpture there would benefit Speightstown and possibly draw more persons there.”
Perhaps Alex’s pieces during the current art exhibition at the Gallery of Caribbean Art, will indeed also draw people to Speightstown.
Curator and manager of the art gallery, Kavitha Shenoy, said the exhibition was planned to bring together Barbadian and other Caribbean artists.
“We thought it would be interesting to have a show in collaboration with artists from Barbados and other Caribbean countries. We thought, why not bring them together and create a Caribbean show? Hence Cultural Fusion, the title chosen by the artists, themselves.”
The exhibition which officially opened on May 9, runs until May 30, and will showcase four pieces of Alex’s work of Barbadian scenes.
