Tobago artists

VIBRANT ARTISTS LIVE HERE

Art and artists is likely not what you think about when Tobago is first mentioned. Yet there is quite a surprising level significant artistic activity going on here.

You may be thinking of the producers and participants in the annual Heritage Festival, and the inevitable steel bands, (some of which are very good). Yet there are other serious art producers on the island, doing world quality work.

Painting

Martin and Rachael Superville are a couple whose paintings and watercolours have been featured internationally. I first saw their paintings featured in The Air Caribbean Inflight Magazine.

Air Caribbean has died, but the BWIA Caribbean Beat Magazine carried Martin's work on their November 2002 cover.

BWIA has disappeared. But Martin's work can be seen in offices and public places in Tobago and in Trinidd

Martin and Rachael have a gallery in Lowlands called simply The Art Gallery. The gallery displays their own work and that of other promising Trinbagonian artists.

See The Art Gallery Here

Martin does mainly oils. Rachael specializes in delicate watercolours. Both have set out to record some of the features of island life which will unavoidably disappear as development moves more toward the western world model. Martin has also done commissions for Angostura, makers of the world-renowned Angostura Bitters. A parlour

Other Tobago artists have studios in Canaan and in Goodwood. The Goodwood studio is incorporated in the "Nature Genesis Park and Art Gallery"

Way out in Delaford,another of our artists, Stephen Arneaud quietly practises his painting. A professional draughtsman turned painter, he works with picturesque King's Bay as a live backdrop and inspiration. His "Houses" shown here attempts to record some older structures at Studley Park, which will no doubt soon disappear as victims of progress.

Sculpture

Passing to another genre, Kimme's Sculpture Museum at Bethel contains the work of Professor Luise Kimme She does larger than life sculptures that portray local characters. Her museum is open for viewing Sundays after 2 and by appointment..

Photography

Tobago also used to be the haunt of the renowned photographer Norman Parkinson. It is still the haunt of many, professional as well as amateur.

The Choirs of Tobago

The choirs in Tobago are not as well known as they should be. Perhaps they need to be promoted more, or better. A friend and I had the unexpected pleasure to be at the Scarborough Secondary School one night when that school was having a rehearsal. They were singing that song from the movie "Titanic". We were awestruck!

The Signal Hill Alumni Choir Have you ever heard of the Signal Hill Alumni Choir? Second to none! They have made several CD's.

True artists, they have a great following in Canada. They have appeared on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's morning show in Toronto with host Andy Barrie. They have performed in that city's "Rhythms of the World Festival" at Harbourfront Centre. In the city of Guelph, the Hillside Festival violated its own rule and invited them back a second time in succession.

From a small beginning in 1984, this group has gone on to dominate the choral competition scene in Trinidad and Tobago, until they retired from it in the late '90's. Although no longer competing, they remain a vibrant force in the artistic world of Trinidad and Tobago. They have also made a well-deserved international reputation.

There are other lesser known choral groups as well in Tobago. Hopefully, they will follow in the tracks of the SHAC. More about the Signal Hill Choir.

Gospel Music

A number of the songs sung here by groups or individuals can be best described as Gospel Music - having a deep religious background. On the talent shows, this is a frequent theme next to soca and calypso. For something on the significance of Gospel music, go to this site -

Soulful Gospel music.

The Steel Pan

One activity that is quite definitely requires artistry is the making and playing of steel pans. The making happens at Black Rock, and more recently in Bon Accord.

The steel pan is the only musical instrument invented in the 20th century. Although having its beginnings some 50 or 60 years ago, there was as yet no strictly scientific way to produce and tune them. However, some strides are being made in that regard at some American Universities that have the resources. Hopefully, too, the position of the notes on the pan would be standardized.

Start out as an oily 45-gallon steel drum, through the cutting, the tempering and stretching, and tuning, it emerges as a glittering chromed tuned musical instrument capable of the finest classical music. It took an apprenticeship of at least 10 years to be able to tune a pan, and not everyone can master it.

Then came the inevitable shift. Now if you want to learn to tune the pan, you could read the book produced by Swedish physicist Ulf Kronman. Kronman discovered the pan in Trinidad, and himself plays the steel pan.

Using the facilities of the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, he has produced a handbook called "Steel Pan Tuning".

He describes it as "The First Comprehensive Documentation of the Steel Pan Instrument. Complete with building instructions, layouts, measures, templates ans specification of tools."
Kronman's work can be found at this link. You are free to copy it for non-commercial use.

Tobago's Steel Bands

Tobago as of today (2007) has quite a few steelbands of its own. Redemption, Dixieland, Dem Boys, Katzjammers, Pan Jumbies, Steel Explosion are some names that come to mind. The willingness and the manpower are there. What is needed is adequate sponsorship - and perhaps some direction.

Tobago also produces exellent craftwork. For example..

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