Kadrian Ernest is a young St.Lucian artist painting for the last 7 years and involved in the visual arts for as long as he can remember. Kadrian currently works at the The Montessori Centre and tutors in visual arts. He specializes in the field of painting, mixed media and drawing focusing on realism with an undertone of abstract concept.
“I use art as a means of expression. I portray my feelings and thoughts and project my vision of the world through my creations” was what Kadrian deemed his appreciation and reason for engaging in visual arts. He insisted that art was a way to show the world what words may fail to do.
The artist in Kadrian was born at a very young age where he was fortunate to have had the few people that it takes to encourage and who chose to believe that a small amount of talent goes a long way. These people would praise Kadrian’s small successes and would push him to develop his talent against the odds and to never dwell on the failures. Kadrian also stated that Mr. Ted Sandiford was also a large influence on his artistic life who would never let him give up; “In the form of an amazing teacher was a man who understood the importance of the artist in us and who continues to inspire me even now when I think a task is beyond me”
Balance between every aspect of life while engaging in arts is difficult Kadrian admits due to the time consuming nature of art but one can argue is well worth it after seeing the final piece.
Below is a brief interview conducted with that artist:
OY: Can you tell us your process of creation between ideation and the final piece?
KE: From start to finish creating a new piece is always a challenge. Nothing ever goes perfectly, and that may be the best part. Ideas change and thoughts differ when they come to life on the canvas. It is a constant change. From mind to canvas there is a road of emotion and thought which shapes ideas. What reaches the surface is never what left the mind, but is a blend of personality and colour. By the time a piece is done the feeling of accomplishment tied in with all the time and effort spent on that single piece is worth every second. Each piece that I create is heavily based on my thoughts and feeling during my painting of the piece.
OY: What difficulties did you face when starting off as a new artist and how did you overcome them?
KE: New or old, I think artists in St. Lucia face similar challenges. While those of us who have started off only recently have not had the chance to “make a name” for ourselves, it is not uncommon for artist who lean towards traditional art forms find themselves faced with the challenge of reviving “a dying art form”. This is especially difficult considering the lack of appreciation for the effort we as artists make in creating our pieces. The market for us in our own country is somewhat disheartening and turns many young talented individuals away from the traditional forms of art. As an individual artist it is difficult to overcome an entire mind-set. I have made it a goal of mine to advocate for the relevance of our local visual art forms in St. Lucia. it has become a driving force in my own personal push towards achieving my full potential and assisting others in achieving theirs.
OY: Where does Kadrian see himself in the next 5 years?
KE: Five years from now I hope to achieve a personal goal of mine in the area of art advancement among the youth. Talent is wasted and seen as a “waste of time” in a country where talent is what has built our very way of life. Presently I am working on the development of an afterschool art program for primary and secondary school students and the creation of an art gallery focused not only on the display of well-known artists but as a form of exposure for upcoming artists and student artists. From onset to implementation the project is currently set to cover a span of three years and will hopefully provide some assistance in the revival of a “dying art form”. Five years from now I also hope to have finished and published a book on St. Lucian culture and legend that I am presently working on.
OY: What do you hope to see in the development of your sector in your country/region?
KE: The visual Arts in St. Lucia as I have mentioned before is beginning to become part of a dying art form. This does not result from any lack of talent on the part of our people. The creative arts sector appears to be an item of convenience. Are local artists not a part of the tourism industry that we so heavily rely on? It is an interesting situation to look at the way the visual arts are treated in a country with a talented population. We continuously praise the artists of old who have contributed so much to the development of our culture and nation and yet provide no avenues for a developing artist. Too little is being done to cater for the growth of our people. We continuously speak of development and growth as a nation and embracing our culture while we let entire fragments of who we are fade into obscurity.
Kadrian urges everyone to follow their dreams, trust yourself and challenge the way you think.
“Paint your own future and the world will be your canvas”.
Kadrian’s work can be found @kadrianesnestart .
