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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Governor General His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes and Lady Foulkes shown with faculty of The College of The Bahamas’ School of Communication and Creative Arts and honourees Mr. Percy “Vola” Francis, Mrs. Patricia Glinton Meicholas and Mrs, Joann Behagg.
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Nassau, Bahamas - Though distinct in their artistic talents and national contributions, Mr. Percy ‘Vola’ Francis, Mrs. Patricia Glinton-Meicholas and Mrs. Joann have all been saluted by The College of The Bahamas as examples of excellence in the arts.
The College’s School of Communication and Creative Arts honoured the three artists at the recently celebrated 25th Annual Colour of Harmony showcase, held under the patronage of Their Excellencies the Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes and Lady Foulkes.
The event was held on the portico of the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre. It was remarkably branded by the skillful COB Concert Choir and COB Concert Band, as well as the collection of mixed media artwork, sculptures, ceramics, paintings and installations created by COB students and exhibited in the library’s foyer.
“When we celebrate the arts, we are celebrating the best of what we, as human beings, have to offer the world,” said Mr. Haldane Chase, Chair of the School of Communication and Creative Arts. “Our ability to create, our ability to imagine, as far as we know scientifically, is what separates us from the rest of the world and so all of us who have these gifts should develop them as best as possible because they are indeed gifts. They are talents.”
For a quarter of a century, The College of The Bahamas has been strategically raising the profile of the visual and performing arts in The Bahamas in general and specifically the talents of its music and art majors, while also honouring the excellence of local accomplished artists. This has served to both cultivate interest and direct the spotlight to notable work.
On Monday, the institution presented legendary Junkanoo leader and cultural advocate Mr. Percy ‘Vola’ Francis and humanitarian and ceramicist Mrs. Joann Behagg with the E. Clement Bethel Award for Excellence in the Arts.
Mr. Francis, a natural-born artist, is known for his paintings, professional window decor, sign painting, song writing, singing and dancing. His honours and achievements include Queen’s Certificate and Medal of Honour for the Creative and Performing Arts (1982), The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce’s “Distinguished Citizen Award” for the Creative and Performing Arts (1985) and Member of the British Empire M.B.E., Queen’s Honour (1995).
Left to right: Mr. Percy “Vola” Francis received the E. Clement Bethel Award for Excellence in the performing arts;Mrs. Patricia Glinton-Meicholas shows the plaque that signifies her Lifetime Achievement honour; and Mrs. Joann Behagg received the E. Clement Bethel Award for Excellence in the visual arts.
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Co-founder of the Empty Bowls Bahamas Chapter, Mrs. Behagg is celebrated for her work as a ceramicist which oftentimes reflects themes of maintaining stability in changing situations. Her work has been exhibited throughout The Bahamas and Canada. In 1981, she was selected to represent The Bahamas at Carifesta in Barbados and received a Silver Award at The Bahamas 1st Invitational Independent Art Exhibition at the Central Bank of The Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas.
Mrs. Patricia Glinton-Meicholas, distinguished author and cultural commentator, who is also a former COB faculty and administrator, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. She has written numerous papers and articles on Bahamian history, art and culture and ten books, including “An Evening in Guanima,” original short stories based on traditional Bahamian folktale motifs, the novel “A Shift in the Light”, two volumes of poetry and several works of satire.
According to the Head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department in the School of Communication and Creative Arts, Mr. Christian Justilien, the Colour of Harmony has, over the years, served an important need in the Bahamian community.
“Art is in need of a more prominent place in society and the Colour of Harmony is a mechanism that we can use to recognize both students’ work and persons that they aspire to be like…Persons in the community are always looking to see what the future of The Bahamas looks like through the eyes of young painters, young musicians and young sculptors,” he said.
The evening of visual and performing arts featured renditions of iconic international and Bahamian composers which captivated the audience. The student artwork remains on display in the foyer of the Harry C. Moore Library and Information Centre.
A signature event, The Colour of Harmony is held each Spring at The College’s Oakes Field Campus.
Conductor Mr. Christian Justilien leads the COB Concert Band in its rendition of “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin to the pleasure of the guest and artwork was also on display.
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