How to Be A True-True Bahamian 2!

Esteemed writer and orator, Patricia Glinton-Meicholas launched the second edition of "How to Be A True-True Bahamian" at Doongalik Studios on February 17th, 2013.  This hilarious and introspective book explores the various aspects of our culture that make us laugh (and shake our heads) but also identify our unique characteristics.  Accompanied by the drawings of Neko Meicholas, this latest publication of Guanima Press is not to be missed!

Pictoral History & Memories of Nassau's Over-The-Hill Book Lanch A Success!

The long anticipated launch of Rosemary Clarice Hanna’s book, “Pictorial History and Memories of Nassau’s Over-The-Hill” will take place at Doongalik Studios, Village Road on Thursday, 28th February, 2013, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Rosemary was born on 22nd August 1942. She is the sixth of seven children born to Percival James and Leona Aurelia Hanna (née Butler). The author was born and grew up Over-The-Hill in New Providence at a time when relatives were within short walking distance and neighbours and friends socialized on their front porches. It was also a time when most people shared common values through the church, lodges, friendly societies and social clubs and took pride in keeping their surroundings clean.

Since retiring from a forty-year span in the financial services sector, Rosemary has been involved in the social outreach ministry of St. Agnes Anglican Church. The book, “Pictorial History and Memories of Nassau’s Over-The- Hill” came about as a result of her weekly travels throughout the old neighbourhood. She observed the most of the once lovely and immaculately maintained homes of her childhood had either disappeared or were in a state of disrepair. She noted that only a few of the homes remained as oases in the midst of decay and thought it important to record the Over-The-Hill story for those persons who remember and for future generations.

She began by taking photographs of the old houses and then developed the idea of telling stories about some of the families who occupied them. She thought it important to put a face to some of the families who lived in the area before they began to move out to the newly developed suburbs, and also to highlight the tremendous contributions that Over-The-Hill people made towards the development of The Bahamas.

The book paints a picture of what life was like in the Over-the-Hill area of Grant’s Town and surrounding areas on the Island of New Providence, The Bahamas, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century following Emancipation, when the area was settled by freed slaves. It includes a brief history of the settlement and development of the area and the role of the Church in that process. It also contains over 300 colour and black and white pictures of churches, homes and families and introduces some of the people who lived Over-The-Hill. Much of the information contained in the book was obtained from family members and friends as well as through interviews with more than eighty present and former Over-The-Hill residents to whom the author is very grateful for their enthusiastic support.

Nature's Blessings Opening!

Missed the Opening of Nature's Blessings - works by the late Josephine Sherman? View the video of the opening remarks!

Saltwater Healing Book Launch at Doongalik!

Poinciana Paper Press is pleased to announce the launch of "Saltwater Healing" by Bahamian poet, scholar and community worker Angelique V. Nixon.

This myth memoir and poetry collection use the Bahamian landscape to explore difficult personal stories as a way to heal.

Printed in full color with a letterpress-printed cover and bound by hand, the books will be available as a limited edition offered by the press.

Please join us on Sunday February 3rd at Doongalik Studios where Angelique will share her poetry and revisit the "Saltwater Healing" art installation. Books will be available for purchase.

"My vision for this work grew out of the ways I engage with home as a Black mixed-race queer Bahamian woman living abroad. It grew out of troubled women's stories (herstories) too often left out of our "history" books. It grew out of messiness—the stuff we don't often speak about--poverty, domestic violence, drug abuse, disease, mental health, sexual trauma, sexuality, race and color, class and privilege, and environmental crisis. It grew out of my desire to speak and share hard stories through a visual medium, using a story-telling poetic form and collage of materials and found objects. And it grew out of my visits home over the years to reconnect with homespace, and this not only involved spending time with my loved ones, but also going to the sea, laying in sand, breathing in salty air, and soaking in the ocean’s healing embrace. It grew out of all the stories my grandmother told me as a young child - many which centered on the healing powers of our land and seascape. It grew out of me depending on my visits for rejuvenation, but also experiencing the difficult memories of my childhood."
 
-Angelique V. Nixon

To find out more about Angelique V. Nixon and to read more of her works, follow her here.

An Inspiring Exhibition to Open at Doongalik!

Doongalik Studios announces the Opening of their first Exhibition for 2013 on Friday, January 18 from 6-9pm. Entitled “Nature’s Blessings”, it is a collection of floral paintings and Bahamian scenes by the late Josephine Marie Sherman, daughter of the late John Alfred Sherman Jr CPM, QPM, MBE, the first Bahamian Fire Chief, and Mrs Aurelia Levittie Sherman, nee Rahming, the sister of the late Sister Maria Rahming, one of the first Bahamian nuns.

Born on 19th February 1948, “Joey” (as she was affectionately called) attended St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School and then went on to Xavier’s College on West Bay Street. She was a superb athlete and always won top prizes in many sports events. In 1966, she was presented with a sports trophy by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during the Queen’s visit to Nassau.

Following her graduation from Xavier’s College, she attended St Benedict’s College in Minnesota, USA, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree. She then returned to the Bahamas and taught at Xavier’s Lower School. As her ambition was to become a medical doctor, she applied to study medicine at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom and Meharry University in Nashville, U.S.A. Since Meharry was nearer to home, she accepted a place there.

Having completed her medical training, she interned at Hurley Medical Centre in Flint, Michigan where she specialised in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She then settled in Beaufort, South Carolina, where she eventually became Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Beaufort Memorial Hospital. She also had a private practice at the Medical Arts Centre on Ribaut Road in Beaufort. She was much loved and respected by her colleagues, staff, patients, and the many children she helped to bring into this world.

Josephine never forgot her roots. She regularly visited The Bahamas, and it was on one of these visits that she decided to start painting flowers and flowering trees as well as the lighthouse out east. She found it relaxing and was soon invited to put on an exhibition in Beaufort. However, as she got older the desire to return home to exhibit her paintings became stronger. Unfortunately, during this period she was diagnosed with breast cancer and she died on 27 July 2004 at the age of 56 years without ever realising this dream.

Just before she died, she asked her sister, Effie Sherman-Wallis, if she would try and arrange an exhibition of her paintings in Nassau. “Nature’s Blessings” is the fulfilment of that promise by Effie, herself a cancer survivor, who has travelled from London specifically for the Exhibition Opening, paying homage to her sister’s talent as well as promoting further awareness of breast cancer. Effie also plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from sales at the Exhibition to a local cancer charity in her sister’s memory.

Pam Burnside, Manager of Doongalik Studios stated, “This Exhibition is quite a poignant one for me in several ways as my late husband and I met with Joey several years ago to see her work and discuss planning the Exhibition. It is amazing how life happens….Joey is no longer with us, neither is Jackson and February 19 and 14 are their birthdays. This month I am celebrating 30 years as a breast cancer survivor and I originally met Effie through my cousin because of the cancer connection even though she is living all the way in London! It is an honour in more ways than one, therefore, to be hosting this Exhibition. Coincidentally since a segment of the Marathon Bahamas Race which focuses on breast cancer awareness will also be taking place that weekend and they are located just around the corner, we hope both local and visiting participants will come and view the
Exhibition.”

Infrared Inspiration Opens Monday, October 22nd, 2012!

Do you think you could tell what time of day a black and white infrared image was taken? Fine Art Photographer, Paulette A. N. Mortimer will give you the opportunity to try as she is back toshow her unique photography works in an art exhibition entitled “Infrared Inspiration,” which opens from 6 – 9 pm on Monday, October 22nd at Doongalik Studios, #20 Village Road.

For 14 years, Mortimer has used her photographic skills to chronicle scenes at Mount Alvernia in Cat Island, as well as in Abaco and New Providence and her portfolio provides an important historical record of the Bahamian landscape.  She recently took a trip to Ireland and thoroughly enjoyed focusing her lens on a completely difference landscape from the other side of the world.  A selection of this works will also be on display in the Exhibition.

In this Exhibition Mortimer is presenting an array of local landscapes which take on the amazingly surreal quality of another dimension in infra red with white leaves and grass contrasting strikingly with darkened skies - a true reflection of what we cannot see with the naked eye.

“My love for fine art photography developed during my college years where I was exposed to hand colouring, hand toning, pinhole, colour, and panoramic photography and I enjoyed trying new techniques and experimented constantly with different printing processes, hence my love of black and white photography which I can develop myself.

“Six years ago I decided to make a living from my art and for the last three years I have been focused on channeling my late father’s inner spirit and his love for music, nature, and architecture. I find great joy in knowing that people love my photographs enough to hang them in their homes. I am exploring other ways to incorporate my art into different products, including printing on tile, metal, wood and glass, examples of which you will see in this showing. I also look forward to printing on fabric.”

For more information on the artist and her work, visit her website at www.thirdeyebahamas.com or telephone the Gallery at 394-1886.

Farmer's Market Reopens! Saturday, September 15th, 2012

Why is this cloud trying to rain on my parade? And by parade, I mean FARMER'S MARKET! SATURDAY MORNING, we are back on the porch bringing you all your favorite homegrown/made product!

Destiny's Delites, For Heaven's Cakes, Sunset Farms, MM Traders, Italian Dolce, Seasonal Sunshine Bahamas, Naturally Bahamian and our dear friends at the Craft Cottage (just to name a few)!

Hope to see you there! Buy local. Buy fresh. Buy BAHAMIAN!

#18 Village Road. 9.15.12. 9am - 1pm.