This past weekend, STAGES Theatre Group hosted the first fundraiser for their upcoming cultural exchange programme trip to Havana, Cuba. The event, in the form of a paint night, was held on Saturday 24th February at Spyglass Hill Villa. STAGES, a multi-faceted visual and performing arts ensemble for primary and secondary children, will be flying to Cuba in late April to perform the Derek Walcott classic play Ti Jean and His Brothers.
Supporters of the fundraiser contributed US$25 each for an evening of drinks, hors d’oeuvres and art. Unlike a typically structured paint night, attendees were assisted individually by art instructors Natalie Volchek-Alvarez, Daryl C. Thompson, Collette Jones-Chin, Michelle Owens-Vasilis, Kalea Richardson, Charisma Jones-Chin, Brielle Letang, and Nandi Edwards. Each participant was guided in creating his or her own unique masterpiece through the course of the three-hour session.
Says Teacher Daphne Jacobs-Richardson who was in attendance that evening, “As a music educator, the Classical Evening of Wine and Art at Spyglass was a marriage of music and visual arts. Participants worked in harmony creating unique forms and styles on canvas through the rhythmic flow of brush strokes, colour and contrasting texture. What a dynamic experience!” Other attendees called the evening a “rebirth of artistic expression” and a “colourful way to capture the mood and atmosphere while creating a fascinating attraction.”
Special thanks were extending to Sunset Homes for their generous allocation of the venue to host the event. Janine Edwards, Director of Administration and Marketing at Sunset Homes, highlighted her own joy and inspiration at observing the artists at work saying, “the vibe was stimulating and relaxing as guests engaged in artistic expressions while socializing.”
STAGES plans to host more Wine & Paint Nights in the upcoming weeks as they work toward covering airfare to Cuba.
