Rachael Heusner Superville opens art exhibition
She was among the first of a new generation of Belizean artists following in the footsteps of old masters like Belisle and Nicholas… but before we really got to know her… she was gone across the sea. Now that she’s back for a visit we’ll get a chance to see how the work of Rachael Heusner Superville has evolved.
She may be married to a Trinidadian and live on the island of Tobago in the Eastern Caribbean, but you can’t take Belize out of Rachel Heusner Superville. The young artist is back home and is mounting a one-woman art exhibition in the gallery at the Fiesta Inn. The exhibition, which opened today, is titled “Recent Paintings,” and features twenty eight pieces done within the last five months.
Rachael Heusner Superville, Artist
“On my last visit to Belize, my husband and I, we took a lot of photographs from around Belize and I have that resource information to work from.”
Superville and her husband, also an artist, operate their own “Art Gallery” in Tobago, but she prefers to produce work that is relevant to particular audiences.
Rachael Heusner Superville
“I try to depict things that I think most Belizean person could relate to and the reason for doing that is because it’s the same as, we wouldn’t be wearing winter jackets in Belize and so I wouldn’t come here if I was a seamstress or something and try to sell a person winter jackets.”
While other artists have found it convenient to experiment with other art forms, Superville has stuck with conventional water colors.
Rachael Heusner Superville
“With water colors you get immediate results and I kind of like that but I enjoy the effects that you could get from oils. It’s really a wonderful medium too.”
And one of her favorite pieces just happens to be an oil painting depicting a scene from rural Cayo District.
Rachael Heusner Superville
“Working on this there was so much play with color and… is done very impressionistic. So as much as you’re getting the full feel of the painting, it’s not all drawn out. I enjoy painting houses, which is… it’s kind of elementary, because painting people is really more advanced to just painting scenes. It’s one of the most difficult things to paint human beings and… but I enjoy the houses and what I eventually plan to do or what I am moving into is incorporating both people and places and creating stories.”
And while she appreciates the support she’s gotten over the years from art lovers in Belize, Superville says the local art industry could do with a little more honest criticism.
Rachael Heusner Superville
“Somehow I think as Belizeans we, we’re a little too nice to each other. Nothing is wrong with that, I think we’re very nice people, but as far as being able to grow, sometimes the nice comments doesn’t really help us. And the encouragement is good but I think flattery is something that doesn’t really help us to grow and sometimes we need honest criticisms.”
So if you think you’re up to feasting your eyes on some very beautiful paintings, while at the same time supporting one of Belize’s very own, you have until April ninth to drop in at the art gallery at the Fiesta Inn to check out “Recent Paintings” by Rachael Heusner Superville. Patrick Jones, for News Five.
All the pieces in the exhibition are on sale, from seven hundred dollars on down.
