The Jamaica Observer in its 20th year reflects with former Lifestyle Editor Tamara Scott-Williams, on five artists who have influenced in the past 20 years and the five who will in the next two decades.

Five in the last 20 years

1 The Forerunners – Because they forged a visual art history for Jamaica and continue to inspire us daily.

2 Barrington Watson – Because at 82 he still kicks ass and has created an artistic legacy that lives on through Basil, Raymond, Jan and Kai.

3 Laura Facey – Because there’s no stopping her and because she made “go large or go home” a credo before it became a cliché. And because she tells her truth in a divinely inspired way.

4 Dr David Boxer – Because his acumen and tenacity as a curator created a National Gallery of Jamaica whose treasures are unrivalled in the

entire Caribbean and because he forged an entirely new art vocabulary by recognising the talent of our Intuitive artists.

5 Charles Campbell – Because we’ve seen him grow from a gentle voice to a quiet force that generously speaks up for and behalf of young Jamaican artists.

And for the next 20…

1 Ebony Patterson – What’s next for Ebony after her huge rise over the last few years? Only Ebony knows, but no doubt she’ll keep jump-starting

those difficult conversations we need to have about our identity.

2 Jasmine Thomas Girvan – Because art doesn’t always need to be loud or controversial; it can say what it wants and still be refined and elegant.

3 Phillip Thomas – Because his works are museum pieces and he’s made the painstaking labour of the “old master” painting style very cool again.

4 Marvin Bartley – Because his powers of persuasion result in ordinary people doing extraordinary things for the sake of producing compelling works of photographic art.

5 Leasho Johnson – Because Leasho acknowledges our art history in his works and remains delightfully upbeat when he tells us the sad news: the more things change the more they stay the same.