Mortimer McPherson’s ‘Full Moon’ set to shine
Respected art educator and fine artist Mortimer McPherson will mount his first solo exhibition in five years from his home studio at 5 Linstar Close in Havendale, St Andrew, on Sunday, November 27 with an evening of art, poetry and music.
The event is slated for 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
McPherson — whose extensive arsenal include paintings, pencil drawings, wood turning and trophy making — will combine elements from nearly all of the art forms in the collection titled ‘Full Moon’, for the month-long exhibition.
The artist, who has earned a reputation as one of the island’s finest tutors of drawing and painting and a specialist in fine wood craft for his accuracy and the reverence he brings to the craft, promises a “revealing” show.
“Full Moon will be revealing. It will provide insight into the philosophies that have guided my approach to art and cause persons to contemplate and reflect on those at play in their own lives,” he said.
Full Moon will take viewers back in time as it touches on family, love and loss and less explored themes such as the environment. The artist’s affinity for oil on canvas will become apparent, and it is here that Full Moon, arguably, will shine brightest.
The show, which is open to the public including art students and their teachers, will, on its opening night, feature readings by the artist from his anthology while highlighting McPherson’s outstanding contribution to art and art education in a career spanning some 30-odd years.
Guest speaker for the show will be Lorraine Thompson-Stewart, senior education officer for visual arts in the Ministry of Education, Youth & Information.
A painting major during his days at the Cultural Training Centre (now Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts, EMCVPA), McPherson, who is also a trained teacher, has moulded many minds in visual arts at his Studio Mortimer outlet.
McPherson, who has conducted workshops with visual arts educators and vulnerable youths for the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, Inter-American Development Bank, Sandals Foundation among others, is also the architect of the first and only drawing course of the National Council on Technical & Vocational Education.