Fun Crab Alert!

We're happy to celebrate the launch of this gorgeous children's book by Mario Picayo, illustrated by our very own, Stacey Byer. Hurray!

‘Fun Fun One Crab On The Run’is a beautiful, imaginative and useful new children’s board book for age range 3-6 that has just hit the Caribbean market. Published by Little Bell Caribbean (New York), it is the latest title by best-selling author Mario Picayo, who selected Grenadian illustrator Stacey Byer to create the illustrations. “I was attracted to her use of colour, playful style, and the humor I saw in her work,” explains Picayo, who met Stacey during a visit to Grenada in 2012.

This delightful counting book for young readers follows the characters as they explore, swim, fly, and blossom, while simple rhymes connect the numbers on their journey from one to ten. It is a perfect tool to introduce children to numbers. A chart at the end of the book lets the reader know the name (common and scientific) of each real Caribbean animal and plant included in the illustrations, and turns the book into a “find it” game.
The book is already available on the American market and may be purchased online at Amazon.

The official Grenada launch for the book (a kid friendly event) will take place at the Grenada National Museum on November 30th, 2013 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. To promote the value of art and literacy to early childhood education in Grenada, there will be a presentation on reading picture books, illustrations on display, as well as copies of the Fun Crab Books for sale.

In addition, November is Picture Book Month and to honour this, the illustrator is donating 150 copies of the book to pre-primary and primary schools in Grenada. This is being made possible with the generous assistance of a number of corporate sponsors, including NAWASA, SouthernElectrical, EcoDive, Country Cold Store, 3BS, Grenada Pharmacies, Wade Optical, Island Dental, Spice Isle Retreaders, Grand Anse Playgroup, and Sweet Water Foundation, as well as personal contributions from individual donors. The distribution of these books will be facilitated by the Ministry of Education post-launch.

It was important to Byer that the book has a wide circulation so that Grenadian children have access to the book. “I often try to include a community element with my art events,” says Byer, who also co-curates the Women Make Art show. “I think it’s important to showcase art’s wider links to society, culture and education. Art is essential, not just ornamental.”

This free event is open to the general public.

WOMA Artists 2012

WOMA Opening 2012

Here's our official opening shots and video of Women Make Art Home & Away : March 31st 2012. Thanks to all who came out last week! We're on until Saturday14th April! Get there - we have great works available and for those of you who aren't in Grenada, we will publish the catalogue next week and have some of the works available for sale on this site.

WOMA 2012: Home & Away

Caribbean Art project and 4Hr Nap Collective will host Women Make Art (WOMA) 2012, “Home & Away”, an art exhibition featuring over 30 women artists from the Caribbean and the diaspora. The show includes emerging and professional Grenadian artists as well as artists from Trinidad, Jamaica, Haiti, Aruba, and the Bahamas and working in Canada, the US, the UK and Germany.

This diverse group of women will share works that have interpreted the theme “Home & Away” in unique ways. Through their use of diverse media: painting, illustration, photography, and mixed media these artists seek to deal with many aspects of the identity and place - of distance, of the working woman, and of life in the diaspora.

Chan says “This year we decided to expand our reach and invite artists from the region to join us. We are not disappointed – we are showing works by some of the region’s top contemporary artists like Olivia McGilchrist (Jamaica) and Florine Demosthene (Haiti/NY).” On the Grenadian art selection, Byer is excited, “We have full range of work – painting, digital art, photography, weaving and metal work, with artists like Malaika Brooks-Smith-Lowe, Cecilia Younger, Géraldine Le Leannec and Kato Charles.” The show will also feature a guest street artist installation outside the Gallery building from Trinidad-based team Pinky and Emigrante.

Caribbean Art project (CAp) has previously hosted exhibitions with prolific Grenadian and international artists. Their mission involves informing, educating, documenting and exhibiting Caribbean artists, building a database, and allowing individual development and sales opportunities, as well as facilitating development in artist and collector communities. Erik Johnson and Meg Conlon direct the organization, and have partnered with 4Hr Nap once more for this show. 

4Hr Nap is an art collective that visual artists Stacey Byer and Tracey Chan have created as a framework for creativity, inspiration, exhibition and education. Their vision is to contribute to local and international art communities; create opportunities for Caribbean artists through exhibitions and events; and collaborate with other professional artists and groups. Their talents form a fluid team with dynamic energy that offers fresh, innovative ideas. They have been working together since March 2011, curating Grenada’s first all women art exhibition, Women Make Art (WOMA) and November 2011’s “Paradise”.

The exhibition’s opening reception on Saturday, March 31st is at 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Gallery, Paddock, St. George’s (Springs-Belmont Junction - below Europa). Weekday openings are Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm, Thursday 6-8pm, and weekends, 11am - 5pm or by appointment. The show runs until Saturday 14th April, 2012.

WOMA 2012 Call for Entries

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Women Make Art is back for 2012 with another 4Hr Nap and Caribbean Art project (CAp) collaboration. We are now accepting artwork submissions for this year’s exhibition, “Home & Away”. Our objective is to interact and engage with more women artists as we create regional and international solidarity through the project. The exhibition will run from March 31 - April 14, 2012 at the Gallery, St. George’s, Grenada.

Read the rest of our call here and submit artwork.

You can also find the form available on our Facebook page.

We look forward to seeing your work!