Purple Palace Opens Up As Arts Resource Centre

"Painting in Paradise!" That has been quite the experience as the Purple Palace in Road Town opened its doors to some 24 course study art students from Boston, USA and the BVI over the past week. It was an opportunity for the participants to expand their sources for personal imagery, while enhancing their painting and drawing skills. This first of its kind workshop began Saturday March 18th and runs until Sunday March 26th and was facilitated by the Bougainvillea Clinic in conjunction with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

The School of the Museum of Fine Arts is one of the oldest and most distinguished professional art schools in the United States. In affiliation with Tufts University, the school offers degree programmes leading to a BFA, a BFA in Arts Education, a combined BA or BS/BFA degree, a Master of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in Teaching. According to an SMFA brochure, the Continuing Education Programme at the SMFA, in offering a broad spectrum of courses, workshops and learning opportunities, seeks a community of students characterized by its diverse experiences, talents, needs, ideas and objectives. These courses are open to the general public. Credits earned can also be applied towards the diploma or undergraduate degree programmes. The Tortola workshop was designed to develop individual concepts and process. Throughout the week, students were able to record their perceptions in journals and/or sketchbooks, either abstractly or realistically. Class and studio time was supplemented by field trips to the outlying islands of Cooper, Jost Van Dyke, Peter Island and Virgin Gorda, to rain forests and secluded beaches. "It's proving to be an incredible opportunity for us from Boston as well as those students from Tortola, getting to mix cultures and unifying and sharing experiences," Instructor Julie Graham told The Island Sun on Tuesday.

Ms. Graham, a member of the SMFA's painting faculty, commented on the generousity of hosts the Tattersalls of the Bougainvillea Clinic and their commitment to developing the arts in the British Virgin Islands. She said they are hopeful that this will become an annual event. Mrs. Martha Tattersall told The Island Sun, they are hoping that an alliance could be established between The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Tortola. "Dr. Tattersall and I both want the Purple Palace to be used for an arts resource centre for the community," she said. Several of the students who signed up for the workshop are students of the HLSCC. "In my opinion, what the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College has done is an extraordinary effort in making this course available to them...it's opening doors for new ways of seeing, thinking, feeling; it's an opportunity people can take back, whatever their careers, which can only help to enhance and enrich their lives," Ms. Graham stated.