BAHAMAS NATIONAL TRUST CELEBRATES ART AND NATURE FOR EARTH DAY’S 40 TH ANNIVERSARY AT THE RAND NATURE CENTRE IN FREEPORT.

It has been forty years since the US Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day to promote respect for life on the planet.
Forty years later with Earth Day Network now in the picture, Earth Day 2010 promises to be the largest Earth Day to date, with over a billion people participating in activities worldwide in thousands of places like Kiev, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; Tuvalu; Manila, Philippines; Togo; Madrid, Spain; London, New York and Grand Bahama.


And what will people be doing this April 22, 2010. Earth Day is usually celebrated with outdoor performances, where individuals or groups perform acts of service to earth, planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting recycling and conservation programs, petitioning governments for stronger action to important environmental issues.
In Gabon, Africa, it is said that a talking drum chain will travel from village to village encouraging action for growing environmental 

On Grand Bahama we may not see a talking drum traveling about but the Bahamas National Trust is celebrating Earth Day with an invitation to the community to enjoy ART AND NATURE.
From Thursday April 22nd to Saturday April 24th the Grand Bahama Branch of the Bahamas National Trust is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.
Thursday April 22nd, the Glory Banks Art Gallery hosts the Grand Bahama Artists Association Earth Day 2010 Exhibition with artworks that pay tribute to Planet Earth. Special guest for Earth Day 2010 is “Environmentally Conscious” artist, Del Foxton who will showcase her contemporary artworks created from her handmade paper that uses local vegetation. 

Saturday, April 24th at 10.30 am join BNT administrator, Cecilia Bodie, on a nature walk through winding trails that feature native plants and birding sites. Established in 1992, the Rand Nature Centre comprises 100 acres of natural beauty in the heart of downtown Freeport. Come nurture your soul the Earth Day on the trail of this beautiful oasis located on East Settlers Way just across from the Catholic High School.
Providing social commentary has long been the role of art and artists. So to mark Earth Day’s 40th anniversary, the Rand Nature Centre Art Gallery is featuring artworks from the members of the Grand Bahama Artists Association. These talented members of our community are showcasing an eclectic collection of works in a variety of mediums in appreciation for the inspiration our beautiful Earth provides. 

Del Foxton says that her environmentally friendly Artistry in Handmade Paper began as a result of her belief in the saying that if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. When Del saw the opportunity to use discards from her surroundings, Artistry in Handmade Paper took flight.

At her hand papermaking studio and gallery she creates handmade paper for her artworks following the same process as that of the Chinese who first made paper in 105 AD. Del travels to meet and study with International Hand Papermakers and Paper artists to expand and refine her artistry. The papermaking process is simple yet complex but she is fortunate that on Grand Bahama to have year round material from local vegetation to make paper that becomes her canvas and painting medium.
Artistry in Handmade Paper is Del’s passion and she is delighted that in her small way she can honour the
environment while indulging her passion Earth Day and every day. 

Opening hours at the Rand Nature Centre and the Glory Banks Gallery are Monday to Friday hours of 8. 30 to 4.30 pm and on Saturday April 24th from 10 to 4 pm. To learn more about the GBAA Art Exhibition please call 353 4333 or 727 4333.

"A Question of Faith: The Journey of Freetown," exhibition launch at the Gloria Banks Gallery

Freeport, Grand Bahama. Last night , Thursday 12th November, both Jamie & I attended the exhibition launch of "A Question of Faith: The Journey of Freetown," which opened at the Gloria Banks Gallery, located in The Rand Nature Centre.
Amongst the well attended crowd for the event were the Minister of State for Culture the Hon Charles Maynard, and the Deputy Prime Minister's wife Mrs. Robin Symonette, among many other local and visiting guests, including Edison Dames, Assistant Director of Culture and Percy 'Vola' Francism the 'King of Junkanoo'. The opening ceremony was led by Dr. Pamela Etuk and artist, Jackson Burnside gave remarks.

Curators for the exhibition are Chantal E.Y. Bethel, and Laurie N. Tuchel. Artistic advisor/curator, Antonius Roberts. Historical research, Darius Williams.

Participating artists in the exhibition are Lauren Austin, Chantal Bethel, Del Foxton, and Antonius Roberts. The Freetown participants in the quiltworks are: Rev Rufus Cooper, Romain Laing, Ahamal Lightbourn, Elizabeth Roberts, and Linda Roberts.

The exhibition gives the descendants of that old eastern settlement a quilt with enough warmth to cover their expansive histories as we journey from New Freetown, to Infantview Cemetery to Water Cay and on to Sweeting's Cay; where we spoke with healthy 104 years old resident, Firstina Baillou.

A project of the Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation, the exhibition is the result of a seven-month artistic process, historical documentation and cinematic recording of the history of the old Freetown by the inhabitants of new Freetown. Once located by the coast, all that is left of old Freetown is a cemetery called Infantview for its first inhabitant – a baby – and the ruins of an old house. The settlement was one of the first known communities of freed slaves on the island.

Old Freetown is one of the oldest freed slaves settlements on Grand Bahama Island. After the Grand Bahama Port Authority restructured the area in the 1960's, the people of Old Freetown moved to New Freetown. Old Freetown still holds remnants of the foundation stones of some of the earliest homes on Grand Bahama Island.

In 2007, in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade act, The Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation presented an art Exhibition entitled Freedom Call . "As we were doing our research, we found it extremely difficult to obtain written information about Old Freetown , we then made the decision that we would begin our exploration and research in Old Freetown."
Make sure you visit in the EXHIBIT from November 13th through to the 28th at the Gloria Banks Gallery, Rand Nature Centre, Bahamas National Trust.