10/03/2022
Join us on Saturday, March 12th at 3 p.m. at Bajo El Sol Gallery in Mongoose Junction, St. John for the opening of Tropic Soul, featuring new works by esteemed Virgin Islands artists Avelino Samuel, Lisa Etre Karen Samuel and Elisa Bryan. The show will also feature guest musical artists Evanna Chinnery and Mark Wallace. There will be complimentary wine served in the courtyard.
“Through still life, landscape, and turned wood, the featured artists encourage contemplation of the natural environment of the Virgin Islands and the elements of cultural heritage often overlooked within the scenic and in the quiet arrangement of everyday objects,” says Bajo El Sol Gallery co-director David Knight Jr. “The show also seeks to honor the combined several decades of service to arts education the artists have given to the Virgin Islands community as teachers and arts advocates.”
Karen Samuel was born and raised on St. John and has been recognized for her artistic talent since her teenage years. She is a graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School on St. Thomas and holds a degree in arts education from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is known for her portraits and landscapes in oil. She additionally works in graphite, conte crayon, colored pencil, gauche and watercolors. She began her art career with commissioned portraits of local dignitaries and island history, which can be seen in many public buildings in the territory. The contemporary scenes of island life she paints aim to capture the quiet dignity of the people of the Virgin Islands. Samuel is also known as a quilter and clothing designer. Her commissions include wedding gowns, evening wear, pageant outfits and carnival costumes.
