A Latex Sculpture on Wood piece by Dorman Stubbs.

Published On:Wednesday, March 17, 2010

By REUBEN SHEARER

Tribune Features Reporter

rshearer@tribunemedia.net

DAWNING on the art scene again after a 12-year hiatus, Dorman Stubbs unveiled a captivating body of work that he started four years ago, in his 'By Nature' exhibit last Thursday. Mr Stubbs, a veteran sculpture and artisan showed guests around his show in the art gallery at The Central Bank of the Bahamas.

And art buffs received his 'By Nature' exhibit well, calling it "simply Dorman," characterised solely by the style that has been his strong point. Expecting to see something out of the ordinary, guests closely studied the linear designs of the work before Stubbs arrived at the exhibit.

His withdrawal from the public eye was a productive time for Mr Stubbs to explore his talent in impressionist paintings. Impressionism in relation to art is a theory or practice in modern art depicting the natural appearance of objects by means of dabs or strokes of primary unmixed colors in order to stimulate reflective light.

It was impressionist paintings that put him on the map. Mr Stubbs will showcase his efforts in a 19-piece show that he's developed within the last four years.

Mr Stubbs was the artist to introduce abstract art, wood sculpting and release sculptures in the Bahamas. The opening piece in his exhibit, 'By Nature,' visually represents the universal elements of earth, fire, water, space, and wind.

There are multidimensional pieces, and some are more simple and colorful in texture, layered with red, yellow, orange, and even gray colours.

Five panels were brought together representing each element: the stars, the cosmos, and humanity. Another figure represents a strong male. His counterpart, a woman, looks very soft and feminine.

Mr Stubbs says even in this piece he's tried to give emotion to everything. "I try to bring what I'm feeling at the moment to the piece as an artist," he told Tribune Art.

At the center of the floor, grounded in the art gallery is a four piece sculpture representing the family unit.

In 'The Family,' visualise a mother, father, and daughter. This sculpture is a presentation of a family boasting of grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, showing individual characteristics of how they want to be perceived.

"It shows that families don't communicate like they should," Mr Stubbs added. "We have a population that doesn't understand what is happening."

"Everybody has their own way of doing things, some are colourful, and others are not conversing and sharing their ideas."

In 'The Family,' there's a young punk rocker girl who is unknowingly pregnant in her family.

" This piece is very profound," says Mr Stubbs. "Because it causes viewers to question who they are in the world and as people, and whether they are conscious about their familial roles, and in other relationships."

Continuing in the family theme is a four piece sculpture called 'The Anniversary.' This oil-on-canvas painting is a portrait of the D'Aguillar family, at a tea party they had recently.

There's a piece called 'Birds In Flight,' a release sculpture, Mere Tear, and Cherry Blossoms which is latex on canvas.

"Everyday I leave home, I'm always creating a visual library and collecting information about what's going on and happening locally," he said.

Whether positive or negative, Mr Stubbs feels it is important to tap into those resources, and find out what's happening in the environment.

"One must seek to grow on all levels," he said. "In the academy we were taught on many levels how to create."

Mr Stubbs says he's noticing that Bahamian art enthusiasts are becoming more open minded, and are drawing closer to various ideas and themes of art.

The art scene in the United States is very modified and extreme in what people are doing. The abstract world of art is very well traveled internationally.

"In doing these pieces which are straight from my normal caption of subject matter, I wanted to take the art theme to international levels rather than be limited to my cultural experience in the Bahamas."

Mr Stubbs says this body of work shows a great element of creative growth, that's like risk taking. And it's a risk that "I'm not afraid of but enjoying," he told Tribune Art.

"The world is going through a challenge with the family fiber falling apart as a result of a growing fast pace of the world, and human beings are incapable of keeping up with it," Mr Stubbs said.

"I've always wanted to bring this through my art, as we have a beautiful social political heritage. I wanted to show the clouds, ocean life, and the colours of the sky. Those elements and visual aesthetics are very prominent in nature."

Mr Stubbs piece, 'The Anniversary,' represents a prestigious Bahamian family, who is apart of a very elite faction in society. Mr Stubbs has great admiration of their heritage.

The D'Aguilar's have been characterised by their patriarch, Vincent D'Aguilar who along with his clan have been "movers and shakers," Stubbs said.

A more extreme art piece would be Mr Stubbs' 'Sediment.' 'Sediment' does not describe anything in particular. You can recognise a face, and then it loses that recognisable form. "It evolves in to other things that you can't put your finger on and shows texture and colour," he said.

Other pieces in 'By Nature' are Coral Reef, Bird In Flight, and Flying Creature. Flying Creature is a striking piece that takes on various stories of flight. In it, there's a toucan, rooster, and the parrot.

"If you chase a rooster it can fly, and it is very beautiful very colorful. The tail is as beautiful as a peacock's," he said. The parrot represents nature and wildlife," he told Tribune Art.

"We have to be careful as a country that we are taking and making everyone comfortable in society. We're supposed to be creating a better world for everyone to live in."

By Nature will run until April 1.