The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

IN THE third staging of the mother and child exhibit by Jessica Colebrooke and 8-year old daughter Erin, the pair expanded on their iconic interpretation of a mother and child to reflect elements of the Bahamas’ African past. The “New Direction” show that opened at Hillside House Gallery on Saturday, featured life-size African sculptures as well as tile murals featuring the conventional mother and child theme.

“The work in here is not to say that this a new beginning or a new set of work. If you look at the tiles, I still kept the link with the mother and child theme because basically when people come to a mother and child show they are looking for that iconic interpretation of a mother and child. So I decided to do that with the tile pieces. The new beginning is to say that I do not want you to get locked in. I want people to think of it as us using this platform to show our new body of work. So the tiles hit on the theme mother and child and the sculptures speak to my new body of work,” said Jessica. 
“There were a lot of things going on with me last year and it made me reflect on my family. But in terms of history, we do not really embody or embrace our history. The sculptures are not just African art, but you also see some elements of Indian as well in the pieces, even though that was not my intention. My grandmother is Indian and that aspect of my family emerges or reemerges in the pieces,” she said.

African art is something Jessica has been doing since she graduated from the College of the Bahamas. To this day she still enjoys working with tribal markings and seeks to embody that in her work.
Every year Jessica and Erin combine their creative energy to put on a mother and child show. Erin’s work in the new exhibit displayed her growth and maturation as an artist. From the first exhibit to now, her skills have improved as a result of her mother’s mentorship.

In the first exhibit Erin displayed tile works, but following in the footsteps of her mother, she created three dimensional sculptures.
“She did a lot of drawings of me and her sister. So instead of doing tiles again I wanted to switch things up because if someone came to her last show and she did tiles, they don’t want to see tiles again. This just shows another dimension. I told her, mummy is doing sculptures and more three dimensional pieces and so what I want you to do is take the silhouette of the girl you drew and build on that,” said Jessica. 
As a result of their working closely, Jessica said she and Erin have grown to understand each other much better.

Erin said she enjoys learning from her mother and becoming better at ceramics.
“I love working with my mummy and I want to follow in her footsteps. When I grow up I want to be an artist just like her,” she said.
One of the things Jessica has learned to do working with Erin over time, is allow her to be as free as she wishes with her artwork.

“When I saw the eyelashes she did on the sculptures I told her ‘ein nobody eye lashes reaches up to their brain’. But I said you know, that was her interpretation of it. I told her to do whatever she wanted. I do not want her to think so technical like how I do, because I am trained. One of the things about being trained as an artist is that you start to look at the rules, and think about what works and decide what is easy on the eyes, and sometimes you do not want to take the risk of putting two colours together that are close. But sometimes that works,” she said.
Most of the pieces that were on display were sold at the show. Jessica said she is grateful for all the support she has received over the years.

“It has been a very successful show and I must say that the patrons in this country have really supported me over the years. Persons that came to the show are persons that have followed my work since I was in COB and I am very grateful for that. You don’t get that everyday, but it shows that they have been watching, they noticed that you have been producing, and they have noticed growth. What it says to me is that the person who walked in here is saying they like what Jessica is doing and they believe in what she is doing and she has a lot to offer,” said Jessica. 
Jessica graduated from the College of the Bahamas and the Rhode Island School of Design. She established Jessica Tileworks Studio in 1996, which produces high quality murals, teapots, platters, vases, bowls, plates, teacups and ceramic souvenirs.