The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

ARTIST Claudette Dean’s latest body of work, Beautiful Burden, explores her personal journey into the world of spirituality.

Dean’s first show of the year will open Friday at Hillside House Gallery.

“Beautiful Burden presents musings on life in a world of duality where there is no peace without struggle, no joy without pain; it explores issues of sanctity, of finding solace and of achieving and maintaining balance and connection while in the midst of the battle,” she said.

Dean has been working on the show since last year and is excited to share the finished product with art lovers. Beautiful Burden features 24 oil on wood pieces which explore themes such as male/female, life/death, full/empty, body/spirit.

“I first committed to the show last year. From then I started thinking about a theme and started working towards this deadline of February. I also committed to doing it at Antonius Roberts’ gallery. So I have been really working hard on the show since that time,” she said told Tribune Arts.

Her beliefs about life and love from a female perspective are often at the core of her artwork. However in this body of work she introduces a male element – The GuardIAMs.

“The ‘GuardIAMs’— masculine golden ghost-like figures — hover in and out of physicality. They carry shields and bear symbols that tie them,” she said.

“My process is really instinctive. I get an idea that really feels right and I just start exploring visual ways of representing that idea. When I create a body of work the energy that comes off the paintings is really what is most important to me and I realise in order for that to happen the work really has to come from a place deep inside of me, a real authentic place. It automatically emanates from the painting. I like everyone to get their own experience and I believe they will understand the artist statement once they see the work,” she told Tribune Arts.

Dean hopes to also open the show in Grand Bahama, and release a writing project related to Beautiful Burden. Until then, she is getting set to exhibit work in the Transforming Spaces Art Tour which begins the first week in April.

Dean was born and educated in Canada where she obtained a B.A. degree in French Literature. She continued her studies at the University of Nice in the South of France where she was immersed in the world of fine art. It was here that her innate passion for the visual arts was first awakened.

Since relocating to Freeport Grand Bahama many years ago, she has been creating art. Working primarily in oil she has also dabbled in clay, encaustics and mixed media.

Beautiful Burden will be open at Hillside House until the end of February.