The paintings of artist Grace Ashruf Rahusen are now on exhibit at the RBTT Bank on the Mainstreet, Oranjestad. The exhibition will remain open through March 19, 2004, and can be viewed during office hours, Monday through Friday.
The Suriname-born artist’s passion for life and art are vividly seen in her colorful canvases. Grace paints exclusively from her sketches—either captured from still life or on location. The use of oils or acrylics enables her to place her feelings and emotions with her trademark powerful brushstrokes and bold use of color. “I paint until I capture what I want,” says the artist, “and strive not to copy a subject, but instead interpret it.”
In some paintings, Grace uses a more realistic approach to her subject, while other paintings embody an abstract approach based on her feelings at a certain moment in time. She is constantly growing and changing as an artist, finding new direction and inspiration as her life and experiences evolve. Her collection of work yields a vibrant display of light, shape, colors, and emotions that yield a versatile style that keeps both her art and life interesting.
Grace’s formal education began at the Nola Hatterman Institute in Suriname. She further developed her skills during a two-year stay in Guatemala, where she studied art at Tuscany Art School and The Monet Art School. Grace has also participated in an intensive course at the Rafael Landivar University, where she had the opportunity to study with well-known Guatemalan artists. Grace also attended the Academi di Arti for two and a half years and the Classic Caribbean Art School in Curacao. Grace attended two intensive workshops with well-known artist George Ramsiawansingh during visits back to her homeland in Suriname.
“The colorful and multicultural Suriname and Guatemala have had a great influence on my artistic style,” explains Grace, “and the beauty and simplest things in life fascinate me. I have observed how, in some cultures, it is the simple things in life that draw hope and happiness.”
Grace has been living on Aruba for four years now, and looks forward to further evolving her style and talents with the influence of the island’s beauty and people.
Far away from her family and her country, Grace began dedicating all her talents to painting. Her father made her first easel some ten years ago, and she dedicates this exhibition to him, as he passed away far too early in life. “I wish I could share these feelings and emotions with him,” she says.
Grace has participated in group exhibitions in Curacao and Guatemala. The RBTT Bank exhibition is Grace’s first solo project.
[ Pictures courtesy of Rona Coster ]
