By Alva Solomon
With her passion for the arts being an everyday feature, 25-year-old craft and design enthusiast Habibah Atherley-McGregor sews, paints and threads tirelessly each day, her aim being to provide patrons with invaluable pieces which will tell an everlasting story of God’s gift to mankind, the arts.
A graduate of the Burrowes School of Art with a diploma in textile designs and painting, the charming and ambitious Habibah recalled being in the artistic field for about 10 years, as she reminisced her experiences in sewing during her initial years. She said she believes painting and other art forms can send a message to someone; a unique method of communication. In this regard, Habibah’s paintings carry a poetic script, each giving a brief explanation. One such piece which would catch one’s attention is, ‘Freedom’s Restoration’, which reads:
‘I am free, free to move, free from shame and disgrace
I am free!
For years I was trapped in a prison, tossing and turning. Yearning to be free
At last I am free!’
The poem, Habibah explains, was written following a personal experience. She said it signifies a symbol of being restored, meaning the aftermath of a bad experience, personal or socially related, in one’s life where one feels relieved at the end.
Habibah told The Scene that her family plays a vital role in her work, noting that family members are always there to give advice while she works on her artistic creations. She said her husband, Lloyd McGregor Jr, a former resident of Port Kaituma in the North West District, has added a significant lining to her passion, even at times when she could not source ideas for events.
She said he came on board her artistic train, by her influence, before the two got married last year. She recounted that she met husband at her graduation ceremony when she graduated from the Burrowes School of Art in 2006.
Later that year she joined him in Barbados, where he had been residing over the years and over the next two years, Habibah found herself featuring in fashion and craft shows on the island along with some other Guyanese.
These included Gloria Chung, who creates ceramic pieces, and Karen Braithwaite who operates her own clothing store on the Caribbean island.
She said she featured in shows at various parts of the Land of the Flying Fish, including the University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill Campus and the Yacht Club. She said what was special about her experiences in Barbados was the participation of other fashion enthusiasts from different Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines to name a few. “When you reach different people with different cultural backgrounds, you get to appreciate the value of the arts a lot,” Habibah said, stating that one gets to share various ideas at such events. She noted that the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) provided her with a valuable opportunity, noting that it was this initiative which allowed her to work freely in Barbados.
With a contented look in her eyes, Habibah explained that on return to Guyana in 2008, she became an active member of the Arts and Craft Association of Guyana (ACG) and expounded on various ideas since she was in a better position to explore her artistic skills. She said the ACG provided her with numerous opportunities to feature at the association’s events and she expressed a special appreciation to the body in this regard.
As she echoed the contribution of her husband to her hobby, Habibah recalled one day in Barbados where she contemplated on various artistic features to put on show at an event on the island. She said her husband, who was a farmer at the time, gazed at a few coconut shells and an idea immediately sprang into his mind — the creation of various species of fish mounted on the coconut shell. She explained that the process of developing the art form was delicate, one important factor being the selection of the ‘right type’ of coconut shell for the creation. She added that the shell must be pointed at the ends, bearing some resemblance to a fish.
She said the coconut is ‘cracked ‘and the inner parts are removed. This is followed by a drying and re-creation process, the latter involving the piecing together of the damaged parts of the nut with pieces of shells from other coconuts. The nut is then ‘sand’ and painted.
The fishes can then be used in various ways such as a candle holder or a fish mounted chandelier-lamp.
Habibah stated that at a recent event hosted by the ACG on Main Street Avenue, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was in attendance and was especially impressed with the chandelier lamp. She was not at the booth at the time, nor was her husband, but a relative filled in and explained the process.
She said she and her husband were nevertheless happy that the creation grabbed the attention of the Prime Minister.
Habibah and a number of artists/designers will be showing casing their talents next Tuesday and Wednesday when the group hosts a fashion, craft and designers show at the Sidewalk Café on Middle Street. Habibah said that she was excited about the event, stating that she has a number of creations, including paintings and fashion pieces, to show to patrons. She said the artistic public can contact her on telephone number 226-5276- with their requests for her work, which she reminded, will leave lasting impressions on their minds.