Today The Scene looks back at the artists interviewed last year who inspired through their commitment to their respective fields.
The list is not hierarchal but presented in chronological order from January.
Here are impactful quotes from these interviews.
John Greene – Photographer
“Photography to me is art and I love it. Guyana is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and whether it is the rich culture or landscape it tells a wonderful story which makes me want to capture every scenic location of Guyana…To promote photography on a national stage I would try to emphasise that anyone could be a photographer you just need to use your imagination and try to capture it… You don’t necessarily need a professional camera to begin with because cellular phones of today have impressive cameras.” – From John Greene: Capturing Guyana frame by frame January 25, 2014.
Neaz Subhan – Drama Director
“I always say drama is a discipline. It takes discipline and if we are to adhere to the lessons it teaches us in life then there would be a lot of respect and cooperation amongst us as characters in the same play. People should only be in drama if they like it, only then will you put your heart into it and eventually realize your dreams. When I am directing a play I always tell the cast that the most important requirement is your interest – with interest, commitment will follow and your entire heart.” – From Neaz Subhan makes a point of tackling domestic violence through drama February 22, 2014.
Andrew ‘Drew Thoven’ King – Musician, Producer, Director of Kindred Republic Record Label
“I want to aid in the development of Guyana’s music industry and my dream is to benefit others, make other dreams come through. The function of a producer is to basically bring other people’s talents, creativity and dreams to fruition. That is the passion I have for music… If we all develop the perfectionist mentality, we would achieve significant quality in the music industry that can be compared to the international level. We have intentions of a high standard but for whatever reason we settle for less. That is one of our major downfalls and we need to overcome that. However Guyana is no doubt full of talent, we just need people to harvest that talent, coach it and develop it.” – From Drew Thoven moves to his own beat March 29, 2014.
Tennecia DeFreitas – Singer, Calypsonian, Heatwave Band member
“As a young artiste it’s important that you get familiar and surround yourself with the right people who have the experience in the field and would know how to get the job done. I think music is the simplest thing that can be promoted anywhere. However it’s not a one-man job. With the rate that technology is going it’s a lot easier to get connected with the right people who are in a way better position to get the work done faster and would make a greater influence on the listeners especially in Guyana. It’s more than just uploading to a social network or sending it to a DJ which can only contribute to a small percentage of the audience it can reach.” – From For Tennicia DeFreitas, it’s music April 5, 2014.
Jackie ‘Jaxx’ Hanover – Singer, songwriter
“I don’t think I can control this dream. It controls me. I can never stop. The passion I have for singing is overwhelming. I have great friends and relatives who keep me motivated daily but I also pray a lot. I’ll never give up… I always tell people that music is a woman and a very jealous one. She demands all of your time and attention or you’ll receive little or no rewards.” – From Jackie Jaxx: Can’t control this dream April 12, 2014.
Stacy Ramcharan – Miss Earth Guyana 2014
“I believe pageantry is a celebration of beauty, beauty with a purpose. It is one of the platforms that give young women an opportunity to let their voices be heard on various issues we are facing as a developing country which may need special attention. Every day I am faced with a different challenge to be a better person than I was yesterday and I sometimes marvel at how I cope.”- From Stacy Ramcharan lets her voice be heard May 3, 2014.
Yaphet Jackman – Spoken-word poet, author
“I never started out as wanting to be a performer or a popular poet. I just wanted my work to be heard because I thought I had a message that people needed to hear… I want to be known as the artiste who has used his talents and opportunities to cause real change in Guyana.” – From Yaphet Jackman’s signature, a gift of words July 5, 2014
Mwanza Glenn – Fashion Designer, Dancer
“Fashion in my book should be the expression of oneself, which may vary with one’s moods. But people deliberately make silly choices. What drives me is the love of what fashion and life is about. The love to adorn a silhouette, paint the body with fashion… My mood, my character, my rise, my falls… To put it in a nutshell, I am universally inspired.” – From Mwanza Glenn: Fashion is his life. August 16, 2014
Nkechi Vaughn – Guyana Newest Top Model 2014
“To me modelling is destiny. I can’t begin to tell you how I feel when I’m on the runway. I swear I am transformed. It is like I am this fiery diva that switches on upon entrance and off upon exit of the runway. I couldn’t possibly call that a job if I get to wake up every day to do it… I would not give up, sit back and follow the trend that society made just because I have to eat. I have learnt that nothing worth having in life comes easy. I know who I am and where I am from, so I would not limit myself by creating a box, be it my country, height or features. I have the power and talent to break boundaries and to step out of those boxes onto the world. With God’s grace someday I will achieve this dream but regardless of what happens I will always know I put my best foot forward.” – From Top model Nkechi Vaughn: Following her destiny October 18, 2014
Nickose Layne – Award winning Director, Playwright, Poet, Dramatist, Marketing and Theatre Entrepreneur
“There are numerous production groups with varying levels of success, but a union would aid in artists not feeling blacklisted or personally attacked. [It would allow for] better payment and upholding of contracts by producers, better conditions to work in more creative spaces, like backstage of theatre institutions. I may be stepping out on a limb while stepping on some people’s toes, but it is a fact that many producers do not uphold their contracts with artists, and the artists feel like they have no mode of redress. [As for the audience] I know that marketing goes a far way with any product. And if you do not sell the serious dramas appropriately, the audience turn out will be piss-poor. Those who come may laugh at serious issues, because they are only exposed to comedic theatre. The audiences are intelligent enough to adapt, but we need to ensure they are transitioned from an era of pure comedy, to an era of modern and post-modern theatre.” – From ‘For Nickose Layne life is theatre and theatre is life’. November 22, 2014.
Rafieya Husain – Miss Guyana World 2014, Miss World 2014 Semi-Finalist, Miss Caribbean World 2014
“The first time I spoke up about my abuse was during the national pageant in Guyana. I couldn’t encourage other women to break their silence if I couldn’t break mine… For women who are in an abusive relationship, it never changes. They will cry, they will beg, they will tell you that things will be different, and maybe for a day or even a week it will be, but the abuse will come back… It takes an enormous amount of strength, confidence and passion to be on a stage, showing the world that you have what it takes to represent a brand of such high standards.” – From Miss World Caribbean Rafieya Husain taking the fight to curbing domestic violence December 27, 2014