Artist Marina Kelawon is an overseas-based Guyanese whose stunning pieces have been creating quite a stir in the USA. Her range includes landscapes, beachscapes, still life, florals and birds.
Born in Georgetown on May 25, 1990 to parents, Rory and Fazeela Kelowan, Marina attended the Enmore Hope Primary School before moving on to Annandale Secondary having written the SSEE examinations. Her time spent there was cut short after the Mashramani jailbreak in 2002 which led to crime spiraling out of control. She transferred to the Ebascol Education Centre in Enmore where she was able to complete her high school education. Marina went on to work at Acme’s Photo Studio then the Public Utilities Commission before migrating.
The love for art has always been a part of her. “I’ve always loved to draw, but it was only after visiting a store with my mom and being overwhelmed by their selection of artist materials that I bought a few and experimented from there,” the young woman said. “I drew all throughout my teenage years. I took Art briefly when I was at Annandale Secondary School and it was one of the subjects and the period I was mostly excited about.” But when she transferred, Art was not on the curriculum at her new school.
“As a young girl growing up, I was always passionate about drawing. I drew a lot during my teenage years and it was only after getting married and being home alone that I started to experiment with paints. My artwork features a mixture of mediums. I work in acrylics, oils and watercolour paints. I also dabble in coloured pencils, pastels and graphite. Most of the times I strive for a realistic appearance on my pieces but I sometimes stray to the abstract side,” she said.
“My parents are my biggest inspirations. They inspire me to strive for perfection and seeing how proud they are of what I do makes me want to perfect my technique and work. My family is very supportive and proud of my accomplishments. They’re always proud and happy to talk about me. My husband is also my pillar. He’s always by my side especially when I’m going through [creative] blocks. I am also inspired by the works of Guyana’s veteran artist, Bernadette Persaud.”
A moment in her life that will always stand out for her is when she got married to the love of her life, Shafdar Mohamed. But speaking in terms of art it would be when she presented a farewell gift to a friend and her husband.
“It was my first portrait ever painted. I painted a picture of her and her husband and I was able to accurately capture both of their features, especially her dreadlocks and his facial hair. She was so happy and I was so happy that I was able to capture their appearance entirely. She started to recommend me to her friends even to this day. I will always be grateful for that,” Marina said.
Two of her favourite pieces are a still life “Pomegranate”—because of how real it looks—and “Washed Ashore.”
“Pomegranate” was painted after Marina joined a botanical artists page and was inspired by all the amazing work artists often upload. “Washed Ashore,” on the other hand, was painted because of her love for the ocean and what she likes about it is the way the colours, the foam of the water and the wet appearance of the starfish are brought out.
But as good as she is, Marina faces challenges. She said her biggest challenge is successfully marketing her work. Then she also has to deal with creative blocks. “At one point, I was flooded with ideas for possible upcoming paintings, but as time passed those ideas became blurred and I would be stuck for days trying to figure out what to paint next. So to overcome these challenges, I’ve started listing my paintings online and I’ve started the habit of keeping an art journal so I can write my ideas down,” she said.
“For me, being an artist allows me to explore the artistic side to my personality that I never knew existed. It has allowed me to view my surroundings in a much different light. And for persons drawn to my work I hope it inspires them, especially for aspiring artists. Daily, I receive messages on my Facebook page from young artists who are inspired by my work. My advice to them all is to not give up. Keep pushing yourself to the limit and you will soon be surprised as to what you are truly capable of. Do not give up on your abilities. If you can draw do not limit yourself to just pencils and paper. Experiment with paints, pastels and other mediums.”
Marina considers herself to be a very kind-hearted, warm and welcoming person who is always willing to offer her help whenever needed. Peaceful and calm are two other words she uses to describe herself and a person who try very hard to see others happy. A discussion with her would prove this to be true.
The artist is currently a T 3 Manager and Merchandiser of the Toddler and Baby Departments at Old Navy. “I love working in retail and I love the company’s brand and had hoped that someday I would be part of the Old Navy family and now, here I am,” she said.
Besides Art, she enjoys watching “Supernatural” reruns, reading, listening to music and during the summertime she loves sitting in her backyard watching the birds at the bird feeder which she says calms her.
Asked if she had the opportunity to meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why, she replied, “This may sound cheesy but I am a huge fan of ‘Supernatural’ and if I should get the opportunity to meet anyone I wanted, I would totally love to meet Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles who play Sam and Dean Winchester on the show.”
Marina hopes that someday she will be able to pursue Art at a college level since she feels there is so much more still to learn and in a decade or so she’d be able to create more stunning pieces. By then she hopes that Art will be her profession.
Marina can be reached at https://www.facebook. com/MarinasWorldOfArt/timeline