Caribbean Artists A-Z

View my articles about Caribbean and Diaspora Artists. Research over 100 artists, their sites and thumbnails of their art work in alphabetical order. Click on artists names for links to the full story or artists' websites or watch videos. Students, cite this material with appropriate references guided by copyright. 'Fair use' allows you to use images in thumbnail size only.

Christopher Irons is a graduate of the EMSVA. He distinguished himself while still at college by being chosen most outstanding student of the second year and by receiving scholarships from the Bolivar and Student Council, Multi Care Foundation and the Ronald Moodie Scholarship. After graduating in 1998 he was selected to continue post-graduate studies in painting at the…

Born in rural in the hills of St Andrew, William ‘Woody’ Joseph’s talent as an artist was not recognized by Jamaica’s art ‘cognicenti’ until fairly late in his life. Initially, within his rural community he was considered something of a curiosity and even accused of Obeah and devil worship by members of his community. In that relatively conservative Christian setting, his sculptures were considered graven images and a challenge to Old Testament biblical traditions. Even in the face of this…

“The dismantling of apartheid in South Africa  was a breath of fresh air after so many bitter years of struggle by its people to rid themselvess of a brutal and bloody system that denied  them basic fundemental  rights of justice, equality and dignity.” As an artist and a humanist Rafiki Kariuki  says he is proud to have played his part in…

Born in Kingston to Jamaican and Cuban parents Kayiga forsook a white-collar job in favour of studies at the newly formed Jamaica School of Art and Crafts. He majored in graphics but after winning a Government Scholarship pursued a Masters in Fine Art degree at the Royal College of Art, London. On graduating he took a job teaching and doing post-graduate research at Makarere University Uganda and also exhibited there (Kofi Kayiga), Nomo Gallery, 1970 and (Kofi Kayiga and Kefa Sempagni),…

Is a Guyanese British artist raised in Trinidad who currently works in the UK. Her research and artwork is concerned with re-interpretations of historical and contemporary material of the Caribbean and Britain. She explores colonial and postcolonial Caribbean and Britain through the use of digital media and networked environments.
I exhibit internationally in solo and group shows She writes:

My research and artwork is concerned with re-interpretations of historical and…

O'Neil Lawrence is a trained photographer and a graduate of both the University of the West Indies and the Edna Manley College of The Visual and Performing Arts. His work questions the new World experience and what it means to be Jamaican. Because of this, issues related to Africa, slavery, the Middle Passage and our resulting actions and values all figure in his work. In particular, he considers the role of religion in our lives recognizing that Christianity, once a tool of enslavement and…

Michael Layne grew up in Port Antonio where he was strongly affected by that parish’s lush plant life,  its sea coast studded with rough coves,  its turquoise surf  and  its generous rains. He often expressed a fascination with the qualities of earth and mud which abounded in the rainy season.

Donald Locke who was born and educated in Guyana, developed his talents as a sculptor and ceramist in the UK having gained a British Council Scholarship to Bath Academy of Art and a Guyana Government Award to Edinburgh University. In 1979, a Guggenheim fellowship in Sculpture allowed him a year as an Artist in Residence at Arizona State University after which he gained permanent status remaining in Phoenix for another decade. In 1990, he moved to Atlanta where he continued to live and work…