After years of reflection and meditation on his place of birth and its people, artist Nicholas Emery is giving viewers a look at elements of his secrets, loss, and healing through his newest exhibition, Magic Memory Place.
It has been four years in the making, and Magic Memory Place is obviously a deeply personal collection of work.
Most of the 17 pieces can be described as quiet, with a singular focus, not at all busy, allowing viewers to concentrate on the subject of each piece.
Although quiet, the subjects are not placed on a blank canvas, devoid of other things to enjoy. Instead, he uses both bold and subtle colors, shades, and textures to his advantage.
Born in Trinidad to American parents who frequently traveled in the course of their work, Emery left TT at a young age.
He grew up in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and European regions before settling in Colorado, US. Emery, 56, said he spent years trying to understand why he loves TT so much and why it is so important to him.
“I’ve been trying to understand the sort of tendrils or the arteries and veins that have connected me back to this place, and I think that it’s fairly common. This is something that, as Trinis, we talk about from time to time.
“I know I don’t sound like a Trini. I’m a dual citizen, but I have a familial connection here in Trinidad as well.
“I was in a state of real reflection. There was a lot of consideration about what I consider to be magic, memory, and place, how it relates to Trinidad and my own evolution as a human being and my relationships to both the people and the place. It caused me to go into this state of meditation.”
[caption id="attachment_1075429" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Artist Nicholas Emery describes his work to Newsday reporter Janelle De Souza. PHOTO BY Faith Ayoung[/caption]
This meditation on TT led him to create works on topics which are “near and dear” to his heart, so much so that Magic Memory Place was the first exhibition in which he displayed self-portraits. And since he described his creative process as intuitive, he said it was important for him to be in TT for part of that process, as the work is inspired by the country. So, while most of the pieces were painted in his studio in Denver, Colorado, the rest was done in TT since he arrived in January.
“I don’t just paint for painting’s sake. I’m pulling feelings out. I’m meditating. I won’t start painting unless there’s something – I’m feeling inspired, or there’s an idea I’m tossing around that I want to play with on the canvas, or I’m trying to process a certain set of feelings.
“This is just what comes out of me. To give myself too much credit as the architect would be disingenuous. I’m pulling from a portal that is open, and I’m blessed to be able to have this connection and energy that comes out of me. There’s something that happens. It’s weird. I’ll be in the studio and there’s a moment when I realize I’ve got something. And if you can maintain and encourage that, you might get something.”
Although Emery
