Sweet TnT Magazine Trinidad and Tobago Culture
About Women in Art
On the 20th July, 1996, Mrs. Fraulein Rudder formed The Women In Art
Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago with just twenty members.
Among these pioneers are Former First Lady, Mrs Zalayhar Hassanali, Hetty De Gannes, Valerie Belgrave(now deceased), Karen Sylvester, Lisa OāConnor, Maryse Rostant, Gillian Bishop and Sarah Beckett.
The organisation now boasts an increasing number of over one hundred and twenty members, comprised of art teachers, professionals, amateurs and aspiring artists in Trinidad and Tobago, with women artists from other Caribbean islands indicating their desire to join and participate in the Women in Art Organisationās grand, annual exhibition.
Since its inception, the group stages its Members Exhibition annually but in 2013, upon the invitation of Martin Superville, WIA held its premier exhibition at the Tobago Art Gallery, Lowlands in Tobago. This has also become an annual event.
As another initiative Mrs Rudder, once a teacher, partnered with the Ministry of Education to introduce The WIA Biennial Art Competition and Exhibition among Fifth and Sixth Form Students in Trinidad and Tobago. On March 6th, 2017, the tenth Biennial was held, with wide participation from many schools including St. Augustine GirlsāHigh Scool, Stephens College, San Fernando and SpeySide Secondary School, Tobago, which produced notably creative and excellent work. Under the direction of Mrs. Rudder, WIA has continued to be pioneers in the local art industry.
