Artists of Belize

Insights into the art and artists seen at Villa Shore

Carolyn Carr | Rony Jobel | Helaman Chi

Carolyn Carr

As a young girl growing up on a wheat farm in Western Kansas, my sister, brother and I saw our parents, as had three generations of Rauchs before them, struggle with and overcome the forces of nature in the form of drought, hail and wind to build our family farm. It was clear to me that harvest came only after intense struggle and perseverance in the face of odds.

That I emerged from this most utilitarian of backgrounds as an artist can only be appreciated and not explained. Like the morpho heading out into the sun, I flitted out into life’s expanse trusting my own fragile membrane of iridescent blue to carry me. And yes, I’ve reflected the sunlight and felt the wind of the falcon’s wings.

In 1977 my husband and I packed up our possessions and our children and moved from the plains of Kansas to Banana Bank, a ranch in the interior of the tropical Central American country of Belize. In one broad sweeping move we went from a prairie with unlimited sky to the ensconcement of the jungle. So began our own struggle to force the environment around us to yield a living.

In a setting of intense green, a profoundly natural phenomenon close on every side and from a background of a great expanse of blue and gold horizon and sky, I painted the pieces you will see in this web-site.

-Carolyn Carr

Carolyn Carr - Back Side

If one enjoys drama, pathos, action, ecstasy and agony, stories that include intrigue, murder, lust for flesh and money, sagas of love so deep one would die for, don’t go to the Bliss Institute of the Performing Arts or the movie theater. Go to Castleton Race track on the 3rd Sunday of every month. There you will see episodes that will both thrill you and break your heart. Most of those stories can’t be told. They reach far too deep into the core of the human condition.

Here in this painting is assembled a full cross section of Belizean society from the wealthy business owner to the poorest street bum, the politicians, pretty girls, dandys and lackeys, rogues, drug dealers and users, wanna be’s, has beens and highly successful entrepreneurs, a collection of race day characters. Oh, yes, and there are horse owners as well.

Take for instance the guy who took the ugly, big headed, unlikely last of the lot, named her Tosoro and with commitment and determination, turned her into horse of the year. Or how about the beautiful black stallion born and bred to run who died in his stall for no apparent reason. There are horses on the track that are grandsons of Aladar, Secretariat, Native Dancer and Mr. Prospector and if you don’t know this illustrious list, shame on you.

This painting is about the back side, the side of the horse you seldom see in the high gloss horse racing journals. It is about the side of the track that only the true lover of racing likes to see. It’s muddy back there. Horse manure, swearing, bites and kicks set the tone. It’s where the jockeys, trainers and owners gather into tight little clumps to fuss over the 1200 lb equine machine that since the last race has been pampered, primped, pounded and sometimes punished into a performance specimen.

In life, as in horse racing, the daily training, the hours of preparation, the struggles, heartbreaking loss, overwhelming odds at ever making it to the winners circle are little known or appreciated by the on lookers. All they really care about is the one minute it takes to run around the track. There might even be a trophy presented with great fanfare that ultimately gathers dust on a shelf. But the back side, where the big machine driving muscles are located, the powerhouse of any true success is seldom pointed out as the beautiful part of the whole operation.

This painting is difficult because most of the people in it are actual individuals therefore it is dozens of portraits. It is also difficult because getting everything in proportion and perspective is a challenge. It breaks some of the most staunch rules of art in that there is no real focal point, no strong composition. In horse racing there is no allowance for breaking the rules but in painting and in life, sometimes that is the only way to cross the finish line. - Carolyn Carr

Carolyn Carr - Fleshstones

“The main contributor to modern day economies of developing countries is often tourism. Each year thousands of visitors come to Belize to see the local attractions and enjoy the natural beauty of our small nation. One of the primary attractions of Belize is the culture of the ancient indigenous people known as the Maya. The questions asked by the majority of those visitors after having actually climbed the temples and marveled at the astonishing structures, art work and traditions remaining is, “What happened to these people?”’ -Carolyn Carr

Rony Jobel

Rony Israel Jobel is a Belizean artist based in San Ignacio, Cayo. Born in Orange Walk in the year 1990. He is a self-taught artist who works from his home Studio.

Rony Jobel started to explore with art when he was 8 yrs old. At the age of 12, he produced “The Lion and the Man“ a painting inspired by a story in the bible. His focus now has shifted on recycled art using found and discarded objects around Belize. “Recycling is my way of helping out our planet for future generations to come”. Jobel explores the mystery of the forgotten, allowing the objects to lead the viewer to participate in its mystery.

Jobel is a prolific artist that participates in several Community activities which include recycling. His work have been featured in BAFFU which is a Belizean art magazine. Several Galleries in Belize City and San Ignacio respectively. He has created 6 different successful solo Exhibitions in a span of 5 years. His art have been sold worldwide

Every original Piece of art created is unique. He does not believe in reproducing art because it takes away the beauty of owning an original. His art inspires you to focus on the comfortable, accept the undetermined, and embrace the unknown.

This is a story about a farmer who lost his wife, horse, and dog. He managed to find his peace even though he was grey inside. The birds represent the letting go of the issues that troubled him. The angel represents hope that someday he will be reunited with his long lost love. The white birds represent peace and tranquility.