Email

Print

Today we spoke to Art Historian Yasser Musa who was a fan of Nicholas. He told us about Nicholas's importance as a painter:

Yasser Musa
"I believe Belize has lost a great artist. Benjamin Nicholas was a man who represented many things, and to my mind, yes, he represented the pinnacle of great Garifuna art. However, it goes beyond that, and he represents great Belizean art."

"I believe it came about because from he was young growing up in Boyo Creek near Barranco, he was very influenced by his father's storytelling, and so he had a strong sense of narrative in his head, and he became the great visual narrator, so he just translate influence to art."

"I would say that he is one of the most famous and most Belizean painters. Yes he is Garifuna, but I think in the top - if you can evaluate the top ten artist of all time, certainly he has to be there. He comes from that era of the fathers of nationalism."

"His determination to realize who he was - to self-direct himself, I think, is a gift that not many people have. We younger artists should admire and follow his example."

"It was his loneliness that gave him this sense of creativity, this sense of wanting to make art. That his loneliness, being in this moment of reflection that projected this energy and I think his deep rooted sense of being a Garifuna man and him wanting to established a Garifuna visual narrative that motivated him and kept him going for so long."

Benjamin Nicholas had been painting for over 50 years, and was an MBE. Funeral Services for will be announced later.

Rebecca Stirm Making Waves In Regional Fashion Competition

A Belizean fashion designer is making major waves in the Caribbean fashion world after winning a culture-inspired challenge in a Caribbean fashion designer reality series called "Mission Catwalk".

The show is a huge hit in Jamaica and 18 year old Rebecca Stirm is doing well. She was one of 15 Caribbean designers who were instructed to create an outfit reflecting the style and culture of their various countries. They were given a short time frame and a $20 USD budget, but Stirm applied her creativity by using curtain fabric to create the wining outfit which drew on the Hispanic and Mayan influences in Belize.

Stirm, who calls her label Fancy Purple Paint, was the first of the show's designers to win a challenge as this is the second episode of the show. Stirm and the remaining contestants are vying for $3million Jamaican Dollars - about thirty five thousand US dollars in prizes, including a chance to show at London Fashion Week.

Bill Gates In Belize On Mega-Yacht

Bill Gates, the second richest man in the world, is in Belize - on the 23rd longest private yacht in the world. According to the San Pedro Sun, he arrived this morning with his family and was aboard the Super Yacht Atessa IV - which is anchored near San Pedro. The yacht is 330 feet long and comes equipped with an upper deck pool jacuzzi, a spa, and even a helicopter- which was cleared to fly in Belize.

The vessel's estimated value is in the hundreds of millions, and it belongs to multi billionaire industrialist, Dennis Washington. According to the San Pedro Sun, the Attessa IV is expected to stop at renowned sites such as Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the Great Blue Hole and The Turneffe Atolls. But this isn't his first trip to Belize. Gates also came here in 2005 - also in a yacht. This time he is travelling with six family members and 23 crew members. The yacht was given clearance to stay in Belize until May 9th.