Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Rasta Pickney deh deh...


This is little Ichamar (EYE-kah-mar); he's about 6 years old and lives in a small wooden clapboard house with his father in rural Jamaica. Quite often, just the expression on someone's face will tell me what hues to use when painting their portrait. With Ichamar, I think it's pretty clear that he exuded an air of sadness and melancholy, but tinged with hope.

I never saw Ichamar smile -- " a serious pickney dat", they would say about him in his yard, or "he is a serious child" -- but I think life was just very hard for this beautiful little boy. The boy with the sad face, but the dreadlocks tinted with gold.

"Rasta Pickney Deh Deh"
Ink and watercolor on paper.
Purchase a print of this painting
here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

VK,
I enjoy your work and commentary very much! It's something fun and interesting to look forward to each night. Keep workin' The Night Shift...

Anonymous said...

The eyes tell it all. Great work

Anonymous said...

i think you've got a book here,we can selfpublish and sell it at thebar!!the writing isengaging storytelling of the lives we careen into while in jamaica.how aboutbeing WB's"artist in residence"?