By Sana Rose, Contributor 
Patricia Fletcher (left) senior education officer in the Ministry of Education with Verona Barnes, secretary of 'Create'.
OCTOBER 23, 2003 marked the launch of 'Create', an association for art educators and artists of the Caribbean region. It is the brainchild of Mico Teachers' College vice principal, Mrs. Kay Anderson. Roughly six years in the making, Mrs. Anderson and Dr. Nadine Scott, lecturer in Visual Art at the Institute of Education at the University of the West Indies (UWI), took time out of their various international teacher conferences to mull over, conceptualise and write down their visions for the local and regional art scenes.
Dr. Scott recalls that, "We spent a lot of time thinking about how we can develop art in the country (Jamaica) and the region; what is needed and how we can take from other societies as well as how we can fit into a globalised situation and be able to retain what is unique to us and promote it."
Eventually, these brainstorming periods culminated in Anderson's proposal of a regional art association and together with Scott, pooled efforts to get it started. Since both women were involved with art education at both the local and regional levels Anderson was chairperson and Scott was the chief examiner for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) panel - it was only natural that 'Create' should transcend national borders and involve the wider Caribbean territory.
CONNECTION
Dr. Scott's personal connection to the rest of the region's examiners proved useful in networking and making contacts with other educators, given the fact that she interacted with them frequently. At the local level, the boards of studies consisting of the lecturers in all the teachers' colleges and the Ministry of Education through its Senior Education Officer at the time, Paulette Bandama, served as the launching pad. At that time, the name considered for the organisation was Caribbean Association of Art Educators (CAAE), as its target membership was originally only art educators. The concept was however broadened and Kay Anderson gave birth to the name 'Create', which, although attempts to articulate it in the form of an acronym was unsuccessful, was thought to sufficiently capture the essence of the association.
By the time the local leg of 'Create' was in progress, Anderson had moved on to her current position at Mico and Scott had begun her tenure at UWI. Paulette Bandama's task was to get in touch with the teachers in Jamaica while Anderson acted as the anchor person and Scott as the international contact. The three met at Anderson's office and discussed plans to set the association in motion. Soon Bandama left the island and her successor, Patricia Fletcher, took her place on the planning committee while Suzanne Hibbert-Mulu, who was the chairperson of the Joint Board of Teacher Education (JBTE) went on-board. The team set as part of its mission an annual conference where an outstanding art educator would be honoured and workshops staged.
CHALLENGES
The team encountered financial challenges but through resourcefulness on their part and assistance from the Jamaica Teachers' Association Credit Union, Mico Teachers' College and the Institute of Education at UWI, they were able to finalise the arrangements. The launch, which was initially scheduled for June, was postponed for October, a date that turned out to be most suitable as it coincided with the birthdays of the two educators who were to be recognised for service at the function. Mrs. Lilleth Crawford, who gave 60 years of service to art education, was honoured and a posthumous award conferred on Mr. Douglas Samuels, the past head of the Visual Art Department at St. Joseph's Teachers' College and at some point during his career, head of the JBTE.
Professor Vesta Daniel, an associate professor in the Art Education Department at Ohio State University in the United States, who was invited to be the keynote speaker, also conducted a workshop on visual culture and community-based art education. Dr. Scott reports that the launch was well supported by local and regional art educators and artists alike. Regional contacts made include countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Guyana. Sadly, just a few days before the launch, a committee member, Suzanne Hibbert-Mulu passed away.
The expanded 'Create' team includes among others, President, Dr. Nadine Scott; first vice-president Mrs. Hope Wheeler, director of studies at Edna Manley School of Visual Arts; Secretary Verona Barnes, Lecturer at Shortwood Teachers' College; Treasurer Norma Hines-Brissett, Lecturer at St. Joseph's Teachers' College; Patricia Liburd, Caribbean liaison and Kay Anderson, international liaison.
An avid researcher and passionate art educator, Dr. Scott is adamant that the organisation, "is not trying to duplicate the Jamaican Artists and Craftsmen Guild, nor are we in competition with them. They have a different focus as a professional association for professional artists. We are a professional association for art educators and we include artists because one cannot exist without the other.
"If artists become a part of 'Create' then it only makes it richer because we have the real people we're studying. If they understand what we need in education, they'll be more co-operative when we come to do research and open their houses and studios more for those of us who are really serious about recording the culture correctly."
She affirms that the mandate for "Create" centres around reforming and revolutionising art education in terms of extending its practice, application and perception from merely a technical process such as painting, drawing or weaving to its broadest context in relation to its value and nature in society as an aesthetic, social, political and cultural tool. This means initiating and affording access to research about art and artists to expand the knowledge base, provide assistance in developing curricula and train educators to pass on the information effectively in order to promote awareness and appreciation of art in both students and the public at large.
"We want our teachers first and foremost, to have that kind of consciousness. We want to establish an association that will try to provide some kind of support not only for Jamaican artists but also Caribbean artists. We should be such a household name that teachers in St. Lucia wanting information, should be able to have some grounding within the system where they know that if they contact us, "Create" can assist them with information, resources. We want to set up our own chapter here in Jamaica and we want the different countries to do the same." Dr. Scott emphasised.
The fledgling association will be seeking work on its constitution at its first conference later this year, which may take place in Jamaica and subsequently in Barbados, a central meeting point for all the countries. Despite challenges with convening meetings due to the geographical locations of the countries, the planning committee is looking forward to enlisting new member countries. For Dr. Scott and her team "Create" is timely and they recognise that sustaining the organisation is where many difficulties will be faced. However, they are equal to the task.
Dr. Scott's response to detractors who fail to see the potential success of "Create" is, "This plan was in the making for over six years and it became a reality. A lot of groundwork has to be done. Some of us will have to sacrifice time and contribute talents. It is not a full-time job for any one of us so we can't expect that it is going to happen next week. Each time, we put something into the pot. If I can use the Jamaican saying, one, one cocoa full basket."
