Our Stories
From the Principal’s Desk and Performing Arts (EMCVPA). Paramount to that vision are the people, those who first started the independent Schools—Edna Manley, Barbara Requa, Bert Rose, Sheila Barnett, Henry Fowler, Greta Fowler and Vera Moody, and those who in the very early years of the CTC, lived the vision—Kay Anderson, Hope Wheeler, Dennis Scott, Pamela O’Gormon, Anna Ford-Smith, Hope Brooks, Karl ‘Jerry’ Craig, Linnette Wilks, Gwendolyn Gbedemah, Thom Cross and Hertencer Lindsay, to name a few.
Dear EMCVPA Family and Friends, The College has strode into a new year and a new semester and I must thank all the Staff, Faculty, Students and Friends who have embraced completely, our various roles and responsibilities, as we continue to enhance our existence with our art. This New Year, in particular, has brought on a period of reflection for me as I am tasked with strategising and bringing about the various organisational, administrative, academic and infrastructural developments at the College. While the College is on the cusp of new opportunities in programme development, changes in organisational structure and infrastructural enhancement, more and more I have had to research and reflect on the vision of the Cultural Training Centre (CTC) and the Edna Manley College of the Visual
The vision of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts speaks to the College being a centre for arts and culture, broadening and strengthening relationships, ensuring a sustained social and academic environment devoted to sound moral, social, spiritual and ethical principles, creating opportunities for economic enterprises and providing quality staff devoted to the College. This vision, formulated decades ago, remains important and forefront as we undertake both the upcoming opportunities and the daily responsibilities of teaching and administration. This vision translates to the College being relevant, our staff being effective and our students and graduates being selffulfilled. Last month, Anderson was honoured by the College for being instrumental in the establishment of the Hall of Residence in 1996 which houses approximately ninety students annually. Anderson was instrumental in my own development, as a student of hers, and as being in the first cohort of the State University of New
York (SUNY) College at Brockport collaboration, an agreement on which she signed. As a student of Anderson, I remember that she was accommodating, caring and had a wealth of knowledge that she was always sharing with her students. I am a product of Anderson’s legacy to the College—her nurturing, her administration, her encouragement, her reasonings. Anderson’s journey to the College was dramatic. The End Game, as it was later named by her, was the reason for Anderson to start her life at the CTC in 1979 as a student, having already been an Education Officer with the Ministry of Education and educator for seventeen (17) years. After a lifethreatening emergency, Anderson’s canvas was blank, literally. And what became important in those last instances was that she had not begun the painting for which her husband had prepared the canvas. Like Anderson, all of us who have embraced the vision of the College know how many times and how many ways our art has brought meaning to our lives and can do the same for others. I wish to share with you too, parts of Anderson’s 1983 valedictory speech (page 3), which highlights the fact that even with developments, the rigour, the passion, the survival, the selffulfillment of being a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, remains. Please remember you can reach me anytime by dropping a line to principal@emc.edu.jm. Sincerely Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson, Ph.D. Principal, EMCVPA
EMCVPA INTRODUCES
SVA Animation Lecturer, Richard Griffiths (L) poses with Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell
T
he Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) is moving to certify its first cohort in the field of animation, with the programme scheduled to commence in March 2014. Animation is the technique of using successive drawing to create an illusion of movement, life and emotion to inform and/or evoke a response. Mr. Richard Griffiths, an alumnus of one of the leading Arts
2D ANIMATION FOR 2014
institution in the United States, Full Sail University, and lecturer in the School of Visual Arts, has this enviable task of educating the next generation of Jamaican animators. The certificate in animation, a six (6) month course will employ the use of Toon Boom Harmony software produced by the worldwide leader in digital content and animation creation software. Griffiths believes that Jamaica has come a far way from when animation was first introduced. He posits that companies such as JSW and Alcyone Animation are in demand of professional expertise in the field and are looking to employ up to 100-150 persons to work double shift, a task some EMCVPA graduates have already taken up.
successful and implores writers, actors, voice actors, sound engineers and all persons involve in the process of creating animation to take the course to have an understanding of how animation works and to understand ones role in the production process. He describes the EMCVPA as that place to be, to learn, to experience and build a network, as all the talent needed for animation – singing, acting, voicing, and conceptualizing can be found in this artistic nucleus. He remains enthusiastic that this first cohort will be the beginning of a new future for animation in Jamaica and an opportunity to showcase our rich culture in an art form that is trending upwards globally.
He emphasised the importance of teamwork for animation to be
EMCVPA Collaborates with JIPO for Pilot Copyright Project
T
he Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) has collaborated with the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) in the pilot testing of a Voluntary Copyright Registration System. The collaboration, which will run from January to June 1, 2014, will allow students and staff of EMCVPA to register their copyright works at no charge for the purpose of testing and general awareness. The service will provide applicants with a secure electronic vault storage of their copyright works as well as receive Certificates of Deposit from JIPO and use this
as evidence of an assertion of ownership of that work. During this pilot period, JIPO will assess public response and internal difficulties with the system. The main purpose of this service is to facilitate the provision of independent proof of copyright ownership. Although the Jamaican public is advised that they may “self-register” works (Poor Man’s copyright), comments indicated an interest in a national mechanism to provide authoritative proof of ownership. A certificate of registration from JIPO will serve as prima facie link between the author and the work. It will form part of
the evidence submitted to a Court supporting an author’s claim of authorship. “[This] collaboration will be very instrumental in helping the public to recognize the rights of persons who have created original works that are copyrighted,” commented Erica Davis, EMCVPA College Librarian. “These works may be literary, dramatic, musical or artistic; and must be original... [EMCVPA] was therefore a very good place to start the pilot phase of voluntarily having students, lecturers and staff register their copyrighted works.”
Our Stories Kay Anderson
ARtist, Poet & Author
A
Kay Anderson (r) and her sister Sonia at the launch of Ancestral Whisperings, at the EMCVPA on November 26, 2011
rtist, poet and author, Kay Anderson is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (B.A History & Post Graduate Diploma in English), the Jamaica School of Art (Diploma in Art-Painting) and the Rhode Island School of Design (M.A in Art Education). An educator with over 40 years of teaching at all levels in the Education system she was Dean and Registrar of the Cultural Training Centre, Charter Principal of the Hydel University College and retired as the Vice Principal of the Mico University College. Anderson’s publications include ‘Beyond Survival, John Dunkley 1891-1947’, ‘Ancestral Whisperings’, ‘Handmade Paper–An Art in Itself’, ‘Creative Common Entrance’ (co-authored with Prof. Neville Ying) ‘Ralph Campbell, the Persistent Pioneer (in Arts Jamaica, Vol. 2, Nos. 2/3) and ‘Interview with Gerald Alexis, curator of the Haitian Museum of Art’ (in Arts Jamaica. Vol. 3, Nos. 3/4). Anderson was the Director of The Mutual Life Gallery between 1997-1999 and Curator of the Independence Exhibition, Gallery Antigua, Miami, Florida, USA, Women Artists from Jamaica, Lafayette College, PA. USA, Nakumbuka 2003, Inafca Museum, Mico College and several exhibitions in her own Gallery, Gallery K.
“ ...
”
Excerpt from Kay Anderson’s 1983 Valedictory Speech “You see here on this platform the survivors. Many who started with us did not make it. Our achievement here was made possible by the financial and emotional support which our family and friends gave us. We are pleased to be able to use this form to thank them… For most of us the emotional support was most needed in the basic survival course euphemistically known as Foundation. No one who has been a student of Sweetie Wheeler will ever forget her. She is undoubtedly the finest teacher on this staff, she has however the characteristic of a drill sergeant. Sweetie drilled not only the basic of our discipline into you, but basic discipline as well. Adult men and women ran to get to school by nine... All knew the penalty for painting flat. An “A” would be transformed immediately into a “C”. In basic survival, we came face to face not only with Sweetie but with ourselves. Those whose goals were not clear, of whose intrinsic motivation was not strong, did not make it to year two or faltered shortly after. We breathed a sigh of relief in our second year… We all thought we
had pulled it off until we met Hedy Buzan, who not only encouraged most of us to explore and explode colours, but encouraged us to work ourselves to death as well. It is a well kept secret among the graduates of 83 that we worked harder and longer during the time that we worked with Hedy than during any period before or since. When she gave a fifteen hour assignment we worked not five (5) or ten (10), but fifteen (15) hours because she seemed to be able to judge just how many corners you had cut… It was also in our second year that we had our first confrontation with the administration. Being resourceful and utterly selfconfident, not to mention oblivious of school policy, we made arrangements with a gallery to have an exhibition. Hope Brooks nearly froze us into submission, but in the end she relented and allowed us to have our show. From this our first battle with administration we learned much… We have learned from each other that people can discuss their points of view reasonably and come to reasonable compromises. We have come to value the virtues of integrity and to recognize it where it exists. We have come to understand that justice is a
principle well worth practicing rather than being swayed by the vagaries of opportunism. We know that these things which we have learned, have also been absorbed by the present administration…and we would like to pay tribute to Mrs. Linnette Wilks whose administration has been characterized by fair play and honesty. In this 21 years of the School’s existence in an independent Jamaica, we the graduates of 1983 charge all those responsible for the dissemination of information and the moulding of minds in this School to learn and practice the virtues of integrity, fairplay and justice, and to discard rampant opportunism, favouritism, egotism and injustice. For ourselves, we recognize the need to practice these same virtues in our lives, to strive to hone the talents which God has given us, and most of all, we recognize that there is no ceiling, no heights to which we cannot aspire and reach, and we recognize that all we need to do to reach our goals is to work, for as it was said in the Cleaning House (November 1937), you work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.”
the Vine
When did underwear become outerwear? Contributed by: Laura Lee Jones, Lecturer SVA Textile Department
exposed as if it were the new trend in fashion, I find myself asking this question: “When did underwear become outerwear?” Maybe it is and I missed the memo or maybe I just got much older… who knows. In reflecting on the trend, I recalled the designer Vivienne Westwood, recognized as “the queen of English fashion”, who set the stage for Punk style in the 1970s - 80s. Punk had elements of neon-coloured spiked hair, torn tees with sexual slogans, black leather, lacy leggings and might have also included the casual show of the bra strap. I also recall pop star, Madonna, who in the 1980s - 90s stretched the imagination donning the “bad girl” persona, frequently styled at that time by Jean Paul Gaultier, in racy bodices. At this point I figured well the trend is not all new, but it had its time and place. Even then, there were de facto fashion rules such as when wearing white undies should be black and no bright colours. A micro mini was always worn with stockings and I could never just casually tell what brand underwear a man was wearing.
A
s I see more and more individuals - male and female alike - saunter in the studios of the SVA with various under garments
Fast forward to 2013-14 and now I can tell the brand undergarment both females and males are wearing so I resolved to look at suggestions from one fashion writer, Emanuella Grinberg, on
achieving the most from this fashion trend. I’ve shared it with my students hoping that they females especially - will take note and hopefully you can also learn a thing or two. The Fine Line between Lingerie and Outerwear • Wear silk camisoles, bralets, bra tops, and bustiers under a jacket to keep them daytime-friendly. • For a casual look, wear a crisscross strappy bra under a tank top with jeans. • If you like bright colors you can wear a neon colored bra under a semi-sheer blouse (not too sheer). • For nighttime a black sheer blouse over a pretty bra top can be seductively elegant. • Dresses and gowns that have a bustier or corset-style top create an elegant look for an evening event and add some glamour to the look. • Bodysuits are easy to wear under a pencil skirt or pants for a modern look, it’s a versatile piece that you can dress up or down. • Lace and tulle tops add a boudoir touch and feel to any outfit and are very feminine. • Corsets are timeless and a beautiful option to create definition. Invest in a made to measure corset to best fit your body type. Grinberg, E. (2013, September ). The fine line between lingerie and outerwear. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/09/ living/nyfw-lingerie-outerwear/
RICARDO McFARLANE IS EMCVPA’s 13TH ROY HALL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Ricardo McFarlane was recently announced as the 2014 recipient of the annual Roy Hall Scholarship. The Scholarship is named in honour of veteran stage actor and TV presenter Mr. Roy Hall. McFarlane, now the 13th recipient of the prestigious award presented to students at the Edna Manley College since 2001, is a final year Drama in Education student and stage performer. The scholarship, valued at JA$262,000 was presented to the elated McFarlane at a presentation
ceremony held at the college recently. He is a member of the award winning performing arts group “Rafiki”, was Vice-President of the Young Professional Group of the Jamaica Teachers Association and is currently the EMCVPA Student’s Union Vice-President. Annually, the Roy Hall Scholarship is awarded to the School of Drama student - pursuing an Associate or Bachelors Degree - who displays excellence in the discipline of Drama with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or B average.
College Events 27 Days of Celebration for the Life of Nelson Mandela (begins) Tuesday, February 11
Colour Museum Thursday, February 20
Women’s Day Thursday, March 6
Sports Day Friday, February 21
Celebrating Research in the Arts Friday, March 7
Student Career Workshop & Historical Exhibition Founders Week Thursday, February 13 March 3-9
Thanksgiving Service Sunday, March 9
Artist ( e )
Q&A with
Simone
Harris In this the first of our monthly Artist(e) Q&A feature we sat down with one of EMCVPA’s gems. Dancer, lecturer and arts manager, Simone Harris gave us an insightful peak into her career, her achievements and her hopes for the future. An insightful and inspiring read but don’t take our word for it. Check it out yourself.
Top: Simone poses with international reggea singer, Jimmy Cliff Bottom: Simone Harris poses along side Diana King and members of their team in Russia
Unfortunately I wouldn’t call it a What has your experience at EMCVPA as a lecturer been like? “jetsetter life” because when you It’s been an interesting and exciting experience. I came back to Jamaica almost a year and a half ago and I came back on a mission to contribute to the development of the creative industries in Jamaica. Education is how I think we can change the state of the industry so interacting with the students, seeing how hungry they are to learn and how focused they are on working towards change as well has been, to say the least, inspiring.
Outside of Edna, what sort of projects are you involved in? Where do I start? Let me just say that teaching keeps me extremely busy but I’m so passionate about the management side of the arts that I have to still make the time to work with my clients. I’ve been Diana King’s tour manager for the past 7 years, I manage a US based independent record label and I do music royalty research where I find uncollected money for artists. I also manage an alternative music artist – Kat C.H.R and 2 of the most talented choreographers in Jamaica – Neila Ebanks and Oniel Pryce.
Your work sometimes calls for you to travel overseas; can you give us a feel of how that is, living the jetsetter life if you want to call it that? I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world (and there are still some places left to see).
are responsible for the business of the artist – their musicians, the overall show, dealing with the promoters, there is absolutely no time to “enjoy the scenery” because you have to be and stay “present” and focused – this is something that all great managers understand.
Arts Management is a new field of study in Jamaica, how do you think it will impact the arts in Jamaica? I’m hopeful that once more arts management graduates with the skills, training and creativity filter into the industry it will change the way Jamaicans see and do the business of the arts.
What trends in the arts and/ or arts management have you observed globally that you would like to see replicated in Jamaica?
Technology has been changing so many things in the industry over the past few years. I would love to see greater partnership between technology start-ups and artists here. That’s the future.
As an Arts Manager, what advice would you have for an artiste like Tessanne Chin?
leverage that brand and make the right connections so that she can have a long and successful career that may even take her outside of music.
Which artistes in the industry you would definitely like to work with in the future? I work off of vibes so it’s easier for me to tell you a company that I would like to work with – Live Nation or AEG Live!
You are also a dancer, which company do you dance with?
I like to say I’m a dancer coming out of retirement (laughs). I started dancing at St. Jago High school but was formerly trained by L’Antoinette Stines while with L’Acadco but since coming back to Jamaica I have been dancing with the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica.
Is dance a viable career in Jamaica?
The truth is opportunities here are very limited for dance and so to achieve certain things that are considered to be “successful” as a dancer you have to go overseas. This is something that I would love to see change.
What do you love most about
I think Tess is a perfectionist and working at EMCVPA? wants to give the very best to her art. She has laid a solid foundation Having a front row seat to all the for her brand by winning The Voice. art! I’d encourage her to find a team of people who understand how to
EMCVPA Student Leaders 2013-2014
Here are the faces of the 11 dedicated student leaders who form the EMCVPA Student Council for the 2013-2014 academic year.
Back Row: Kemoy Allen, President, Ricardo McFarlane, Vice President, Howard Chin, School of Visual Arts Representative, Ackeem Poyser, School of Drama Representative, Owayne McCaulsky, Public Relations Officer, Shamar Bruce, School of Dance Representative Front Row: Tahalia Wisdom, Treasurer, Shanelle Lampart, School of Arts Management and Humanities Representative, Trevelle Clarke, Secretary, Roghinda Emmanuel, International Student Representative, Ornisea Williams, School of Music Representative
Admissions Campaign 2014 Opens Admissions Campaign 2014 kicked off with a full ½ hour on TVJ’s Smile Jamaica on January 15, 2014. The programme featured interviews, demonstrations and performances from alumni, current students and faculty. The electronic media campaign continued into Friday
(January 26) with an EMCVPA takeover of Fame 95 FMs The Inside between 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. that featured interviews and performances from EMCVPA.
The campaign will continue in full speed until the end of admissions
period on March 31, 2014. We invite all aspiring artists(es) and parents of aspiring artists(es) to submit their applications as early as possible and choose life... choose the art... choose EMCVPA.
2013 - 2014 Calendar of Events September
December
Thursday, September 19, 2013 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Writing Seminar [Week 1]
Sunday, December 1, 2013 Carol Service
April
Thursday, September 26, 2013 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Writing Seminar [Week 2]
January
Tuesday, April 1 – Sunday, April 6, 2014 DanceWorks 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Janubond
Thursday, April 3, 2014 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Conundrum Quiz Competition
February
Friday, April 4 – Sunday, April 13, 2014 School of Drama: Drama Production IV [Children’s Theatre Workshop]
Friday, September 27, 2013 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Drug Awareness Day
October Tuesday, October 1, 2013 SVA Student Exhibition Wednesday, October 16 – Friday, October 18, 2013 Rex Nettleford Arts Conference Thursday, October 17, 2013 Environment Day Friday, October 18 – Sunday, October 27, 2013 [Weekends Only] School of Drama: Drama Production DOUBLE FEATURE: Crave (written by Sarah Kane) & God’s Door (written by Russell Watson) Tuesday, October 29, 2013 Student Services: Financial Aid Information Fair
November Sunday, November 3, 2013 School of Music: Faculty Recital Wednesday, November 6, 2013 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Education Lecture Friday, November 8 – Sunday, November 17, 2013 [Weekends Only] School of Drama: Drama Production Desdemona: A Play About A Handkerchief (written by Paula Vogel) Saturday, November 16, 2013 Graduation Ceremony 2013
Thursday, February 6, 2014 Student’s Career Workshop
Thursday, March 20, 2014 EMCVPA Open Day
Tuesday, April 8, 2014 EMCVPA Choir in Concert
Thursday, February 13, 2014 School of Arts Management and Humanities: Historical Exhibition
Thursday, April 10, 2014 School of Music: Wind Ensemble Concert
Thursday, February 20, 2014 School of Dance: Colour Museum Student’s Career Fair
Saturday, April 12, 2014 School of Music: Honours Recital School of Arts Management and Humanities: Fusion
Friday, February 21, 2014 Sports Day February 11- March 9, 2014 EMCVPA Celebrates Nelson Mandela
Friday, April 25, 2014 EMCVPA Wellness Fair
May
March
Thursday, May 1, 2014 Spanish Day
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 School of Visual Arts: Faculty Exhibition (Opening Ceremony)
Saturday, May 3, 2014 Water The Roots (Concert)
Thursday, March 6, 2014 Textiles & Fibre Arts Department: Alternative Fashion Show
Sunday, May 11 – Wednesday, May 21, 2014 School of Music: Third and Final Years Concert Series
Friday, March 7, 2014 Celebrating Research in the Arts Sunday, March 9, 2014 Thanksgiving Service Friday, March 14 – Sunday, March 23, 2014 [Weekends Only] School of Drama: Drama Production III
Weekly Events
June Saturday, June 7, 2014 School of Visual Arts: Final Year Exhibition (Opening Ceremony) Wednesday, June 11, 2014 EMCVPA Corporate Evening
School of Music: Lunch Hour Concert Series Thursday’s @ 12:00 noon – 1:15 PM
SVA Film Series Friday’s @ 6:00 PM
The COLLEGIATE is a monthly newsletter published by the Marketing and PR Department of EMCVPA Find EMCVPA on