Fri | Apr 19, 2024

Simone Williams goes live with art showcase

Published:Wednesday | June 15, 2022 | 12:07 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
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With a desire to leave her mark on the walls of Jamaica, Simone Williams received the opportunity of a lifetime to paint a mural of reggae pioneer, Gregory Isaacs, on Mark Lane, downtown Kingston. It was a dream come true for the local artist, who was hono
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With a desire to leave her mark on the walls of Jamaica, Simone Williams received the opportunity of a lifetime to paint a mural of reggae pioneer, Gregory Isaacs, on Mark Lane, downtown Kingston. It was a dream come true for the local artist, who was honoured to add to the legacy of Jamaican art and musical history.
Williams looks up at the mural she did for Fesco.
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Williams looks up at the mural she did for Fesco.
Jamaican-inspired artwork designed to add vibrancy to your living space.
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Jamaican-inspired artwork designed to add vibrancy to your living space.
Williams listed the BMW-inspired wall mural at Bowla Garage Limited as one of her favourite pieces to date.
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Williams listed the BMW-inspired wall mural at Bowla Garage Limited as one of her favourite pieces to date.
A look at the exciting football mural this talented artist painted for her nephew.
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A look at the exciting football mural this talented artist painted for her nephew.
Sneaker art, anyone? Williams remixes the way we see art in style.
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Sneaker art, anyone? Williams remixes the way we see art in style.
Visual artist Simone Williams posing proudly with her artwork painted live at the recently staged Di Lot event, which she took three hours to create.
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Visual artist Simone Williams posing proudly with her artwork painted live at the recently staged Di Lot event, which she took three hours to create.
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Art is the creative expression of one’s self, and viewers got the unique opportunity to see visual artist Simone Raquel Williams live and in painting action at a recently staged Di Lot event.

“Di Lot live painting event was nerve-racking, to say the least but a great experience. It’s good for people to be exposed to the arts and actually see the process of physically doing it from start to finish. It helps them appreciate the work and the process more,” Williams told Lifestyle.

The former event coordinator has been showing others a different side to her creativity, illustrating breathtaking murals that can be privately seen in homes or on public display on the walls of establishments and in the streets.

“My focus is mainly murals, but I also do paintings on canvas,” she said, adding, “It means the world to me to be able to see my art on full display and get my name out there. It is something I’ve always wanted as an artist.”

The creative always had a keen eye for art but confessed that it wasn’t until her second year at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts when she ventured into painting, that she began to truly fall in love with her major.

After the global pandemic put a halt on the entertainment industry, this event coordinator returned to where it all started. That shift in career, in June 2020, was not only therapeutic for her but for others who shared that her work had a similar impact on them. The passion, evident in every vision, was a stroke of genius for Williams, and fans are truly enchanted by her talent, embracing her work with open minds and open hearts.

Listing artists Paige Taylor and Joshua Solas as art mentors who are there to offer advice and guidance, she admires their signature styles. “These two have helped me a great deal since I’ve officially started this journey. I truly admire their work as they both have a unique style to their artwork. Paige’s work is imagination mixed with realism, while Solas’ work is more of caricature mixed with realism. I love and respect the way both artists have used realism and mixed it with their own style to create a signature look,” she revealed.

Stating that her own artistic inspiration comes from her surroundings fused with the different types of art viewed online, William shared some of her favourite pieces to date: a football mural which she did for her nephew, a colourful botanical-inspired mural she painted for Jamaica Food and Drink Kitchen and a BMW mural for Bowla’s Garage Limited.

Being a full-time artist allows her to meet and interact with many other talents in the field. And seeing young people pursuing their dreams and doing what they love has been an inspiration and an absolute joy to witness. Another happy benefit to note is being recognised for her work; Williams still can’t get over when people recognise her as ‘the artist that did so and so’.

STUMBLING BLOCKS

But even with the advancement, there have been stumbling blocks along the way. The small business owner operates as a one-woman show, dealing with the business and administrative side outside of the art itself. However, she remains motivated, striving to do better by challenging herself every day with the hope of achieving a high level of artistic brilliance. And she is grateful for the support from family and friends, who have pushed her on this journey. Being your own critic can be a curse, but she is blessed to have a circle that keeps her grounded and encourages her to be a better artist.

So what’s next for this super talent? She hopes to continue her artistic pursuits and spread her wings by painting murals worldwide. “My next goal is to do a mural in the art district of Wynwood, Miami.”

She advises aspiring artists looking to make a name for themselves: put your work out there and let it speak for itself. “If you don’t like it, someone will. And move on to the next. Learn to forgive yourself when you mess up. Create good relationships with the art community and maintain good, open and honest communication with your clients. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And don’t be afraid to be different. You can’t go wrong in art; there are no rules.”

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com