Born in Guyana in January 1923, Patricia Gomes has purposefully dedicated more than half of her life to theatre and along the way has been quite accomplished in other areas. She has, as they say, “done it all” – from stage plays to storytelling to dancing her life away, much to the enjoyment of the audiences she thrilled. In 2010, Ms. Gomes was named by “Special Person” by Kaieteur News, and in an interview…
The Arts
By Vibert C. Cambridge, Ph.D. December 7, 2003 Mrs Dorothy Taitt (nee Pendelton – 1896 to 1956) is remembered as a strong, competitive woman who exerted considerable influence on music in Georgetown during her lifetime. She was a critically acclaimed contralto who was in demand for concerts. She taught singing at Bishop’s High School, served as mentor to many singers such as Rupert Hunte, who became a tenor of note in the United Kingdom. She…
Melinda Shankar (born February 18, 1992) is a talented young actress who is best known for her role in the Canadian teen drama television series: Degrassi – The Next Generation. She was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada to Guyanese parents and has 3 siblings. Melinda started her acting career at age 10 appearing in TV commercials, print ads and some theatre work. She made her starring mark in 2008 in the 8th season of Degrassi as…
Meet Sonia Godding-Togobo, Guyanese-born documentarian, director and filmmaker currently based in the UK. First migrating to Canada at age two, Sonia graduated from Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School in Ontario. Sonia has worked in broadcast television for the last decade with broadcast credits in Canada and England. She has also produced short films in both Haiti and Ghana. In 2001, after graduating from Humber’s Film and Television program, Sonia went on to work in numerous post production houses before…
Lisa Punch is a talented singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was born on September 4, 1992 in Guyana; the daughter of John Errol Punch and Nafieza Aiana Daniels and is the eldest of five siblings. Lisa spent the first few years of her life in Berbice before relocating to Georgetown. By age 11, she was performing across the country and appearing on local TV shows such as Talent Exclusive. At her alma mater, North Georgetown Secondary…
03 Jan: Irene Bacchus-Holder: Pyrographic Artist – Making the World Beautiful with Wood Arts & Craft
Irene Bacchus-Holder is a Guyana-based pyrographic artist (the art of burning design onto wood or leather). For more than a decade, she has been perfecting this art form in creating functional pieces for the home using Guyana’s natural woods. Irene got started in this craft with the encouragement of my brother who sent her a wood burning pen with interchangeable tips. She began by offering gifts made of wood from Guyana’s rainforest to several friends. Irene stated that she always wanted to do…
Bernadette Indira Persaud is one of Guyana’s best-known artists, writers and educators. She was born in Berbice in 1946 and is a graduate of the University of Guyana and of the Burrows School of Art in Georgetown. Her painting career began in the early 1980s, when she felt a need to express her ideas through her creativity. In 1985, she became the first woman to win the Guyana National Visual Arts Competition, and she continues to produce…
Born Shamain Greaves June 3, 1992 in Georgetown, Guyana it was music from the start. The daughter of the lead singer of Frontline, a popular band based in Guyana, she drew her musical influences from reggae, R&B, soul and those unforgettable golden oldies. At age 3 she moved to the United States and by age 5 began attending Thomas G. Pullen an arts magnet school located in Landover, Maryland. There Shamain studied the violin under the late Leslie Thomas…
04 Dec: She Rocks! Meet Khadijatou Doyneh, aka K2, International Singer/ Songwriter/Spoken Word Poet
Khadijatou Doyneh, aka K2, is a Guyanese raised and London based singer-songwriter, author, spoken word poet, musician, and dancer. Her extensive travel across Europe, USA, Canada and Africa at an early age gave birth to Khadijatou’s ‘lifetime travel-bug’ and wish to contribute to creative culture. She started her performing arts career in dance theatre after graduating with a BA (Hons) Dance and Spanish. She discovered her aptitude for writing, blending words and rhythms, and became a recognized artist on the …
Soulful. Divine. Spellbinding. Simone Denny is…a legend in the making. Born and raised in Toronto, this powerhouse diva is of Guyanese heritage. Simone’s Caribbean Canadian environment exposed her to a wide and eclectic mixed bag of musical influences. She grew up listening to calypso, reggae, Brazilian music, and of course, R&B. Simone knew in her heart that music would always be a major part of her life. Singing at a talent show in the 6th grade…