Artist, performer, teacher, and community-builder Vivien Elizabeth Armour talks to Shelly-Ann Inniss about her journey in the arts, and what she hopes to achieve with her new creative studio in Cascade, Trinidad
When did you realise you wanted to be a professional artist?
Both visual and performing arts have played a huge role in my life. I’ve always had an appreciation for painters and was drawn to the bold styles of Frida Khalo, Basquiat, and Van Gogh from an early age. I was also very fortunate to grow up surrounded by the incredible works of Peter Doig, Boscoe Holder, and Sundiata, to name a few, and was encouraged to follow my heart.
I originally focused on theatre and singing as my primary mediums — earning a theatre degree from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and pursuing a film career in my 20s in Canada — before pursuing painting, sculpture, and installation. Through my degree at Emily Carr University of Art & Design, I fell in love with the process of making. And the more exposure I got to the modern art world, the deeper in love I fell with painting and sculpture as a way to explore and communicate with the world.
What art museums do you love most?
The Whitney in New York, as well as the Tate Modern in London. I could spend hours in those spaces. I love getting lost in the Monets and getting energised by the installations. I also spent a lot of time at the Contemporary Art Gallery and Vancouver Art Gallery when I was living in Canada. Kim Dorland is a huge inspiration to me with his vibrant and dynamic work. And I never miss a James Turrell exhibition if I’m lucky to be in a city where he’s showing. I love work that is experiential. I’m also a huge fan of impressionist paintings, so the Musée d’Orsay in Paris is one of my favourites.
Recently, I visited the National Gallery in Kingston, Jamaica, which is incredibly rich in its collections … Leasho Johnson, Richard Natoo, the textile and sculptural works of Katrina Coombs floor me every time. But what most inspires me is travel, and visiting new places with all their textures, smells, colours and narratives. Top of my bucket list are Portugal and Japan.
How would you describe your art practice?
I’m fascinated with ritual and ceremony and how that plays out in different cultures — the way land and body find symmetry and dissonance, the ways in which we seek understanding. A lot of my painting and installation work has been situated in this in-between, focusing on ideas of belonging, not belonging, and embodied catharsis — juxtaposing a sort of alien hyper-saturation with natural materials and processes.
I often incorporate elements of Caribbean folklore and mythology into my paintings, while also bringing in elements of my international upbringing. I was drawn to ceramics because of the tactile experience of working with clay, and I create a variety of pieces including functional ware and sculptural objects. I draw a lot of inspiration for my ceramic work from the colours and textures of nature, and I enjoy working with different glazes and firing techniques to achieve unique and visually interesting effects.
As my work evolves, I’m more and more fascinated with entropy and impermanence, which I’d like to explore through workshops. My minor is in Social Practice & Community Engagement, and I’m drawn to working with trauma healing through art, which I believe is deeply needed in our postcolonial context.
What led you to found Vivien Elizabeth Creative Studios?
My practice largely focussed on teaching over the last few years. I founded Vivien Elizabeth Creative Studios with the aim of creating a welcoming and inclusive space for artists of all levels. I offer a variety of resources from painting, pottery and glazing equipment and materials, to basic woodworking resources. There’s open studio time, workshops, team building activities, and networking opportunities too. Witnessing my students discover their own creative potential and create something unique is incredibly rewarding. Teaching art is just as fundamental to the industry as creating your own work.
What’s next in the pipeline for you?
I plan to expand to provide a co-working space, because artists should have the opportunity to have a dedicated space to work and create. A sense of community is essential, so expect regular events such as artist talks, exhibitions, and social gatherings bringing people together. I hope to connect with more organisations and institutions to foster relationships with artists across the region as well, to promote artist residencies and exchange.
With renewed energy and inspiration from being back in the Caribbean, I’m eager to explore new forms of expression and delve deeper into my own artistic practice. I’m currently working on a new body of work that’ll explore hybridising my painting worlds with my sculptural work.