(L-R) Franco Moncur, Resident Artist; Lorenzo Knowles, Summer Student; David Barlyn, Owner – Pineapple Fields; Wayde Watson, Summer Student; Latario Sands, Summer Student.
Pineapple Fields embarked on a new summer internship program this year, hiring young student artists to work along with resident resort artist, Franco Moncur, on beach trash/treasure sculptures designed to recycle in a creative way, the island’s beach trash/treasure into trendy island decor for each unit’s balcony on the property.
Three students took part in this initial design project, with two young men from the Preston H. Albury High School and a third young man recently graduated from Agape Christian School in Abaco.
The students got their hands wet first by collecting beach trash/treasure materials, including buoys, ship’s ropes, drift wood, netting, washed up coral, conch and other shells from area beaches, then got firsthand experience in creating sculptures with spatial and colour balance.
In an interview with the three students, Latario Sands, Lorenzo Knowles and Wayde Watson, they shared that the experience was a rewarding one for them. Specifically commenting on how it had opened their eyes to new ways of using their artistic skills. They also described the ‘work’ as fun, and as something that they had never done before. One of the young men said the program had expanded his imagination, and taught him to look at the materials they had collected in a new way – not just as trash on the beach.
Latario and Lorenzo expressed hopes of going on to take the BGCSE Art examinations as they both enter the 12th grade in September – and both have dreams of becoming pilots one day. Wayde, who recently graduated from high school, says he has been accepted into programs at both the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institution (BTVI), and at the College of the Bahamas (COB), and hopes to study engineering.
David Barlyn, Owner of Pineapple Fields, shared that the vision of the program was to give gainful summer employment to several students, while exposing them, through art, to the opportunities available around them. He also encouraged other businesses to step up and create summer employment for young people on the island who could use the experience to propel themselves forward. “This is definitely something that we are going to be doing on a regular basis during the summer”, Barlyn added, saying projects will continue in producing creative signage, stonework, landscaping and more within the resort’s property.
