Following a 15-year absence from public exhibitions, Trinidadian artist Elizabeth “Liz” Gardner has emerged with a vibrant collection aimed at injecting joy into the world through her solo showcase “Soul, Joy & Love” at Horizons Art Gallery. The exhibition, running from December 9-19 in St. James, represents Gardner’s deliberate shift from private creation to public sharing despite her previous preference for maintaining a low profile.
The collection features 38 predominantly figurative works executed primarily in oil paint, accompanied by ink-drawn wooden houses and mixed media pieces combining colored pencils with oil on canvas. Gardner describes the exhibition as both a celebration of earthly beauty and a commentary on contemporary society’s inauthentic and disturbing elements. Through depictions of traditional bélé dancers observed across Caribbean islands, the artist explores how dance, music, and the sea serve as unifying forces within the region.
Gardner’s artistic philosophy centers on love as the fundamental force in human existence, particularly emphasizing divine love. She expresses hope that her creations will “speak to someone’s heart” and counteract what she perceives as a growing absence of genuine love in modern society.
The artist’s return to exhibition coincides with her decision to pause her teaching career, which included seven years at Point Cumana RC Primary School where she developed specialized art programs for underserved communities. Gardner has concurrently maintained a 12-year philanthropic initiative supporting children through essential provisions and educational projects, funded entirely by her art sales.
A graduate of Canada’s Fanshawe College with a degree in painting and graphic design, Gardner brings 30 years of professional experience across multiple creative disciplines including film, theater, printing, and fashion. She describes artists as perpetual creators who “feast” on their respective mediums—whether visual, literary, or musical—interpreting the world through their artistic lenses.
Looking forward, Gardner plans to expand her experimentation with mixed media techniques and water-based methods, continuing her artistic evolution while advocating for expanded arts education opportunities for Trinidad’s youth, whom she describes as possessing “blow-mind talent” capable of shining on international stages.