分类： entertainment

After nearly five decades of dedicated artistic practice, Barbadian-born Trinidad-based painter Winston Stewart, professionally known as Sundiata, unveils his comprehensive exhibition \”Visions\” at Arnim’s Art Galleria in Port of Spain. The 75-year-old artist presents approximately 40 oil and mixed-media works that represent the culmination of his lifelong engagement with visual expression.\n\nSundiata’s artistic philosophy centers on raw authenticity, allowing each piece to communicate directly with viewers without intermediary interpretation. \”They’re just an insight into my interests, of how I perceive things and see things,\” the artist explained regarding his exhibition. His creative inspiration derives from continuous engagement with his environment—visual, mental, and social—translated through the distinctive language of art.\n\nThe artist’s background reflects a remarkable synthesis of disciplines. Holding formal qualifications in art, science, and economics, Sundiata received training at the University of Reading in the UK, studied constructivist art in Moscow, and pursued artistic development across multiple countries. This multidisciplinary approach informs his perspective that creative individuals inherently possess capabilities far exceeding societal expectations.\n\nSundiata’s professional journey began with a definitive commitment at age 23 when he abandoned conventional career paths despite societal pressures that dismissed artists as \”crazy or gay.\” His early determination manifested through self-organized exhibitions when traditional galleries rejected his work, eventually leading to international recognition through collector interest and institutional validation.\n\nThe exhibition showcases Sundiata’s stylistic evolution from realism to more expressive forms, featuring architectural elements, figures, still life, and abstract compositions that incorporate aspects of Trinidadian culture. Works including \”Boogsie is Sharp,\” \”Frontline,\” \”St James Hosay,\” \”Femmes aux Mangoes,\” and \”Morning Greetings\” demonstrate his refusal of rigid categorization.\n\nNow celebrating 45 years of marriage and fatherhood, Sundiata maintains his daily artistic practice while rejecting commercial considerations or trends. He creates from genuine motivation rather than market expectations, valuing artistic honesty above external validation. Despite his extensive experience, he remains committed to continuous learning and exploration within his craft.\n\n\”Visions\” runs from December 15 through January 9 at Arnim’s Art Gallery in Port of Spain, offering viewers an intimate glimpse into the mind of an artist who has devoted his life to authentic creative expression.

In the small village of Sangre Chiquito near Sangre Grande, Trinidad and Tobago, a preschooler has become an unexpected viral sensation through his authentic embrace of traditional parang music. Four-year-old Beltino Chandlin Ramdeen, whose spontaneous maracas performance captivated the nation, demonstrates a natural musicality that runs deep in his family’s heritage.

The heartwarming story began when Beltino’s grandmother, Allyson Bengochea-Gyton—an established parang vocalist—shared video footage of her grandson confidently shaking maracas (known locally as chac-chac) while dancing with uninhibited joy. The clip rapidly accumulated thousands of views, resonating with viewers across the country who were charmed by the child’s genuine enthusiasm.

Parang, derived from the Spanish word ‘parranda’ meaning a festive celebration, represents an integral part of Trinidad and Tobago’s Christmas traditions. Typically, parranderos move between households, spreading seasonal cheer through vibrant music, dance, and communal sharing of food and drink while celebrating the birth of Christ.

For Beltino, however, parang transcends seasonal celebration—it constitutes his daily reality. ‘We don’t wait for Christmas to play music,’ Bengochea-Gyton explained. ‘Some of our videos with him were completely spontaneous—just sitting in the afternoon doing nothing, and he will put on music and start shaking his maracas.’

The young boy’s musical inclination appears deeply genetic. His grandmother leads her own parang and Latin ensemble, Ritmos Calientes, while his late grandfather, Hanuman Ramdeen, played both maracas and cuatro. The musical legacy continues with his step-grandfather Leo Gyton, a lead vocalist and skilled cuatro player, plus multiple extended family members who actively participate in Trinidad’s music scene.

Beltino’s relationship with his grandmother is particularly harmonized through music. ‘He calls me his Nani,’ she shared, ‘so he will always say, “Nani, sing for me and I will play.”‘ His learning capacity astonishes the family—he recently absorbed Spanish lyrics simply through listening, without formal instruction. His current favorite is a Latin piece by Peruvian band Corazón Serrano.

This Christmas, the four-year-old has requested a cuatro from Santa Claus, supplementing the maracas he already guards possessively. His family remains committed to nurturing his talent, with plans for music school should his interest persist. Meanwhile, Beltino himself dreams of becoming a doctor—potentially while leading the family band.

Renowned pastry chef Naomi Anderson of Trinidad and Tobago’s Unicakery has unveiled a remarkably adaptable citrus loaf formula that empowers home bakers to create professional-quality results with pantry-staple ingredients. This meticulously crafted recipe serves as a dual-purpose blueprint, effortlessly transforming between vibrant lemon and sweet orange variations through simple ingredient substitutions.

The foundation combines standard all-purpose flour (2 cups) with leavening agents (2 tsp baking powder) and a pinch of salt, creating a structurally sound yet tender crumb. The moisture-rich batter incorporates plain yogurt (1 cup) for tanginess and tenderness, while melted unsalted butter (5 tbsp) and neutral oil (¼ cup) ensure a luxuriously moist texture. Fresh citrus zest (2 tbsp) provides the dominant flavor profile, complemented by freshly squeezed juice (¼ cup) and enhanced with vanilla and citrus extracts.

Anderson emphasizes technical precision: proper oven preheating to 350°F (180°C), careful batter mixing to prevent overworking, and strategic foil covering during baking to prevent excessive browning. The optional glaze—a simple combination of icing sugar (1 cup) and citrus juice (2-3 tbsp)—adds professional finishing when applied after complete cooling.

The Port of Spain-based pastry expert, drawing from twelve years of professional experience, designed this formula specifically for home kitchen execution. Her baking studio has become an educational hub where such recipes demonstrate how scientific precision and creative flexibility can coexist in pastry arts. Anderson encourages variations including poppy seeds, blueberries, or shredded coconut for personalized adaptations.

This citrus loaf represents more than mere recipe sharing—it embodies Unicakery’s philosophy of making sophisticated baking techniques accessible to community enthusiasts while maintaining professional standards of flavor and texture.

Richard ‘Macoy’ Valentine, the celebrated winner of Synergy Soca Star 2009 previously known by his stage name Chynee, has announced the forthcoming release of his inaugural studio album scheduled for next year. This significant career milestone follows his recent launch of the 2026 soca single ‘Birds of a Feather’ on December 1st, a vibrant anthem promoting the celebration of life and unwavering friendship.

Macoy’s artistic journey demonstrates strategic development through diverse collaborations and commercial adaptations. His soca parang single ‘Lopinot’ gained remarkable traction, ultimately capturing the attention of Bhagwansingh’s Hardware which transformed the composition into a commercial jingle. This corporate partnership significantly expanded his audience reach, motivating the artist to pursue similar brand collaborations for promotional opportunities.

The Trinidadian performer emphasizes that strategic partnerships have been instrumental throughout his career evolution. He acknowledges substantial support from a local comedian who provided performance platforms within comedy events, enabling Macoy to showcase his talent to audiences across Port of Spain, San Fernando, Chaguanas and Chaguaramas throughout this year.

His collaborative network extends to seven years of work with Chainlinxx Productions, alongside creative partnerships with graphic artist Timothy Bootan, Unique Productions, and multimedia company Akua Ltd. Macoy has consciously utilized constructive criticism to refine his artistry, focusing particularly on vocal technique enhancement as advised by his professional circle.

Further expanding his creative scope, the artist has partnered with Black Hat Designs to promote a children’s book centered on ‘paying it forward’ principles. While currently focused on Carnival preparations, Macoy aspires to achieve the versatility of dancehall/reggae icon Busy Signal. His debut album will feature 10-15 tracks spanning soca, afrobeats, reggae and dancehall genres, including several collaborative performances.