By: Staff Writer
December 15, 2023
A Jamaican fibre artist has wise words for aspiring artists, asking for them to always be mindful of the critics because they can help you to become better, but at the end of it still “follow your truth,” and “follow your heart,” as she gears up for her Exhibition this coming December 17.
Katrina Coombs, told Caribbean Magazine Plus that aspiring artists know what their craft is all about despite what the critics say. “Accept and acknowledge what they say because there may be truth in what they have to offer to you. But never let that determine where you go as an artist, how you create as an artist, just ultimately be true to yourself, express yourself, let your voice be heard.”
Katrina will follow her truth this December 17 as she discusses her latest works and also with a “teaser” conversation this December 15. “I’ll just speak on an overarching concept of the exhibition and one work specifically, but at the artisan conversation on the December 17, I will be going in depth in the wider context, explorations, the materials, etc. So that conversation, I am looking forward to having with the audience at this moment,” she said.
That conversation, Katrina, is well equipped to have with herself being an artist for all of her life, but took it to a professional level in 2004 when she began selling her works. While selling her works “fluctuates,” at times, once she keeps her mind focused on expressing experiences and situations through her art-work she is satisfied and is “cathartic.”
Artistic expression is a cornerstone of Caribbean life and one in which is not missed by Katrina, making the conversation on December 17 a must see for all artisans region wide. Katrina, looking forward to the conversation with her peers, noted that she is “looking forward to enlightening the audience on my process and the work itself.”
Fresh off of her December 3 Exhibition, “Just Breathe,” Katrina is not letting up as she continues to share her love for art and how she can further the cause for the orange economy.
Katrina was born in St Andrew, Jamaica. She holds a BFA with Honours in Textiles and Fibre Arts (2008) and a Certificate in Curatorial Studies (2009) from the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. In 2013, she obtained an MFA in Creative Practice from Transart Institute via The University of Plymouth. Coombs has a passion for fibre and an understanding of the sensitivity of threads and fabric, which she uses to bring forth unique designs and sculptural forms.
Her practice focuses on the impact of the Other on the “I”, and the role and existence of the woman. She weaves and stitches fibres and textiles as ways of engaging the ambivalent and stigmatizing ways society engages the female persona. Coombs’ work has been featured in numerous international exhibitions in Kingston, Manila, Berlin, New York, Bogota, Miami, Chicago, and Washington. She lives and works in St. Andrew, Jamaica.