Going for the Gold

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Michele Westmorland

The Gold for Melanesian Artists

It was thrilling to see Melanesian athletes participate in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. My heartfelt congratulations to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Caledonia for participating in the Olympics. I was so proud to see each and every country walk proudly with flags flying and attire designed in their individual custom patterns. A huge congrats to Fiji for winning the Gold in Rugby. So exciting! You all should take a look at the participants and which sport they competed in. Impressive!!!

Personally, I wish to give Gold to the eight artists who shared their creativity and inspiration in the magazine story. Each have been delivered their own hardcopy of the publication to hold in their hands. Thank you, Alicia Sahib and everyone who helped to distribute them. In addition, thank you for sharing photos so I can share with my supporters.

“I received the magazine and thank you so, so much ….appreciate what you’ve done and the passion that led you on that path to create the piece and connect the dots with the painting…I can understand and appreciate why you wanted me to do some work on the sea. You did manage to acknowledge and identify some very talented artists from our reagion … and give them a platform.
I also have been able to share … the story with some of Tony’s children and, his boy, Regulus, came over for the weekend … yes he was happy, he was surprised to see he was just looking through the magazine and happened to come across his Daddy’s portrait and his Daddy’s painting….just very, very beautiful moment. It really was a very significant and meaningful thing and the fact that Tony’s work was celebrated in that way.” — Jeffry Feeger

Tony Wesley-Evennett and Jeffry were the best of friends. I’m excited to see the latest work by Jeffry in celebration of the sea.
Gazellah Bruder
Waxie Noah Kawatalu