Latin Network expands its scope

Since its inception in 2003, The Latin Network for the Visual Arts has aimed to enrich the local community by exposing residents to the work of fine artists of Latin descent.

In addition to hosting exhibitions of diverse contemporary work by artists whose roots are based in countries where Romance Languages are spoken, education is a key component of the non-profit arts organization.

In tandem with "Latin Views," its biennial exhibition at the Alexey von Schlippe Gallery of Art in Groton, LNVA provides docent-led tours of the shows for local school children, as well as PowerPoint presentations and materials for teachers to prepare lesson plans around the exhibitions. In the fall of 2010, a record-breaking 1,100 students viewed the exhibit featuring art by 57 artists from 18 countries.

"We live in such a rich artistic area, but what we bring is something completely different," says Mimi Daumy, who founded LNVA with her husband, Gaston. "We also want to show young people the richness of their heritage if they happen to be Latin, and if they're not Latin, we're breaking stereotypes about Latin art, (for example), Mexican artists only paint desert scenes and cactus ... Caribbean artists only paint beaches. A lot of Latin artists show you internal landscapes - what they have inside and put on a canvas or a sculpture."

Next step: arts scholarship

Partnering with the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut - which manages more than 75 scholarships established by local individuals and businesses - LNVA recently awarded its first annual $1,000 scholarship to a graduating New London County high school senior of Latin descent, who is planning to study art at an accredited institution.

The scholarship was given to Claire Howard, a graduate of the Academy of the Holy Family in Baltic. Howard was adopted as an infant from Bolivia by a Waterford family and is currently a freshman at University of Hartford.

The scholarship is a natural extension of LNVA's educational mission, says Daumy.

"As we were going along educating people to see our exhibitions, we thought we could kick it up a notch for students who wanted to continue their education in the fine arts," she says. "We discussed it with our board and then went to the Community Foundation. They manage so many funds (in the region) that it seemed like the perfect venue."

The Daumys are hoping to award two $1,000 arts scholarships next year.

"Education has all along been a primary motivation for Mimi and Gaston's exhibits and now with this scholarship, it's a great direction for them," says Jennifer O'Brien, the Community Foundation's program director.

Of Howard, O'Brien says, "She's very interested in art and had participated in the summer program at Montserrat College of Art in Massachusetts and has done lots of volunteer work in the community. We were impressed with her maturity and letters of recommendation from her school and New London Main Street, where she worked as a volunteer."

Giving back

Howard, 18, says she's always been interested in photography and painting.

"I love colors and capturing a moment in time, and making it last forever," she says. "I honestly feel that working in the studio late at night is one of the most relaxing things I can do."

She says she never titles her art because she doesn't want to influence people's opinions or perceptions about it.

Although she has many interests and is studying various subjects at University of Hartford, Howard says, "I never forget where my true passions lie. Sometimes I take my camera out and go for a walk and see what I can find because it just truly makes me happy. As far as the future, I can see myself doing a lot of different things. I know I will definitely keep up on my picture taking, as well as painting. I hope to get my own studio and get my work out there for the public to see."

Even though her adoptive family isn't Bolivian, Howard says her "new" mother thought she should know about her heritage, and bought her Bolivian flags, blankets, dolls and books to remind her of the country of her birth. When Howard was very young, she went back to Bolivia with her family to adopt another child - her brother.

"I saw the beauty and gloriousness of the country but that it is also very poor," she says. "I saw a boy on the playground with red around his eyes. My mom explained to me that he was sick and that I shouldn't stare. It bothered me how a child could be so sick and yet nobody had helped him."

That image stayed with Howard, and it became one of her personal goals to go back to Bolivia to study and learn more about her culture.

"I was so young when I first traveled there. I want to see it now so I can remember. I want to give back to the country that gave me life," she says.

When she found out she was the recipient of the first LNVA scholarship, Howard says she was ecstatic.

"I was so happy that other people could appreciate me for who I am," she says. "I have always been unique, and one of the great opportunities about college is that you are recognized and appreciated for who you are and will find people who share your same interests - that's one of the things that made me so excited about going to University of Hartford. I knew that I would love it and have a great new beginning to the new chapter of my life."

For more information on LNVA exhibits and scholarships, visit www.lnva.us.