Horizons Art Gallery is pleased to announce its first exhibition for 2010, a joint show featuring Jackie Guzman and Cliff Birjou. The private viewing takes place Tuesday, January 26, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm, at the gallery located at 37 Mucurapo Road, St. James. The exhibition continues until February 6th. Gallery hours are  from 9:00am to 5:30pm Mondays to Fridays, and 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturdays.

Even as a child, Jacqueline C. Prudent Guzman appreciated every form of art; it could have been trees swaying in the breeze or just an old broken down chair.

At the age of 13, Jacqueline studied under Freda Artman, an established artist in Trinidad. Over the course of six years she learned the basics of drawing and painting and became familiar with styles of vivid colouration, influenced by some of Trinidad’s renowned artists.

In May 1998, Jacqueline received a degree in Physical Therapy from Lynn University, USA, but art remains her primary interest.

A combination of personal experiences, modern manner techniques, primitivism and simplified drawings with flattered effects and bold colours, Jacqueline’s work is visually stunning.

A large reproduction of one of Jacqueline’s paintings, depicting dancing ladies in vivid colours, is currently on display at Piarco International Airport. Her work can also be seen in the 2009 Edition of the Ins and Outs Magazine and in office buildings and residences in Trinidad and Tobago. Many of Jacqueline’s paintings are also in private collections in the USA, Canada, England and other parts of Europe.

A Trinbagonian born self-taught artist, Clifton A. Birjou has never pursued formal training in art, since it is his perception that, what is learnt within a mould sets constraints on the infinite imagination and progression of creativity. His philosophy is simple – talent can never replace hard work. His gift of creativity is an expression of the many years he has spent perfecting his technique.

At the age of nineteen Cliff A. Birjou hosted his first solo exhibition and has since exhibited in New York, Germany and Ecuador. For the past ten years, he diligently worked on many pieces commissioned privately and is now offering his most recent collections to the public. Birjou’s initial choice of medium was watercolour. His painting method consisted of a variety of watercolour techniques including value, intensity, dry-on-dry and overpainting depending on the overall desired outcome.

Birjou explains that he can feel the movement of the paint under brush as he constructs an intricate tapestry of lines, which he compares to Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt for their very detailed technique and Van Gogh for his passionate use of colour simultaneously prompting a unique spirituality beyond comparison.

Though he now specializes in oils on canvas, the artist also focuses on portraits, murals and pottery embellishment.

For further information, the gallery can be contacted at (868) 628-9769 or via emai. Pieces from the exhibition may be viewed and purchased on Horizons Art Gallery's Web site, www.horizonsartgallery.com, from January 26th onwards.