Anthea McGibbon

AHHHH! is what you’re sure to say, after winding your way uphill to the gallery bearing that name. It’s a trove of glowing artful treasure on the hilly border of Kempshot and Gutters, St James.
The Aaah! gallery is owned by two art extraordinaires artist Ian ‘Ras Natango’ Williams and his wife, Tamika, doubling as an artisan, and, an educator in the English Language and Literature. In unison, they are compassionate about revealing the hidden power when Art and English becomes a combined tool.
So passionate they are, that beyond twenty years, the couple toil relentlessly to convert what used to be rocky mountainous terrain, into an ideal gallery of valuable art deposits. To date, there is a three-storey house embodying brilliant gems of art, as the team effuse hope and happiness to all who come by.
On entering the premises, a continued work in progress, it’s as though cosmic energy is being released bringing visitors into a therapeutic experience. Just as the static clouds that sail into any open window during the cold, or even the thick fog that sometimes bury the artful gems in a sea of white mist deposits its energy throughout the gallery’s rooms. For sure, there are valued nuggets of lessons in more than the arts.

Ras Natango's acrylic. ANTHEA McGIBBON PHOTO

Since marrying Ras Natango, in 1977, her teaching skills have improved tremendously, as she discovers and develops her own artisan skills. Her former students and their parents attest to the positive effect of her unique teaching skills on even the most ‘backward’ child, as she employs art skills in her general teaching methods.

Her nurturing character tamed the once radical leader during the troubled 1970s, Ras Natango into refocusing his energy to illustrating his philosophy and messages he once wrote on placards.

Messages such as “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery”, and “Just BE-ing (.. a human being).”

Mounted strategically, the displayed works from pencil sketches to oils, placemats, postcards to egg and shell-craft and a clothing line is mostly by the autodidactic Ras Natango. His acrylics evidence his intense research and self-study of masters such as Michaelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Rembrandt VanGogh, and Claude Monet. The themes he chooses are varied from flora, portraiture to scenes, and indeed demonstrate a firm hand in applying his techniques, especially in his representing textures such as sand, water. Bold and vibrant are his colours, which exude exciting energy especially in his flowers and beach scenes.

Ras Natango and wife, Tamika. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO.

His ability to understand perspective in both art and mathematics is an unspoken strength. “Rough Waters” also called “Alone” is his autobiographical painting. It features a man with just a shirt on his back, rowing alone and against the tides of rough sea water.
Complimenting this variety are works by Tamika and their son Ayale.
“Mending broken pieces” is Tamika’s philosophy. She, as a craftsperson, starts with egg shells, where she depicts a variety of roosters, hens and chickens on hardboard. Then she goes into knitting and sewing and embroidery. Her reversible Jamaican cloth dolls are the most striking of her art explorations. Each doll almost mirrors itself when upside down. When the skirt is flipped in reverse, however, the doll revealed is the same image, but with a different pose, and sometimes different bandana pattern.
The couple equally invests their efforts on the outside. Almost surrounding the house, plotted 2000 feet above sea level, are three gardens, built at varying levels, and with a commanding view of surrounding cities and the ocean. The trees below are like dots of children. Here visitors can virtually learn without the need for the spoken word by reading and observing, especially as almost everything is labeled, in keeping with the gallery’s objective.

There are scattered antique items telling tells of Jamaica’s history strategically placed throughout the garden such as three-legged wrought iron pots, old time tilly lamps, and actual slave iron chains. In the garden is a working sundial.
Tamika often called “Mother Nature” prunes the gardens which also encloses an actual fairy tale valley. The vegetable garden is 100 per cent Jamaican; the flower garden is 90 per cent Jamaican and the herbal garden is less than 50 per cent. Ras Natango’s carvings of Jamaica’s wild animals from the cedar tree roots, are actually seats, and placed randomly throughout the garden.

ANTHEA McGIBBON PHOTO: Sunset by Ras Natango.

Ras Natango settled here to realize his skills after departing from the field of accounts, and left Tamika to ‘account’ for his international success. His vision “Art dictates life, NOT imitate it” is in full expression, and a good influence on Tamika.
Ras Natango also designs clothing from hemp on which he paints Jamaican scenes and items from the sea. Ras Natango has been written on in magazines such as Hemp Times and York Daily, Pennsylyvania.

Clothes made from hemp and hand painted by Ras Natango.ANTHEA McGIBBON photo.

Detailing the composition of art and education, the couple is in gear to opening a school on property. They were cofounders of the Little Tree Preparatory located on the Half Moon Premises. They started with eight students, but today the school called The Heinz Simonitch has over 100 students.

The couple has written story books for children which are now awaiting publication. At least two of these books teach about Jamaica’s wild life and animals, and the way they survive. Ras Natango’s book, “Froggy” teaches children between 4-6 years how to create their own stories by following the illustrations. This is in addition to learning to read the story already written to match the illustrations.

Ayale's seashell scraft of a seahorse. ANTHEA McGIBBON PHOTO.

Ayale, a protégé in his own right recently completed a degree in graphic design at The Art Institute in Florida. The couple remembers introducing him to art through cartoon books from a young age. On display in the home gallery Ayale’s sea animals, from sea shells are witty. Also on display are some of his graphic designs and illustrations, applied in discussing the nature and characteristics of Jamaica’s women, especially those found in the dancehall.

A family of talent, and exceptional skill, the idea of “tun yuh han mek fashion” is passed through generations.

See also The Jamaica Sunday Gleaner’s Art on for more on this hilltop paradise.

Article made possible with the courtesy of Ahhh! Gallery. Contact them at 1876 578 2582 for tours or at Ras Natango, Tamika. First published July 25, 2009.