Turtles, paint, and fissures
Stabroek News
June 4, 2023
Akima McPherson


Considering Guyana’s small population and its cultural and linguistic isolation on the South American coast, curiosity is always the order of the day for me when I learn of Guyanese in strange and far-flung places. Mazunte, Oaxaca Mexico seemed to be the oddest place to find an Agricola-raised Guyanese painter. But considering the painter in question, I suppose it was not altogether surprising. Arlington Weithers’s journey in art has cruised along a highway not frequented by Guyanese, and the pivotal turns seem to have come by way of errands and favours. An errand as a boy led to him meeting Vivian Antrobus (ca 1907 – ?) who ultimately suggested that he further his studies at the Arts Student League of New York. That he did. That story was documented in last week’s article. Decades later (and certainly not the second or last) a favour for his friend, Panama-born Victor N Smythe, former archivist and curator at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center, led to a road trip from New York City to Mazunte, Mexico which he likened to “a kind of spiritual journey.”

Associated Artist

• Arlington Weithers

Associated Exhibitions

• Arlington Weithers Organic:
  Imagery and Processes Inspired by the Natural World
  April 25, 2023 - June 9, 2023
  MORE INFO

Associated News

• June 4, 2023
  Turtles, paint, and fissures
  Stabroek News
  June 4, 2023
  Akima McPherson
  


• May 21, 2023
  Guyana-born Arlington Weithers at the David Richard Gallery, NY
  Stabroek News
  Akima McPherson
  May 21, 2023
  
  


• April 24, 2023
  Arlington Weithers: Organic: Imagery and Processes Inspired by the Natural World
  GalleriesNow
  April 24, 2023
  
  


• March 25, 2023
  Press Release - Arlington Weithers Organic:Imagery and Processes Inspired by the Natural World