This watercolor, by Katrina Vanderlip is titled "The Vestry" and is based on a building Vanderlip encountered on her post-hurricane travels to Acklins. It is on view at Doongalik Studios. (Photos: Katrina Vanderlip)

Doongalik Studios was pleased to welcome the opening of the second watercolor exhibition featuring the work of winter resident, Katrina Vanderlip. Entitled Then & Now, the show opened on Sunday, April 3.

This year the artist/art conservator is showcasing several historic buildings that she has come across during her continuing travels to the Family Islands as a part of her volunteer work with The Bahamas Hurricane Restoration Fund, a group formed to help restore hope and provide empowerment to the neighbors in the southeastern Bahamas who were devastated by Hurricane Joaquin. Not only will her paintings act as a documentary record of the existence of these buildings, but it is hoped that through public and private donation appeals several of the buildings can be preserved for future generations.

In addition to this insight into Family Island landscapes, Vanderlip will also be showing several portraits of Bahamians at work and play, including a few from last year's Junior Junkanoo parade.

Trained at Harvard's Fogg Art Museum, Vanderlip has worked for private collectors and museum, including the Louvre, The National Gallery, The Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Getty Museum. She rediscovered the pleasure of painting in 2009 through illustrating a children's book and has been painting full time since then. Katrina has had two solos shows in California and has participated in several shows in The Bahamas. Her first solo show in The Bahamas entitled East of the Sun...West of the Moon was held last year April at Doongalik.

Earlier this year, Vanderlip gave an interesting talk at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas on how to protect and preserve artwork in a Bahamian climate. Vanderlip has recently donated her time assisting architect Tony Jervis with the design for a storage facility at the NAGB to meet international standards with proper hurricane proof and climate controlled housing for the National Collection. In addition she is also working with volunteers to prepare a sculpture garden on the eastern ridge of the property. Paths have already been laid out by Ethan Fried from Eleuthera's Levy Preserve. Persons wishing to assist with the project can contact the NAGB for more information.

Then & Now will be on display at Doongalik Studios until Tuesday, April 29. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. For more information contact Doongalik at 394-1886.

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