Art

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Insider Review--Bonaire’s Kaminda di Arte (or Bonaire Art Tour)

The 2011/2012 winter season brought the second annual Kaminda di Arte to Bonaire for its residents and visitors.  The Art Tour is held the third Sunday of each month, now through March, 2012, and includes many of the island’s galleries or ateliers showcasing anything from fine art through craft items made with items found on Bonaire’s shorelines.

I had the opportunity to follow the tour this past Sunday, and I can highly recommend it to anyone wishing a leisurely day to enjoy Bonaire’s neighborhoods, as well as scope out the latest in true Bonairean souvenirs.  The tour itself features fourteen artists who open up their ateliers or galleries for the day from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM.  I didn’t quite manage to make all stops on the tour, but did manage to visit the majority of artists.

To follow the tour route, download and print the brochure available by clicking here (available in Dutch, in PDF).  The first page of this brochure lists the artists who are part of the tour, as well as small maps showing their locations.  Be sure to look for the Kaminda di Arte signs once you are close to their homes.

There’s a wide variety of art and crafts to view, from fine art showcasing some famous Bonaire sites or personalities, to driftwood sculptures, to watercolors, jewelry, and other handicrafts made from items found on Bonaire’s shorelines.  On the reverse side of the brochure, a short biography of each artist is available, as well as a description of the type of artwork they provide.

The last two dates for this season’s Kaminda di Arte will be Sunday, February 19th, 2012 and Sunday, March 18, 2012.  I can highly recommend the tour for a relaxing day and to view a different side of Bonaire.  (Source:  Bonaire Insider Reporter)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Several New Stores Open on Bonaire

Shopping on Bonaire now offers more variety with the recent addition of three new stores, Blokker, Le Garage and the new Jan Art Gallery.

Blokker offers household items including needs for the kitchen like dishes, pots and pans, cooking utensils and more. It also has household decorative items like vases and candles, cleaning items, small appliances and other household items. It is located in the middle of town on Kaya L.D. Gerharts.

The Antillean Wine Company has added a new business in their store, called Le Garage, featuring household items from IKEA. Products include kitchen items like dishes, glassware, pots and pans, cooking utensils, dish drains, towels, floor mats, chair cushions and more. They are located at Kaya Industria #23.

Jan Art Gallery has expanded to add a new gallery in town featuring fine art of Bonaire with original art and prints, hand finished coffee cups and tiles, art supplies for artists and hobbyists and custom framing by appointment. The gallery is located at Kaya Grandi #14. (Source: Bonaire Insider Reporter)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Cas Cadushy Announces Grand Opening This Weekend

Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur is a combination of Awa di Lamoenchi (water with lime) and cactus and is one of Bonaire’s unique products. This weekend will be the grand opening of Cas Cadushy, the home of the Cadushy liqueur, and all are invited to attend. The event will also feature Bonaire artist, Nochi Coffie, in his first of eleven upcoming expositions. The event runs Friday, January 28 through Sunday, January 30, 2011 and will be held at Cas Cadushy in Rincon, which is located in Plasa Diego at Kaya C.D. Crestian. 

The activity gets underway when the doors open on Friday at 5:00 PM, followed by the official opening at 6:00 PM with music by Munje Winklaar, Tica Sealy, and Tipico Clasiko and Dance. Join in the fun at 8:00 PM with the Happy Friday Dance Party.

The exposition will open Saturday at 11:00 AM and at 6:00 PM there will be a performance by Ritmo Lokal with Nel i su Grupo and Tipico Clasiko. On Sunday, the exposition will again open at 11:00 AM with The Silver Bullet Steelband providing entertainment starting at 6:00 PM. Entrance is free, so come prepared to dance and enjoy. (Source: Cadushy of Bonaire)

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Kaminda di Arte (Bonaire Art Tour) To Begin Soon

November 21, 2010 will mark the beginning of the Kaminda de Arte. Artists participating in the tour have committed to open their studios, galleries or homes to the public every third Sunday of the month from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

An opening ceremony to announce the tour will be held Sunday November 14, 2010 with Lieutenant Governor Glenn Thode. Each of the participating artists will display a small exhibit of their work and music, snacks and drinks will be provided. The ceremony will be held at Mangazina di Rei in Rincon from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM.

Nineteen artists from Bonaire will be participating in the tour, which will be held on November 21 and December 19 in 2010, and January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17, May 15 and June 19 in 2011. A map featuring the location of each artist is currently being produced and will be available by clicking here. The tour provides visitors and locals alike with a great opportunity to view the works of Bonaire’s local talented artists. (Source: BonaireArt)

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

The 2011 Richter Art Gallery Calendar is Now for Sale

The 2011 calendar is an art wall calendar with a Bonaire theme. There are six images of Linda Richter’s oil paintings and six images of Jake Richter’s digital paintings, with each month’s image protected by a gloss finish.

The calendar features scenes from Bonaire and two mini-calendars have been added at the back showing January and February 2012, for planning purposes. The calendar has saddle stitch binding, full brilliant color, gloss varnish to all of the artwork, and is only 6x6 inches when folded for easy mailing, and 12x6 inches when opened for display.

The Richter Art Gallery Calendar is now available for sale for FL 12.44 (US$ 6.95) at the Richter Art Gallery on Bonaire. The calendar is also available on-line for those who would like to order from North America or Holland. Click here to find out more. (Source: Richter Art Gallery)

Sunday, October 10, 2010

It’s Official--Bonaire is Now Part of The Netherlands

At the stroke of midnight last night, all those on Bonaire said farewell to the Netherlands Antilles, and then welcomed Holland, as Bonaire, along with its sister islands, St. Eustatius and Saba, is now part of Holland as a special municipality and the three islands are to be officially called the Dutch Caribbean.

Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix, sent a telegram to all those on Bonaire, welcoming us into Holland.  She wrote,

“To the residents of Bonaire:  Today you, the residents of Bonaire, will become part of the Dutch polity. I would like to express my deeply felt solidarity with you and wish you all happiness and prosperity.  Beatrix”

(View her original telegram in PDF form by clicking here.)

There are a number of festivities throughout the day to herald in our new political status, but one of the more popular ones will be the opening of a new exhibit at Kas di Arte with opportunities to meet and converse with the artists, as well as receive lessons in painting.  The exhibit is titled, “The Kingdom of The Netherlands:  Union in Diversity,” and it will run through October 31st, 2010. 

Artists from Holland, Curacao, Aruba, and Bonaire will be showcased and the artwork focuses upon this new day and its significance for all on Bonaire.  Participating artists are from outside Bonaire are Gustave Nouel of Aruba/Holland, Johannes Boekhoudt of Costa Rica/Bonaire, Elvis Tromp of Aruba, Edmond Tujeehut of Aruba, Frank Croes of Aruba, Wine Fransen of Holland, Ad Rooymans of Holland, Harald Vlugt of Holland, Yubi Kirindongo of Curacao, Ruben La Cruz of Curacao/Holland, and Karolien Helweg of Holland.

Local artists from Bonaire include Nochi Coffie, Henk Roozendaal, Frans Booi, Renate van der Bijl, Christel Cosijn, Sra. Verhoef, Manuela Winklaar, Jake Richter, and Sedney Marten.

Even KLM is getting in on the festivities by celebrating its long-standing relationship with the Antilles.  This past Thursday, KLM celebrated its 91st anniversary, and, as is customary, they introduced a new Delftware house.  This 91st house in the KLM collection will be the Dutch Antilles House in The Hague.  In replicating the Dutch Antilles House, KLM hopes to reinforce its historically strong ties with the Dutch Caribbean as it was way back on December 15, 1934, when KLM operated its first transatlantic flight to Curaçao with the Fokker F-XVIII “Snip.” KLM has been dishing out Delftware houses on board since the 1950s. The houses are replicas of exceptional buildings in the Netherlands and the number of houses in the collection has corresponded with KLM’s age since 1994. A new house has been added to the collection each year thereafter on October 7th. The houses are presented to passengers traveling in World Business Class on intercontinental flights, and are considered collectibles by many on Bonaire.

Congratulations, Bonaire!  (Source:  Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix, Kas di Arte, and KLM)

Monday, September 20, 2010

New Art Exhibition by Wil Dijkstra

Starting October 2nd, 2010, there will be an exhibition of paintings by artist Wil Dijkstra in the reception area of the Plaza Resort on Bonaire. The opening will be officiated by Lt. Governor Glenn Thode at 4:30 pm on the opening day.

The majority of the new paintings on display are inspired by living on the beautiful island of Bonaire, with rich, colorful imagery. Themes include portraits, nature, the underwater world and abstract impressions. In addition to paint, natural materials found on the beach, like palm leaves, sand, and coralline rock are also used in the construction of Wil’s paintings.

Wil had very successful exhibitions here on Bonaire in the former Cinnamon Art Gallery as well as at Kas di Arte and Littman’s Artistique.

Wil left Bonaire to live and work in Holland several years ago, but have now moved back to Bonaire via an inspirational seven month sailboat journey, and have been living on the island since the beginning of the year.

The exhibit will be open daily from 9:00 AM until 6:00 PM and will run until April 1st, 2011.

Plaza Resort is located at J.A. Abraham Boulevard 80. Phone: 717-2500. (Source: BonaireArt)

Wil’s web site is at Wil Dijkstra.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Bonaire’s Richter Art Gallery Holds First Open House

The Richter Art Gallery announced today that it will be holding its first “Open House” on Saturday, April 24, 2010, to introduce Bonaire’s art lovers to its newly remodeled space.  The Open House will take place from 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM on April 24th and, in addition to a range of fine art, will feature wine and snacks for those visiting. 

The Richter Art Gallery, located in Belnem, is owned and operated by local Bonaire artists, Linda Richter and Jake Richter and is located on the second floor of a specially constructed extension built onto their home.

The gallery features a variety of fine art and unique works, all created by the Richters. Linda Richter specializes in fine oil painting and has developed a special style she refers to as “Nature Portraits.” Linda has won numerous awards and accolades for her representations of the bright, colorful world around all of us. Linda has both original oil paintings as well as limited edition prints of her works for sale at the Richter Art Gallery.

Jake Richter’s experience as a nature photographer and journalist has been applied to digital media using a process he describes as “digital painting”, where he uses his photos as a starting point to create images which stir the imagination and soul. Limited edition prints of Jake’s works are also available at the gallery.

For those familiar with the works of the Richters, there will be a number of new recently created works on exhibition as well.

The Richter Art Gallery is open regularly Tuesday through Fridays, from 2:00pm until 5:30pm, and at other times by prearranged appointment. To make an appointment to visit the Richter Art Gallery, one only needs to call or e-mail. The gallery’s phone number is +599-7 17-4112 and e-mail address is info@RichterArt.com.

The Richter Art Gallery is located at Kaya R. Statius van Eps 17 (also known as the “Road to Sorobon”), in the Belnem area of Bonaire. More information about the Richter Art Gallery can also be found by clicking here.  (Source:  Richter Art Gallery)

Monday, March 22, 2010

InfoBonaire.com, the Bonaire Information Site, Expands Site with New Data

NetTech, N.V. is pleased to announce the expansion of the popular InfoBonaire web site, the Bonaire Information Site, with new destination information for Bonaire visitors to assist with planning their vacations.

InfoBonaire®, the Bonaire Information Site™, was launched in 1997, and over the last 13 years has become well known as the definitive source for information about Bonaire as a destination, offering information about accommodations, restaurants, rental vehicles, diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, and more.  As new services become available on the island, InfoBonaire.com keeps the site fresh and timely with daily updates.

Accordingly, several new topics have been added to InfoBonaire’s wide scope of data.  Many visitors plan their vacations to Bonaire for diving, snorkeling, or windsurfing activities, but there’s a plethora of other activities to enjoy, too.  Visitors may now learn more about horseback-riding by visiting www.infobonaire.com/horsebackriding.html, or kiteboarding, by visiting www.infobonaire.com/kiteboarding.html.  Either of these activities offer exciting options for the traveler or family and friends.

Shopping is always a necessity while on vacation, whether it’s to purchase one’s own souvenirs or for those back home.  Visiting www.infobonaire.com/souvenirs.html offers a glimpse at special options for gift-giving, highlighting souvenirs which are made only with products from Bonaire or are about the island itself.  The Art and Handicrafts page, located at www.infobonaire.com/art_handicrafts.html, focuses upon where fine art and other local handicrafts can be found around the island, either for purchase or viewing, as artwork always provides a way to remember a favorite site or moment of a vacation.  And for those who want to be sure they’re in the height of fashion, even while on the beach, the Surf-wear Shopping page at www.infobonaire.com/surfwear.html offers a variety of options and tips.

As nearly all stay-over visitors utilize Bonaire’s airport, the new Airport page informs about the various services available at the island’s Flamingo Airport.  Visit www.infobonaire.com/airport.html for additional information.

Those not arriving by air usually enter for a day in port while on a cruise to the southern Caribbean, and the new Cruise Passenger Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page will answer many questions for those island visitors who must maximize their enjoyment of what Bonaire has to offer.  This page can be viewed by clicking www.infobonaire.com/cruise_FAQs.html.

Nearly all stay-over visitors rent a vehicle so they are mobile and can enjoy dining at different restaurants , visiting various dive or snorkel sites, or traveling through the island’s northern national park.  Although driving on Bonaire is very easy, the new Traffic page at www.infobonaire.com/traffic.html provides information about signage and right-of-way for those driving.

Since the invasive Pacific lionfish entered Bonaire’s waters, many visiting divers want to know what they can do to help with containment.  These divers can visit the new Lionfish page located at www.infobonaire.com/lionfish.html for more information and tips about this new species.

Viewers may easily access any of these new sections of InfoBonaire directly from menus on the home page and other key parts of the InfoBonaire web site.

“When we first launched InfoBonaire over a dozen years ago, our premise was simple—provide all possible information about Bonaire in a simple, friendly manner, and continually update the site to keep it current. Our efforts obviously have been rewarded because InfoBonaire has been, and remains, the top Bonaire web site in Google and many other key search engines,” said Jake Richter, founder and co-managing director of NetTech N.V.  He added, “This latest expansion continues our effort at keeping our content current, fresh, and most importantly, relevant, focusing on the real information visitors need.”

InfoBonaire is also the host of One-Stop Quotes™, which allows potential Bonaire visitors to easily check rates and availability for select accommodations and car rental companies with one simple online request, which is then transmitted automatically via an email to those local companies which the viewer selected.  Since its inception in 2006, One -Stop-Quotes has provided thousands of quotations and availability checks.  For additional information or to request a quote, visit www.infobonaire.com/one-stop-quotes.html.

NetTech N.V. is Bonaire’s largest and most well known Internet hosting and email company providing all levels of Internet marketing, design, specialized programming, and graphic services.  The company provides the popular web sites InfoBonaire (www.InfoBonaire.com), The Bonaire Insider™ (www.BonaireInsider.com), Bonaire Surveys™ (www.BonaireSurveys.com), and Paradise Rebates™ (www.ParadiseRebates.com). For additional information, visit www.nettech.an.

InfoBonaire is a registered trademark of NetTech N.V., and The Bonaire Information Site, Bonaire Insider, Bonaire Surveys, One-Stop Quotes, and Paradise Rebates are all trademarks of NetTech N.V.  (Source:  NetTech, N.V.)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Kas di Arte Hosts End-of-the-Year Exhibit

Henk Roozendaal, a noted painter from Bonaire, will be exhibiting some of his recent paintings at Kas Di Arte beginning Sunday, December 21st, 2008.

The exhibit will run from December 21st through December 31st, 2008 at Kas di Arte, located on the oceanfront promenade.  The theme of the paintings is the Indians of Bonaire, but Henk will also exhibit some of his other recent works.

Admission is free, and the exhibit will be open from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM daily. (Source:  Kas di Arte)