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To everything there is a season, and
a time to every purpose under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Florence Kersting was born in
British Guiana, now known as the
Republic of Guyana, of East Indian heritage.
When she was seven years old, she discovered her artistic
abilities, but this was during her battle with malaria, which lasted
for several years.
In her primary school days, she attended St. Winifred Roman
Catholic School and one of her teachers was Ms. Panzy Burrowes, who
showed Florence's art work to her father. Florence would later learn
that her teacher's dad was the famous E.R. Burrowes, the "Father of
the Art Movement" in British Guiana. Mr. Burrowes encouraged her to
pursue her art of which he said was a "gift". Needless to say she
did not follow her art, but instead she got married and at the age
of 25 years old she was a mother of five children. Her artistic
abilities were unknown to her husband and children at that time.
In 1969, Florence and her husband Rene went to New York on
vacation. There, they both visited several art museums. She was so
inspired at what she had seen that when they returned to Guyana, she
was motivated to have a "One Woman" Art Exhibition (much to her
husband's dismay who had no idea as to the extent of her abilities).
In 1970 she had her first Art Exhibition at the British Council
located in Carmichael Street, Georgetown. She sold 35 pieces of her
work, seven of which were bought by Mr.J.E. Duarte. He was one of
the people who encouraged her to paint. Two paintings were bought by
the secretary of the then President of Guyana, the late Honorable
L.F.S. Burnham - "Dawn of Independence" and "Mount Roraima". Those
paintings were presented to the History and Arts Council. The others
were sold to many prominent people of Guyana including Mr. Ousman
Ali, the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago.
Florence subsequently held another of her Art Exhibitions at the
Chase Manhattan Bank in Guyana where Mr. Flavio De Freitas was the
Manager at that time. She also took part in many group Art
Exhibitions where she later learned that some of the artists were
Guyana "Greats" like Marjorie Broodhagen, Ron Savory, Stanley
Greaves, to mention a few.
In August 1972 she migrated alone to the United States to prepare
a better life for her family. Here in the U.S. she lived and worked
for four years to sponsor seven members of her family - her five
children, her husband and her first grandson, Mark Narain.
Florence worked as a salesperson in specialty stores such as Saks
Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller and Bergdorf Goodman - where most of the
movie stars and other celebrities did their shopping. During those
four years living in Manhattan she wrote a book called How Far is
Home. This book was published in 1980.
In Guyana before the exodus had begun, she established a
home-based boutique. She designed and made clothing for several
fashion shows, Brides and their maids. This lasted for several
years.
At one time, she attempted the chicken farming business, but was
discouraged by young thieves in the neighborhood who would come in
the night and steal all her chickens when they reached marketing
age. After trying the business a second time she eventually had to
shelve that project.
While in New York, she continued to live and work as a
salesperson for eighteen years before relocating to Florida then to
Georgia where she now lives. This decision was prompted due to her
husband's ill health. She was transferred from Bergdorf Goodman to
Neiman Marcus in Fort Lauderdale located in the Galleria Mall off
Sunrise Boulevard. After working there briefly, about nine months,
she decided to return to dress designing and making which enabled
her to take care of her husband with a home-based business.
In September 1993, her husband Rene passed away. Florence later
decided to return to the hobby she loved the most. But she also
continued to design and sew clothing.
The first painting she attempted after 25 years was
Kaieteur Falls, which she
presented to the late President of the Republic of Guyana, Dr.
Cheddi Jagan at The ACG Dinner Reception which was held in his
honor, at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Davie, Florida. Painting
that piece invoked her passion for the art and she was given the
opportunity to have a one-woman show once again at the Fort
Lauderdale City Hall located in Andrews Avenue. She has since taken
part in many solo shows and twice at "UNIFEST" in Lauderdale Lakes.
The latest Painting Exhibition was held on April 4, 2004 at the
Miramar Sunset Lakes Community Center where she sold and was
commissioned to do several pieces. The South Florida Guyanese
Association Inc. at their Spring Extravaganza sponsored this
exhibition.
Her goal is to immortalize Guyana and to remember some of the
good times we all had in the early years. She would like also to
remember the characters we knew as children e.g. Ice Cart Man,
Badaam Lacha!! Walker the British, Telegraph Man, to name a few.
This will be done to update the children who were born here in the
United States.
Her family has grown and she is blessed with fourteen
grandchildren and three great grands.
-- The Caribbean Times, May 2004 (edits by
Gondola Webworks)
Since the article was written, Florence has since been
blessed with 3 more great grandchildren. |
