Artist and educator Sharon Wilson had grown tired of hearing the complaints flood in on radio talk shows after each violent outbreak hit the Island — only to later see that nothing had been done to combat the problem.

She started asking herself questions like: what part she might have played in the Island’s social ills as an artist, teacher and mother? And what could she possibly do to become part of the solution?

“I knew I wanted to say something but not be preaching at people, so I decided I could use my art as a way to broach the subject,” she said.

Ms Wilson decided to create a new picture book filled with 37 pieces of her emotive art work and a host of inspirational quotes, entitled Sharon Wilson Gold.

The paintings, which are mostly of young boys whom she taught, aims to spark a dialogue about the effects of gang related behaviour on our communities and more importantly on Bermuda’s young males.

They were originally part of a compilation entitled the Gold Collection.

“I called it that because gold is the global standard of wealth and our gold at the end of the day is the children in our society,” Ms Wilson explained. “If you lose them you have lost the whole society. I don’t know if we value them as gold though.”

She said her hope was that the book project would start a different kind of dialogue on the Island about the issues — not so much complaining about the situation, but allowing people to be much more introspective and look at what part we all play in this.

“Government can’t legislate that people behave differently and people’s behaviour only changes when you become less satisfied with what you are doing and want to do something else,” she explained.

“But there is a tendency to say ‘Those people are doing something’ and we don’t see what’s our part in the messed up situation.

“What I realised is that while I can’t change the world, I can look at what I am doing and see if I have something positive to contribute.”

She said many of the portraits were special to her because they feature children whom she got to know in the classroom setting.

“There might be three children in the collection I don’t know, maybe I saw their faces at the Bermuda Day Parade, but for all the rest I heard their voices in my head when I painted them.

“And certainly everyone who has been a teacher knows that you look and see your students and hope each one will be okay, as they come into your class and as they leave it.

“So they are all obviously important to me because they are real. They are people I’ve met, that’s how I work anyway.”

Another aim of the book was to uplift the younger generation and celebrate the beauty of the black community.

As an art teacher, Ms Wilson said would meet some children who don’t like the complexion of their skin and don’t embrace themselves fully.

“Everyone hasn’t reached the point where they are comfortable with what colour they are so the book is a celebration of the beauty of the individual child,” she said.

“I also wanted it to be a way for people to remember the innocence children have and think about what happens to them along the way to make them change.”

The book was recently praised by Minister of Public Safety, Michael Dunkley, for its contribution to the gang violence conversation.

Ms Wilson said it was nice to have her efforts recognised, but ultimately she wants the book to be a catalyst for positive change on the Island.

A limited number of books are available, but are encouraged to order their own copy online by visiting www.sharonwilsonart.com.