A trip to Africa, during which she noticed that the people used everything and wasted nothing, inspired Gloria-jean Trott to create what she calls “fabric art” which the public will get to enjoy when her first solo exhibition opens in the Masterworks Foundation’s Rose Garden Gallery this evening.

Among her many talents, Ms Trott designs and makes African clothes, and it occurred to her that instead of throwing away the colourful scraps of fabric, she could recycle them as art.

Thus was born a concept which caught the eye of Masterworks director Tom Butterfield, and an invitation to become the final artist in this year’s ‘Artists in the Gardens’ Spring series. The process by which the artist reaches the finished work requires six or seven steps. It begins with a pencil sketch and includes making art board cut-outs of patterns from which she will cut the fabric.

Silhouettes are included in each piece, and the fabrics are carefully chosen so that when they are applied the silhouettes look as if they are wearing clothing. The overall effect is three-dimensional and involves hand-stitching and hand painting of scenery or special details, such as jewellery. Gold leaf is also used in some of her painting.

The owner of ‘Afrique Bermuda’, a shop in St. George’s open on Saturdays only, Ms Trott personally selects her fabrics during visits to Africa for her clothing designs. For the fabric art, she uses mud cloth from Mali and the colourful patterns from Ghana. She has been steadily preparing for her solo exhibition since last September, and will be showing 24 pieces, each of which is unique. Unlike some artists, she is not nervous about the public’s reception of her work. Quite the contrary, in fact.

“I am more than excited — I can’t wait. I haven’t been sleeping this week,” she says. “Because it is Heritage Month, I wanted to show that we are bringing together the diversity of art in Bermuda. There are so many different talents here. I am just grateful to Mr. Butterfield for giving me this exposure.”

A daughter of James and Gloria Trott, she has three children, Marc and Monroe Tucker, and Marcia McConnie, and seven grandchildren.

God is “first and foremost” in her life, and she credits Him with her many “natural gifts”. These include art, singing, writing poetry, some of which has been published locally and internationally, as well as writing lyrics, some of which have been set to music. Ms Trott has travelled extensively to the Caribbean, North and South America, Europe and the United Kingdom, but Africa is one of the places she has enjoyed most.

“Through continuous visits I grew to love the people of this vast continent. Their resourcefulness and creativity is very inspirational,” she says.

*Ms Trott’s exhibition of African fabric art will continue through June 7. For further information ( 236-2950 or e-mail mworks[AT]ibl.bm