Trent Tomengo: Art and educating the students of Florida
This year, I am spending time in Orlando, Florida, U.S.A., with Winsome Edwards, who created an art gallery, first in New York City, which she then moved to Orlando in 2003: the International Portfolio Gallery represents artists from all corners of the African diaspora: African-American, and Caribbean, as well as African artists from the continent. Through her, I met Trent Tomengo, who prefers to be identified as Black American rather than African-American, as he hails from the United States since many generations. He is a Florida native and moved to Orlando when he was five years old. Trent has always wanted to be an artist. As a child, he loved art; his mother owned a Bible illustrated with old Master paintings, which fascinated him. Drawing came easily to him. His first painting was of a pig, much beloved by his first grade teacher! Above: Prelude to Joe, oil on canvas, 2015, 28" x 36" In college, he majored in fine arts, earning degrees from Stetson College in Painting, a...