Artist

Nneka Edwards

Artist bio

Nneka Edwards is a prolific and self-taught poet, author and artist who hails from the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Nneka is passionate about the arts, foreign-language learning and education. Nneka holds a B.A. in East Asian Studies from McGill University (Montreal, Canada) and a master’s degree in International Cooperation from Yonsei University (Seoul, South Korea).

Title

The Colour of Hope

Artist Statement

The Colour of Hope is based on a poem by Nneka Edwards that features in her book Rhyme with Reason: Noah's Ark PG 13 (on Amazon). The artwork is very whimsical and childlike, while the feel-good colours virtually sing "hope!" which is what this artistic creation is about.

In the video we see the inner struggle of a caterpillar as it battles with the seeming desperation (and lies) of the darkness all around it and the contrasting promises of God that sometimes pierce that darkness just when the little creature has reached his lowest point.

The video makes the deceptive speaking of the enemy very clear by contrasting the changing rainbow colours of the butterfly-to-be with the black backdrop against which this personal drama is playing out. The caterpillar is clearly (at first anyway) unaware that it is changing colour and becoming more beautiful, and that, in fact, the darkness (as real and immediate as it may have seemed) was not the complete truth. As with Eve in the Garden of Eden, the enemy was hoping to capitalise on half truths.

The video offers hope by showing that darkness can be used to create beauty; just like God created the universe out of the blackness of nothing and the chaos of existential disorder. Jesus descended into the darkness of hell, only to rise out of that dark tomb and be resurrected into kingly, eternal glory at the right side of His Father. The biblical examples abound.

There was a lot of drama surrounding the creation of this video, and it is truly miraculous that our team has been able to submit it on time ... just in the nick of time!

Jason Gittens produced the music, Ruth Li acted as an advisor and creative support and Nneka contributed her literary and artistic talent.

How it fits into contest

This video expresses the inner battle of being in a dark place - emotionally and psychologically, using a caterpillar as a metaphor. There is not only a struggle within the embattled person, but there is also tug-of-war contention between the enemy and God over that person's life (very much like the contest between God and Satan that played out in Job's life).

As with Job, the biggest part of any spiritual battle or testing of willpower happens in the mind. The mind of man is the battlefield of the heavenly realm. We see in the video that the caterpillar is armoured with God's rainbow promises (His Word and beautiful speaking of life directly into the soul). The job of the butterfly-to-be was to simply believe God, trust God, ignore the seemingly obvious (but deceptive) reality of the darkness and speak Truth to himself - i.e. wield the sword of the Word.

In the end, the butterfly fluttered into its God-ordained freedom of being a colour cornucopia of God's creativity and the joy of exploring a broad and beautiful place!

Credits

Poet: Nneka Edwards
Artist: Nneka Edwards
Producer: Nneka Edwards
Main Composer - Jason Gittens
Editing Composer - Ruth Li

Note:
The music was adapted from two beautiful pieces - Doolahin and The Basket Song - which Jason Gittens had composed for a book project (by Nneka Edwards) called T&T in Poetry: A Rainbow Collection.

How to Purchase this Artwork

The video will be made available on YouTube, but if anyone is interested in any element or elements of the video for commercial purposes, they can contact me (Nneka Edwards): joiedelens@gmail.com

Other Goods & Services Available from this Artist

Nneka Edwards can offer online classes to anyone who may be interested...
1. Paper-Collage Tutorial for individuals, groups or corporate entities.
2. Other artistic expressions (same as above) - watercolour painting, drawing, digital art
3. Poetry Tutorials or Workshops - writing, analysis, performance

Ruth Li can offer classes and tutorials for anyone interested in:
1. Music Appreciation
2. Steelpan Training

Jason Gittens may offer workshops in the future

Transcript / Lyrics

THE COLOUR OF HOPE
(poem complements the music - unvoiced)

I crawled into a cocoon
And kept company with darkness,
Wondering and waiting;
Wondering if the sky was still blue;
Waiting for a magical moment;
And the darkness whispered about;
That the sun no longer dawned;
That bright bows no longer stretched across the sky;
That God’s promises were as black as night.

And I lay in that cocoon
And kept company with the darkness;
Wondering and waiting;
Wondering if Fate had forgotten me;
Waiting for words of comfort;
And the darkness whispered about;
That I was an ugly thing;
That iridian hope no longer painted God’s creation;
That God’s promises were as black as night.

I died in that cocoon
As I kept company with the darkness;
Singing and sighing;
Singing that I would be a new creature;
Sighing when my tears mocked me;
But my heart would light up
When His kindness lifted my soul.
Though darkness promised to steal my trust in the Truth
A spectrum of colour dyed my deepest thoughts.

I died in that cocoon
As I kept company with the darkness;
Singing and sighing;
Singing of creation’s dawn;
Sighing that the waiting was long;
My heart would light up
When His kindness pierced the darkness;
Then at last Time began to press against those sealed walls
As streams of praise of varied shades poured from within.

I burst forth from that cocoon
Like a rainbow unfolding
Fluttering and floating;
Fluttering free;
Floating on the breath of hope;
Through sun-dazzled drizzle into nature’s green.
Now tomorrow is a sweeter place to be.

God’s Promise arches across the bluest sky;
Brightly fanning wings carry me far from my sorrow.

I burst forth from that cocoon
Like a rainbow unfolding.
Fluttering and floating;
Fluttering in a giddy path of colour;
Floating among flower-speckled grass under a blue sky.
Tipsy with the joy of spring;
A new creature with velvet wings and bright, dusty hues
Rubbing off her rainbow to the touch.
Patient hope blossomed into a Promise Fulfilled.

Nneka Edwards

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