The ART of the Matter: T-Dub talks paint with Belize artist Kevin Moralez

Takiyah “T-Dub” Ward and Kevin Moralez in Bella Vista, Belize (Photo Steve Hickey)

The ART of the Matter is a brand new TV show directed and hosted by iconic Seattle-based artist Takiyah “T-Dub” Ward in which she talks to artists about their work and inspiration. The ART of the Matter premieres in January 2022 across all Converge Media platforms. Below are some of T-Dub’s thoughts about her interview last week with Belizian artist Kevin Moralez in Bella Vista, Belize.

T-Dub on how she selected Kevin Moralez to interview
“When I did my research on artists in Belize, he was one of the first people that came up and he had done an interview with the local news here in Belize, about his art and so I watched that interview and I just saw you know, the work that he was creating, and I thought it was incredible because he's only been painting for five years. And his work is absolutely marvelous. Like he's, he's top-notch with what he's producing. So I was like, Yeah, we definitely have to try to show he's a painter. I got that whole story too, of how he had his art here. He actually is working on a piece right now for the Naia resort. So yeah, he's really doing it.”

T-Dub on what she learned about the current state of arts in Belize
“So the country of Belize doesn't necessarily center art as a profession as much as we do in the United States. You know, we have schools there. We have institutions there that sort of uplift artists in that way and they don't have that here yet, but Kevin has hopes and aspirations to change that. What I learned is that there is a need for resources. There is a need for arts education. There is a need for arts mentoring here in the country, and, again, Kevin wants to be a part of that mentoring. Meeting Kevin seeing the drive and tenacity that he has is inspiring and infectious, I want to definitely do my part. It's not just a need, but they want to make it happen, they want to create art they want to create and capture the beauty this country represents, especially with regard to nature.”

Make sure and follow Converge Media across all social media platforms @WWConverge and keep an eye out in early 2022 for this episode. We want tot to thank Alaska Airlines and the Belize Tourism Board for making this production possible.

(Photos - Steve Hickey)