As is usual practice, the Victoria International Arts Festival will host an art exhibition at Il-Ħaġar Heart of Gozo, Victoria, this Friday (9 June). The inauguration will be at 8.45pm. Entrance is free and all are invited to attend.

Patricia Sant is a retired teacher of Art, who taught in both Government and Private schools.  She specialised in Art and the teaching of Art at Mater Admirabilis Teachers’ Training College from where she qualified with Distinction in the Theory of Education. Looking back on her 40 years of teaching Art she feels grateful for the rewarding experiences she has shared and enjoyed with her art students.  She believes Art is a wonderful subject to teach, as Art can help her students grow and develop as complete persons.  It is a subject that helps students gain self-confidence and also enables them to appreciate the beauty of the world around them.

In 1969 Patricia formed part of Għaqda Artisti Żgħażagħ, a group that organised Art exhibitions.  Last year (and 46 years later) this Art group reunited and together they were able to mount an exhibition in Pjazza Teatru Rjal.  Of course these once young artists are now all over 60 but still young at heart.  In her works Patricia tries to combine reality with imagination and loves creating scenes that in their simplicity convey feelings and emotions.

Patricia is passionate about history of Art and travelling; in fact in her travels she makes it a point to visit Museums and Art Galleries all over the world.  She finds it difficult to decide which artist or Art period she likes best as she believes that each artist is relevant and valid in his/her own way.  However, she has a soft spot for Vincent Van Gogh and Gustav Klimt.  She has followed numerous Courses on History of Art at the University of Malta, Palazzo De La Salle, and Ażad.

Ramon Vella Bamber was born in 1971 and by profession he is an Air Traffic Controller.  However, he always showed an interest in Art and followed in his father’s footsteps who is also keen on the subject.  Ramon studied Art at school and obtained his Ordinary and Advanced level in the discipline at the Higher Secondary and at the Junior College under the guidance of the late Alfred Chircop and Paul Vella Critien.  He pursued his artistic studies by attending a Seascapes and Landscapes Course at MCAST in 2013, special classes with Alfred Briffa, Figurative and Free Art at the Malta School of Art since 2014, as well as live classes in Human Figure at the Malta Society of Arts since last year.  He is currently attending a History of Art Course at Malta School of Art.

Ramon is a landscape artist but also enjoys Still Life and Figurative Art.  He uses the Impasto and Palette knife style in oils and acrylics.  He loves experimenting in other media such as Soft pastels and Charcoal, and enjoys outdoor life, finding his inspiration in the beauty of the sea and scenery around him.  He is particularly partial to the Impressionist Period, most especially Van Gogh and Monet.  Ramon has taken part in several exhibitions including FestArti in 2015 and 2016 at Razzett tal-Markiz Mallia Tabone, Mosta, and Notte Bianca 2016 at the Malta Society of Arts Palazzo De La Salle Valletta.

He is currently working on his first Solo Exhibition to be held from 23^rd September to 7^th October this year, at the Razzett tal-Markiz Mallia Tabone, Mosta.