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Davi Ramkallawan’s artistic talent transcends her canvas and easel, making its way into many other areas of her life.
A librarian by profession, Ramkallawan is assigned to Chaguanas South Secondary School where her responsibilities include designing programmes for remedial students using alternatives to traditional academic learning methods. Among the tools she employs is her art, which she humbly describes as “doodling.”
She told WMN she has been a doodler for as long as she can remember – the perfect match for her wistful daydreaming during her teenaged years, and a source of irritation to her sister at that time. She said the restrictions during the covid19 pandemic period presented the opportunity for her to hone that skill, leading to the creation of some pieces of art that she felt were worth sharing – a few of which were recently on show at the Rotunda Gallery’s DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality exhibition at the Red House.
[caption id="attachment_1012494" align="alignnone" width="730"] I am me: Strong in the roots of my heritage -[/caption]
At 37, she sees herself as a “late starter” mostly due to the unconventional route that has led her to her present destination. She said while at school, she was not academically driven. Nevertheless, after completing secondary school she tried the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants certification, but found that it didn’t suit her. She then ventured into business management, and later benefited from a scholarship to pursue her degree in library science, which she began at age 30. Interestingly, nowhere on this journey was there any formal art training, but the love for her doodling never abated. And even after successfully completing all of her academic pursuits, she has returned to her beloved form of self care which has taken her along an unconventional path.
She explained her relationship with art with the words of theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
“For me,” she said, “Imagination is unlimited, you can’t put it in a box.”
For her artwork she uses of Pixilart, Canva and Paint 3D, and her inspiration to create the pieces she shares, in some cases, is guided by the theme of the exhibition in which she participates. Using the DigitAll exhibition as an example, she said she drew from her personal experience, recalling how the first profession that she wanted to pursue was in veterinary science, but her aversion to blood meant that realistically, it was not an option for her. But she has always been an advocate for women being involved in the sciences, which went against the grain of what she had witnessed as a student – the male students were being guided to the sciences while the female students were encouraged to pursue business and the arts.
[caption id="attachment_1012491" align="alignnone" width="768"] Artist and librarian Davi Ramkallawan. -[/caption]
“When I saw the theme, I said, ‘you know what, let me think of what I wanted.’ So my piece, The Future Me, for example, embraced and highlighted equity in ICT development, I wanted to show that action should be taken to encourage more females to enter that field, and eliminate gender biases, and create a more diverse and talented pool.”
Insofar as she is able to, she walks the talk, by encouraging both male and female students with the ability, to consider education and careers in (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) STEM. She also encourages her students with interests in art to create and share their work as well.
Subject to the approval of Nalis, the Ministry of Education and the school’s administration, Ramkallawan and her team are afforded a fair amount of autonomy with respect to designing the best programmes for students requiring remedial support which extends beyond the ‘chalk and talk’ model. She said confirmation of her success with transforming the lives of the students she engages has come from deans, teachers, administrators and the students themselves. The feeling, she said, is extremely rewarding and is testimony to what can be achieved when the whole “community” works together to challenge the students to be the best they can be. In her six years at the school, many of her students who have benefited from these interventions have had their work and activities showcased in the library on the “focus board.” The students are usually quite proud. Some take photographs to share with loved ones, while others invite parents to see what they have produced. Much of the work they have done at the school is also highlighted on the school’s Facebook page, as well as in its newsletter which was launched in March. Ramkallawan said she strives to ensure that the school’s motto, No Child Left Behind is the institution’s reality, and her art continues to be an integral part of this undertaking.
[caption id="attachment_1012487" align="alignnone" width="683"] Your Legacy-Breaking Free. - Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
While the pandemic was a disruption of the way of life for many people, for Ramkallawan it provided an opportunity that she may not otherwise have explored. The period also inspired her to re-double her efforts to ensure that she affords her students every opportunity to succeed. She expressed regret about the numbers of students who had “fallen off the bandwagon,” and has committed herself to ensuring that those under her supervision will not suffer the same fate. This was her third time participating in art exhibits at the Rotunda Gallery, and she continues to look forward to participating in the future. And although she has no immediate plans to expand her artistic portfolio beyond her present genre, she remains open to what lies ahead.
“I’m willing and open to whatever God has in store for me.”
[caption id="attachment_1012493" align="alignnone" width="730"] The Earthly Woman -[/caption]
In addition to being a mentor, an artist and amateur photographer, since 2009 Ramkallawan has operated a business that offers free research assistance services to staff and students of Chaguanas South Secondary School, CTS College of Business and Computer Science Ltd, St Michael’s Community College, New Butler Associate College, and Holy Faith Convent, Couva.
“This initiative’s focus is on resource gathering and dissemination, proofreading, homework assistance, mentoring, remedial reading/storytelling, bibliographic/referencing guidance and document processing support from primary to tertiary educational levels.”
[caption id="attachment_1012492" align="alignnone" width="730"] Woman: I hold the key to the beauty within me. -[/caption]
She also serves on the executive of the Library Association of Trinidad and Tobago. Her mantra for many years has been “Serve to master,” and as she puts it, “I live my life by that motto. I do a lot of volunteering, I volunteer with Boca Lit Fest and within my community as well.” She is thankful to God for the capacity to serve, and to her family for the support that they have given her over the years. She said, “They motivate me to be a better person than I was, not five years ago, but yesterday, and to be a better ‘future me’ and to try different things.
“It is my hope that young girls and women be given the opportunity to rise to the occasion and supersede individual, family and industry expectations for a better and more sustainable future for all.”
The post Davi Ramkallawan ‘doodles’ her way to finding perfect career appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.