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Damian James Moore is an artist who has been crafting unique and culturally-infused Christmas ornaments for the past eight years.
He told Newsday he draws inspiration from the vibrant cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago, but Christmas, in particular, holds a special place in his heart.
For him, Christmas is about gathering with loved ones, and his designs aim to evoke a sense of nostalgia and memory sharing. His ornaments, adorned with moko jumbies, bele dancers and Carnival characters, serve as visual triggers for cherished moments.
“My friends and I play mas or J’Ouvert together, and when you look at an ornament and there is a J’Ouvert-inspired or Carnival-inspired theme, it just brings back those fond memories, and better yet, when it is on your tree. I have heard about many people taking the ornaments to their family and friends who live abroad and it gives that sense of nostalgia as they now have that little piece of home on their tree,” he told Newsday.
[caption id="attachment_1050273" align="alignnone" width="768"] Artist Damian James Moore says most of his artwork has been influenced by things around him, people he has met, rituals, and the cultural aspects of TT. -[/caption]
He said most of his artwork has always been influenced by things around him, people he has met, rituals, the cultural aspects of TT.
“I looked at all the decorations and I used to think to myself, 'it would be nice to see a sorrel, a dame Lorraine or the Carnival characters on ornaments and I used to wonder what they would like.”
He decided to try it and it turned out to be better than he expected.
“I initially just did it for myself and it turned into a whole thing. More or less, it was just me flexing my creative muscle and wanting to enjoy the season in a perspective where I see, on a tree, the cultural aspects that I enjoy all year round.”
He said his most memorable Christmas is intertwined with the first time his family decorated a big, green Christmas tree instead of the branch or tinsel tree they normally used, sparking a lifelong love for decorating.
[caption id="attachment_1050272" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Damian James Moore has been crafting unique and culturally-infused Christmas ornaments for the past eight years. -[/caption]
“I would never forget putting up that tree and opening the branches,” he said.
“From that point, my love for Christmas, putting up a tree and decorating a tree was truly sparked.”
Moore, 39, graduated from the University of TT's Fashion and Design Academy with a bachelor's degree in fashion and design, and also has a degree in fine arts from the University of Guyana. The former visual arts teacher at Barataria North Secondary School resigned from that position to fully dedicate himself to his artistic pursuits.
While he credits no single artist for influencing his style, he acknowledges the impact of the people with whom he interacts.
"I am influenced by the culture and there are people in my life and friends that, in some way, inspire me to create."
He recalls one time, during an upmarket event, a customer told him the butterfly ornament she had purchased was a perfect reminder of her daughter, who had died and loved butterflies.
His preferred medium is clay, a material he finds sustainable and easy to work with. Moore ensures that each ornament is hand-cut and hand-painted, adding a unique touch to every piece.
“I prefer using clay as I like mixing old and new. I always loved the idea of old time glass ornaments the closest material to that is clay/ceramics. I work closely with Veronica's Pottery in Barataria and Ceramic Place in south to make it all happen."
[caption id="attachment_1050271" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Damian James Moore believes it is important to maintain the individuality of each ornament he makes. -[/caption]
The artist said time and space pose significant challenges, though, as working in a small studio, producing hundreds of ornaments within a tight time-frame requires creative solutions.
His design process, like any other artist, is helter skelter sometimes.
“The designs for the ornaments change every year because my experiences change every year. I have new experiences, and even though Carnival is yearly, there is always something new and interesting that I see and I want to convey on my ornaments. Recently I added a new design which is the bele dancer…one of my close friends has a dance school, Aunty Afiya Academy of Dance, and I went to one of the recitals and the opening dance was this beautiful bele segment. That sparked the idea for a new design.
[caption id="attachment_1050270" align="alignnone" width="768"] Christmas tree ornaments made by artist Damian James Moore. -[/caption]
"Then there was a dame Lorraine segment and that too influenced a new design. It all depends on where I am at what moment, what I see, and I put it into memory and when I get home I start to sketch.”
While Moore doesn't take on many special requests, he emphasises the importance of maintaining the individuality of each ornament.
"Even though they are the same designs, there is a little bit of a difference in each one," he said, adding that the limited editions add to the allure of his creations.
But his work is not limited to Christmas. Moore also crafts ceramics for Halloween, drawing on his fondness for the holiday. He said his creative journey will continue to evolve.
His unique ornaments are being sold at various locations, including Junckollage Gypsy Caravan, Rainy Days in Ellerslie Plaza, and a small collection at Craft Creator in West Mall.
 
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