Whether you see a work of art signed as Angela Gegg or as Proshka, they are one and the same. I have been utilizing this name for over fourteen years, and will continue to do so until my days on this earth/in this lifetime are over..... The name PROSHKA is derived from my Latvian heritage. It was taken from the maiden name of my grandmother, Lia (Praskevic) Tattersfield. My grandmother left her hometown of Latvia when she met my grandfather, Tom Tattersfield. They both moved to Belize in 1948, making it their home, and starting a family; one of their three children was and is Deborah (Tattersfield) Gegg, my mother. (the rest is history)..... I never did have the pleasure of spending much time with her as breast cancer took her life when i was only two. As a tribute to her, I took her name, Praskevic pronounced (proshka – vicks), and shortened it to PROSHKA, and have used it ever since.
Belizean born Angela Gegg has been featured in over twenty Joint and Solo Art Shows and has exhibited in Belize, Texas, New York, Miami and Trinidad. She has collaborated on and been affiliated with Art Books, Art Calendars, Spoken Word DVD’s and CD’s; She is the author of "The Light, The Dark & Everything In Between" and She is a regular stage performer of the Spoken Word.
Before her studies in New York and Houston, she lived in Guatemala for 9 months where she learned the craft of sculpture and took on Spanish as a second language. When her Guatemala experience had ended, she went on to Cortland College in New York where she majored in the Arts and worked part time at a local radio station, (96.5 the Dragon) as the world Music Director; she was also a writer for their online newspaper and magazine. During this time she became involved in the craft of installations and ceramics. But it was also during that time her hobby of photography became a passion, leading to her ever popular Digitally Enhanced Photography Series (which is one of her seven art collections). After two years she relocated to Houston, where she focused on her writing, poetry, and oddly enough, Sports Medicine. She worked as the Art director for the Raven Literary Magazine. And also enrolled in the Baylor Sports Medicine Institute where she graduated with honors. While her education at Baylor was a fitness mechanism, to her it was a way of learning the detail of anything anatomy and physiology based; these skills are highly apparent in both her “Body Dismorphic” and “Evolution” Collection.
Gegg says that her work is a visual representation of the ideas, thoughts and imagery that have fascinated her for the entirety of her life. She states that “As an artist, I find it necessary to be inventive, self-expressive, searching, daring, even disturbing, and in doing so, I am hoping to enlighten others and open ways for a better understanding of my art.” She expects her works of Art to create a new feeling, vision, or experience that exists outside of the rules of realism; she considers herself to be an abstract, surrealist painter, but based entirely on objective subject matter. His quasi-abstract paintings explore the relationship between shape, color and life, it is his aim to create a subconsciously inspired composition that explores the natural wonders of the universe. The rest of her collections include, “Her Abstract Linear Layering Collection”, “Art on Art”, “Red and Black”, and the “Series in which she calls Tears”.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Since July of 2004, Angela has had 4 major SOLO Art Exhibits in Belize. “Subconscious Works of Art”, hosted by the Mexican Ambassador and opened by the Honorable Governor General, Sir Colville Young was her first major event. In April of 2005 she had a 6 month showing of her Artwork at the Princess Hotel and Casino. In July of 2006, her “Hottt Chicks Can Paint Too”, was opened by the Honorable Prime Minister at a massive Art Event, Book Launch, and Spoken Word DVD premier. In August of that same year she took her works and held a mini book launch in San Pedro, at her “Belizean Arts” Exhibit. For the past two years she has been preparing for the debut of her Evolution Collection and Photography Show scheduled for May of 2008.
Angela represents her county in Trinidad through the “Art of Caribbean Women” Calendar. She is also featured in “Made In Belize” a book on and about Belizean Artists. She is featured on Spoken word Poetry CD's and DVD's and performs on stage for audiences on a regular basis, she has performed for the Poetry Festival, Jazz Festival, and numerous other art events.
On an entertainment level, Angela is the ongoing anchor for Channel 7 Carnival Coverage. She was the host and Executive Producer for the trailblazing Television Series, “Cooking with The Smoky Mermaid” on Love TV and “Smokylicious” through Positive Vibes on Channel 5. She was also the host of the popular G2 Radio Show on positive Vibes Radio. She has worked with the Belize Pageant’s organization, both as a host and judge for the competition.
She has and continues to work with charity fundraisers like the Humane Society, Red Cross and Women’s Club of Belize through donating artwork for fundraising Auctions.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist, I find it necessary to be inventive, self-expressive, searching, daring, even disturbing, and in doing so, I am hoping to enlighten others and open ways for a better understanding of my art. Wonder is an important factor in my style of art, something that makes it valuable and unique. This wonder can transport the viewers to somewhere new – it can place them in a different state of mind. It can create a new feeling, vision, or experience that exists outside of the rules of realism..... While one may view my work as entirely abstract at a first glance, it is completely organized. Within my work, you will find that I use symmetry in my placement of colors, objects, lines, and components of my work. Everything pertaining to placement/design/structure is thought out. Even the tools/instruments/brushes/palettes I utilize have a purpose. Everything has meaning..... I am fascinated by the variety, complexity, beauty, and seduction of abstract art. I have always been intrigued by and abstract art. I have made this my main practice of art; I am a subconscious artist; whereby I paint, draw, install, sculpt, and even write from my altered conscious state. My work is based on abstract – not to be mistaken for non-objective art – and is a translation of a real life experience, a thought and/or a dream and is a complete exaggeration of my perception of reality.
