Hugh Stollmeyer

Hugh Stollmeyer was born in Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost country in the Caribbean, on 13 January 1912. The influence of his idyllic early years in this lush tropical paradise is apparent in his art, both in his use of vibrant colors and in his portrayal of island people. He attended Queen's Royal College, in Port of Spain, Trinidad.^[1] He was an artistic child; always painting, reading, drawing and writing poetry and plays. After he finished school he joined the "Trinidad Independent", a group of creative thinkers who questioned the social and artistic "norm" of the day and whose interests included: the abolishment of class divisions, capitalism, racism, religious extremism and prejudice against homosexuality. A consciousness of Trinidad's cultural heritage was visible for the first time in the artwork of Stollmeyer and the Trinidad Independents; the influences of Amerindian iconography and the symbols of African Obeah are two such examples.^[2] Stollmeyer exhibited his work with others from the Independents in Trinidad and abroad; among them was Amy Leong Pang, with whom he developed an especially close working relationship.^[3]

Collectively, the Independents published a magazine called The Beacon as a means to manifest their collective desire to make the nation of Trinidad a vital intellectual center where new ideas could be tested and new avenues of racial and political justice could be discussed in the Caribbean.^[4] The magazine included articles on politics, sociology and philosophy, as well as reviews of book and art exhibitions, original poetry and short stories. Stollmeyer wrote articles on art, art restoration and reviews of art exhibitions, as well as poetry.

Stollmeyer left Trinidad and Tobago for New York City, United States, in the summer of 1930 and lived with his older brothers who were already working and studying there.^[5] Stollmeyer apprenticed at a photographic advertising company, and attended classes at the Art Students League. He continued his correspondence with the Trinidad Independents and wrote for The Beacon. In 1933 he moved back to Trinidad. Stollmeyer continued exhibiting his work locally and abroad and was active in the Trinidad art scene. By 1938, he was increasingly uncomfortable within the confines of Trinidad society, and he returned to New York City. The work from the late 1930s, particularly after his return to New York, marks the beginning of Stollmeyer's artistic maturity. His work captures the character and mixed ethnicity of the Trinidad people as well as the vibrant color and the lush and varied forms of tropical foliage.

He was very active in the Greenwich Village creative community and spent much time frequenting the galleries, critiquing and learning from others art. While his subject matter and palette continued to reflect both Trinidad's culture, people and tropical foliage as well as the influence of artists such as Botticelli, Gauguin, Matisse, Van Gogh, and Picasso, his style increasingly reflected his knowledge and understanding of avant garde painting in New York City at that time.