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05th
January 2010
SIR D!
STAN BISHOP
(Photo)
Sir Dunstan and Lady Cynthia at their home yesterday.
Legendary
St. Lucian painter Hon. Dunstan St. Omer was
one of the recipients of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth
II’s New Year’s Honours.
The iconic painter has been appointed a Knight
Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St.
George (K.C.M.G.).
The national icon, known for his captivating
murals, some of which are displayed in a number
of St. Lucian churches, received a knighthood
when Her Majesty unveiled her list of honours
last week.
Sir Dunstan served as an art instructor in the
Ministry of Education for nearly thirty years
and has as his main career highlight the designing
of St. Lucia’s national flag when the
island gained independence from Britain in 1979.
Born in 1927, Sir Dunstan attended the St. Aloysius
Roman Catholic Boys’ School and later
the St. Mary’s College, before leaving
for Curacao where he found work with the Dutch
Oil company. Upon his return home, he had several
jobs, including sub-editor and later editor
of St. Lucia’s leading newspaper, The
VOICE.
He was also an art instructor with the Ministry
of Education from 1971 until his retirement
in 2000 and was awarded the nation’s highest
national award, the St. Lucia Cross, in 2004
and declared a national cultural hero by the
Jubilee Trust Fund in collaboration with the
Folk Research Centre and Cultural Development
Foundation in 2007. In October of last year,
too, he was honoured with a Doctor of Letters
Degree from the University of the West Indies. |
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Sir Dunstan comes
from a generation of distinguished national
cultural figures that included the artistic
giants such as 1992 Nobel Literature laureate
Hon. Derek Walcott and Walcott’s twin
brother Roderick, who were all boyhood friends.
In an interview with Sir Dunstan at his home
yesterday, the artist says his achievements
serve as a testimony that hard work and dedication
are important.
“I do hope this serves as an inspiration
to other St. Lucians who start from the beginning,
working class, never got to university but
nevertheless, try to give meaning to their
lives,” Sir Dunstan told The VOICE.
Credited with what he called “a divine
privilege” in designing the nation’s
flag, Sir Dunstan says that despite his obvious
talents, most of the accolades he has received
in his lifetime would not be without the dedicated
support of his family, especially his wife,
Cynthia, whom he smilingly referred to as
“my pillar of strength.”
A formal investiture of his award is to take
place shortly, Sir Dunstan says.
Discuss
Story
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