Geoffrey Holder

Geoffrey Holder (1930- ) was born in Trinidad, into an artistic family. He taught himself to paint at 15, using his brother's materials, and hung the works round the family home. Holder later established a ballet company, which he brought to New York, selling his paintings to raise money. He had a successful one-man show in 1954, and in 1957 was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. A professional dancer, he designs ballet costumes as well as continuing to paint in oils, draw, and produce large murals which stem from his mixed French, American and Irish descent and Trinidadian childhood.