by Lorna Callender
On March 7, 75 years ago, Timothy Callender was born in St. Michael, Barbados, and though his sojourn there was for just 43 years, in the interim, he became an active creative artist and his output was prolific.
There was hardly an artform that did not arouse his interest and which he did not seek to practise – so much so, that he was often advised to choose one. “Which one would they have me choose?” he would often ask. “I like them all!”
He became well known in Barbadian households as a short story writer with funny, tall tales, which were brought alive on CBC radio by the late Frank Collymore and on Rediffusion by the late Alfred Pragnell.
But this was but a small part of the output of this prolific creative artist. He was also a visual artist, and held regular exhibitions of his work at The Pelican. He developed a love for this art-form as a student of the late Karl Broodhagen at Combermere School, Waterford. He became quite adept at depicting local scenes in water colours, acrylic as well as oils.
He delighted in music in its many forms – was a passionate drummer and a skilled guitarist. He wrote many songs. His study of music was so in-depth that he analysed the emergence of rhythm, harmony and melody in his signature novel – How Music Came To The Ainchan People. (still available on Amazon in Kindle and paper back formats)
Timothy Callender was above all a serious student of literature. His first degree from UWI was a Bachelor of Arts (English Hons) but his post graduate degree was a Master in Art Education, indicating his broad range of studies.
As with the other art forms, he explored all forms of literature. He wrote many poems; wrote plays (one of which won the NIFCA top prize); was as comfortable writing in dialect (nature language) as he was in standard English.
His first novel, Martin’s Bay, was written in dialect and the late Prof. Kamau Brathwaite was adamant that it should be published as it would indicate historically the evolution of the Barbadian dialect or ‘nature language’. But it never was.
His deep interest and love of history led him to write many historical stories set on the sugar plantations of the Caribbean while his interest in the sociology of Caribbean life led him to write stories of village rivalry between fictitious villages (St. Victoria and St, Jude’s). The effect excessive rum drinking had on village relationships also became themes in his story telling.
He explored using verse in his narrations and wrote a complete detective thriller in verse. Searchers, Secrets and Silences was serialised on Barbados radio in the 80’s with icon Marvo Manning as narrator. It was never finalised. Some copies of the book are still available.
Perhaps his boldest experiment in creative storytelling came with his production of two photo-novels. Watchman, featuring the Draytons Two and Suzanne King, and Schoolboys featuring Tony Thompson as the principal.
The photographers were Timothy himself, aided by Tony Lynch. First publication was done in Barbados but they were later published by Heinemann Publishers. They, unfortunately, are now out of print.
So analytical was Callender in his approach to the Arts that he wrote a manual for those practising or wishing to practise any of the art-forms. It was also to serve as a format for those who were desirous of critiquing the Arts. The Elements of Art is still available in Kindle format at Amazon.com
There is still much of Callender’s work yet unpublished. This recounts a broad sweep of his accomplishments as he is remembered on his 75th birthday. His works will live on and we are grateful that they will.
Callender died tragically on October 12, 1989.
N.B. Lorna Callender is the widow of Timothy Callender
