The many faces of Molly

Coping with solitude is now one of enviromentalist Molly Gaskin’s biggest fears. Giving the eulogy at her mother’s, Mildred C Gaskin, funeral was “the most difficult task” she had ever undertaken in life. Her mother died on April 20 at age 93. Her family was a close-knit one. She was the only child. When her father, Henry Ernest Gaskin, died 10 years earlier, undoubtedly she was grieved. However, she refused to let it overwhelm her since it was clear that she was carrying on his work. He loved life and nature just as much as she did. She was simply carrying the torch. But her history of sorrows stems many years. “I lost a man, whom I was engaged to, in an accident. That was a rude awakening for me. “I took many years to get over that,” Molly said. “Then I got engaged again and that didn’t work out and I thought there was a reason for all that was happening in my life. But then I realised I had other things to do, caring for people.”

She is also a painter. One of her paintings is entitled “The Awakening” interpreted as the awakening of women to their full potential. She had to press on. “I believe its our inner strength that carries the outer. “I have had two hip operations and I thought I was going to be a cripple. “My inner belief was ‘there must be a reason for this’,” she said. Undeterred, Molly, is still realising her full potential and of course, is fuelled by the values her parents instilled in her from youth. Molly is an artist, poet, photographer, environmental activist and operator of the Wild Fowl Trust in Pointe-a-Pierre. “These values fostered my attitude and actions as I became a woman,” she said. She attributes her great love of art and nature to spending many of her childhood days outdoors with her parents. They often went on nature hikes and fishing trips together. Her father was an artist, a botanist and an engineer. Her mother was an educator.

It was her father who taught her everything she knows about nature, art and God. As an artist, she also developed photography skills and in 1977, put together the first audio-visual programme which she personally took to schools and community groups throughout the country, introducing the concept of environmental education to Trinidad and Tobago. Molly grew up in Woodbrook and was educated at St Joseph’s Convent and the University of Cardiff, Wales. At University, she pursued studies in Child Psychology and Natural History. After returning to Trinidad from Wales, Molly decided that she wanted to devote her life to environmental work.  She is known locally, regionally and internationally for her work in conservation and environmental education. She has been recognised internationally by the United Nations with the UNEP Global 500 Award and a UN award in 1997 which recognised only 25 women from around the world for their significant active contributions to humanitarian causes. She was also the recipient of the Humming Bird Medal of Merit in 1996.

Molly started painting at an early age and was helped and encouraged greatly by her loving parents, especially her father. She is self-taught and says that her “inspiration stems from her love for God’s work of art in people and the beauty of our natural environment.” She has also been inspired by experiences in her life, both happy and sad. Her art is influenced by none, however she has been told that her work is reminiscent of Vincent Van Gogh. People generally appreciate and respond positively to her work. She says that this is because she paints from her heart and puts all of herself into her work.She uses the medium of watercolours because she can “strive for perfection with them.” The source of her ideas and influences are watching nature and new life experiences as well as her father when she was a child. In 1982, Molly exhibited the first collection of wildlife photographs in Trinidad and Tobago at Art Creators in St Ann’s. The proceeds went to The Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust which she has developed over the years. Her most recent accolade was the induction into the Hall of Excellence in 2001 for her oustanding contribution to the Environment.
What else is in store for Molly? She said candidly: “More struggles and the ability to bring about the right kind of change.”