Anthea McGibbon is the founder of OAaSIS International Foundation.

Her vision was birthed from her own experience of abuses after she voiced art as her career path.

Anthea says her best qualifications came from experience before and after formal training. She has been a teacher and a caregiver for over 20 years, starting with her first draft to teach Sunday School, before doing successful private sessions in arts, maths, english, swimming.

AS AN ARTIST.. she was schooled at the Jamaica School of Art, now the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts. In her days ‘they made sure you were rounded – you had intense courses in all core areas of the visual arts before specialising in your final 2 years’. She also did electives in music, drama, dance

CAREERWISE:

Her internships were many and included:
writer, public relation officer with international galleries; graphic designer for several companies

Anthea has had a career of varied art expressions spanning 40 years. These expressions include photography, painting, graphic designer, fashion, model etc. Her entrepreneurial skills have been employed in the start up and operation of businesses such as children entertainment. So she has always spent time teaching those who financially challenged to attend college, and to help start up and operate their own businesses thereafter.

At the Gleaner Company mediahouse, she eventually became an art critic assisting in the promotion and exposure of Jamaican artists for over 10 years. This honed the creative writing skills taught to her by the late Professor Rex Nettleford while a student at the Edna Manley.

Somehow ‘writing and critiquing for others honed my skills as I had to face the challenge of doing my job with accuracy for all those who were counting on me – especially my employer and the Jamaican artists’

Her formal training in other areas such as law, and informal training in areas such as teaching has been crucial to her many skills she realises.

See more on her website