For the past few years David Boothman has undertaken the task of painting a series of portraits of our cultural icons who have passed away. The selection which includes Lord Kitchener, Beryl Mc Burnie, Ras Shorty I and 17 other artists of varied disciplines, was exhibited at the National Museum of Trinidad and Tobago in 2001.

Boothman's Heritage Collection pays homage to artists who have passed away and have contributed immensely to the culture of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean, Their lives and work embody the collective spirit that defines the identity and culture of the people. He dedicates this growing collection to the memory of these artists who were his friends and colleagues.

He said: "Since 1995 I had started this auspicious and necessary project. This is just the beginning. There is more to be done and investment made as our cultural icons and engineers pass, leaving behind their work, an intrinsic part of the canvas of our identity."

Boothman, a celebrated artist/musician from Trinidad and Tobago, has been involved in the arts for over 35 years. He has performed at international jazz and Caribbean music festivals. Boothman is founder of Caribbean Art Jazz Ensemble (CAJE) and founder/director of Caribbean Arts Central. An accomplished visual artist and government scholar, he is an Honours Graduate of Pratt Institute in New York. As a composer, artist, musician and educator, he has received numerous awards for arts-in-education, and multi-media art productions in Trinidad and the US. Boothman has written and produced soundtracks for documentaries, composed jingles and has performed and recorded with leading Caribbean-performing artists. His paintings have been exhibited at the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum, OAS, the National Museum of Trinidad and Tobago and the African American Museum in Dallas, Texas as well as international corporate buildings in Europe and Latin America. His works have been published in several publications including the Musical America International Directory of the Performing Arts annually and the International Review of African American Art.

Boothman comes from a multi-talented family of artists. His brothers Michael and Roger are also fine artists and musicians. Their internationally renowned uncles, Boscoe and Geoffrey Holder have brought Caribbean art to the world through painting, music and dance since the early 1940's.

Boothman's work in the fields of arts, education, and performance qualifies him as a cultural engineer, creating and bridging traditional and contemporary cultural modalities towards the refinement of the Caribbean identity. He is considered to be the 'Artists' Artist'. Boothman views his artistic work as a ministry. Although his works celebrate his Caribbean heritage with his Carnival and Bele series, he weaves between three distinct styles and themes. He is as at ease with formal abstraction as in his paintings.