The artist, Aysla ten Holt, was born in the Dutch West Indies on the island of Curacao.  With her Antillean and Dutch ancestry forming an interesting pathway to her career in the arts she began her academic studies at university in Holland. After completing her studies she travelled extensively throughout Europe and North Africa performing as a singer in a musical duo influenced by her Caribbean and Latin American roots.  Soon her musical career gave way to her life-long love of the visual arts and she returned to her Curacao home and immersed herself in the local culture while she explored the mediums of pen and ink, chalk, oil and acrylic.     In the 1980’s Asyla moved to the nearby island of Bonaire where whe would work extensively with fellow artists as well as  teaching art to children in the community.  She remains well known on that island today where her coral stone flamingoes line the distinctive walkways on Kaya Grandi in Bonaire’s main village of Kralendijk.  During that time she was chosen to attend the American Student League in Manhattan and started doing portraits as well as focusing on oil painting depicting her cultural roots.  A decade later Asyla made her home again in Curacao, although she continues to be part of the Bonaire art world with frequent trips and exhibitions there.  In these most recent years she has concentrated on a very personal and imaginative expression using mixed media and creating a distinctive mosaic style in her work.    Asyla has balenced this work with an intense study of the healing arts including yoga, Shiatsu and Reiki. Also she creates healing stones. Asyla maintains close ties to the art world in the region with participation in the Caribbean Arts and Crafts shows and interaction with the island art community.  She lives in the countryside near the ocean in Curacao and can be reached through her website at www.asylatenholt.com, or by telephone at (599 9) 864-9598 or cell (599 9) 526-8813.