Georgie // Lignum Vitae

Born in the fishing community of Treasure Beach, Georgie captained boats for most of his life. An injury to his back prevents him from going out to sea, and now Georgie now relies on his carvings to survive.

Although Georgie carves a variety of objects, his life as a fisherman continues to inform a lot of his work. Georgie carves Jamaican canoes, which resemble the traditional dug-out canoes his father used to build by hand from cotton trees. This is a practice passed down from Jamaica’s indigenous Tainos.

Georgie works with lignum vitae (wood of life), a high quality wood native to Jamaica. Nicknamed 'iron wood’ it is a labour intensive building material which requires a lot of time and energy to shape. With limited resources and tools, Georgie continues to use a completely hand-based practice of carving and whittling.

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Eighty // Crochet

Eighty taught herself to crochet at ten years old. As a young girl she slowly built up a collection of works which eventually allowed her to leave home at fourteen and provide for herself. Eighty crochets swimwear, tops, shorts, hat and skirts using colourful cottons. Over the years Eighty has created many outfits for her children, always experimenting with different styles. She prides herself on not following patterns but instead coming up with her own designs.

Eighty creates from home and sells mostly through word-of-mouth.

Bamboo King // Studio Visit

Bamboo King created his first animal head in the early 2000s, inspired by a bamboo root he dug up while collecting materials for a building project. In 2015 Bamboo King moved to a property along the beach in Annotto Bay where he established a sculpture garden using found objects collected from the beach. Stacked coal castles decorate the perimeter around his home accompanied by drift wood and animal head rods.

Bamboo King’s practice involves working with the natural forms and contours of materials so that they form a union and fit together willingly.

Merlene // To Survive

Merlene lived and worked for most of her life in Kingston but has now moved back to Oracabessa, St Mary. Everyday she visits her mother (who she calls grandmother), caring for her and making sure she’s okay.

Hard work is crucial for survival, Merlene explained to me. When you work hard you’re able to only support yourself, but also your family. This is something Merlene tells her children and grandchildren often.

Gabrielle // Roots

While exploring Constant Spring Arcade in Halfway Tree, I stumbled across Gabrielle at her workshop. A born entrepreneur, a self-taught fashion designer with a mission, ambitious, hardworking, business savvy with a contagious smile. The following day I came back with my camera. We spoke about life, work, family expectations and the importance of positive African consciousness within Jamaica.

Thank you Gabrielle for your pure light and positive energy, you’re truly inspiring!

Check out Quaint by GSC to get your hands on some of Gabrielle’s work.

St John // Craft Work

St John has been creating bead curtains for nearly 30 years. Over time he started integrating found plastics from his community such as lighters, rum bottle caps and hair beads. St John combines the colourful plastics with natural Job’s tears, a seed collected at certain times of the year from along Jamaica’s riverbanks.

Slicing his lighters up and creating vibrant zig-zagging patterns, St John's curtains reflect the sounds of deep reggae and dub which is constantly pulsating through his workshop.

Wildlife // Mermaids

Ever since he was a child Wildlife has been dreaming about mermaids. They visit him regularly. Sometimes a single female, sometimes a whole family of them. Wildlife has never met a mermaid but he’s on a mission. When dark comes he takes his goggles and flippers and dives in Port Antonio Harbour. The bigger fish are sleeping so he told me it feels safer to explore by night.

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