Waterlilies This painting of waterlilies, in acrylic on canvas 18x18", was part of a small exhibition held at the Mill Reef Club in Antigua in February 2015. Five artists took part, including my Antiguan friends painter & sculptor Sallie Harker and potter Sarah Fuller. It was just for an afternoon, and 10% of the proceeds from sales went to the local dog shelter, PAAWS, and was organized by fellow dog-lover Bettina Stelle. The inspiration for this piece on waterlilies came from my friend Carrie's beautiful garden, where she has a lovely lily pond in an old copper. Coppers were used way back in the sugar industry when the economy of Antigua, like so many other islands in the Caribbean, relied on sugar cane production (the proceeds of which contributed largely to paying for the Napoleonic wars in Europe, but that's another story!). These days many of them are highly decorative lily ponds and their scarcity makes them very much in demand. The painting caught the eye of a couple of visitors to Mill Reef, who hesitated between this painting and another, a watercolor. But as the waterlilies had more meaning for them, as they also had a lily pond, and were something they could relate to, they contacted me after the event upon their return to Florida, and said they had to have it. They received it safely via FedEx and were delighted with it (despite an unfortunate minor mix-up regarding speed of delivery...).   Waterlilies framed I am delighted to say that the frame they chose sets the painting off perfectly. The colors and texture are exactly right for the waterlilies. I think that the way that a painting is [...]

The Inaugural Meeting of the Dogs and Cats of Antigua The dogs and cats of Antigua is actually the name of a newly-formed group for the prevention of cruelty to dogs and cats on our island and their protection where possible (neutering etc). Fortunately there are quite a few of us dog and cat lovers ( I myself own five dogs, three of which are rescue dogs) actively promoting this worthy cause. The first meeting of the members of the group prompted one of my friends, Clare, to suggest that a cartoon had come to her mind...and the drawing here of the Inaugural Meeting of the Dogs and Cats of Antigua was born! I am donating the framed original to the group for a fund-raising auction. We are also producing a limited edition series of prints, signed and numbered 1-50, mounted in a standard frame size (11x14" 28x35cm) which are retailing at $US 50 each, and a series of greetings cards of the same image, blank inside, with envelope, which are $US 5 each. All proceeds will naturally go to the dogs and cats of Antigua (email me at gillygobinet@me.com).   Scout, Fiver, Ladybird & Felonius Meanwhile I am continuing with my series of small original watercolors of other dogs and cats of Antigua (8x10" 20x25cm, mounted 11x14" 28x35cm standard frame size). The one with the two dogs and cats was done for my dear friends Dee and Ed, who are nuts about their dogs Scout and Fiver and their cats Ladybird and Felonius. The others, in the same loose style, show dogs and cats enjoying Antiguan sunsets; they are of two cats together, one single cat and one single dog. [...]

Mural at Papa Zouk, Antigua I have just completed a hefty rum & fish mural at Papa Zouk - the best rum shop in Antigua. Founded many years ago by the unlikely combination of two Germans, it is today even more popular having survived a recent fire that nearly demolished the original premises. Run by Bert Kirschner and his wife Faye, I first featured this little rum shop in my Cool Caribbean Cocktail Book in 2007 with its recipe for P'tit Punch, its delicious if rather lethal signature cocktail. Papa Zouk also serves amazing whole grilled snapper and a variety of other fish dishes including my favorite, the bouillabaisse soup. The meal can be nicely rounded off with a taste or two from Bert's wide selection of rums.   Papa Zouk off Dicknson Bay Street, St John's, Antigua The decor is simple but comfortable, the theme being fish and rum related. The tablecloths are made from the vibrant Antiguan madras cotton and there is the original gravel on the ground in the first section of the rum shop itself. There are five communal tables and a section of small tables for couples, and the atmosphere is always very friendly and buzzing....reservations are definitely recommended! The rebuilding  after the fire took place just over the last month or so and in order to replace a fish market scene that they had cherished, Bert and Faye asked me to paint a mural, incorporating the details of their lost painting. Fish and rum were naturally the main ingredients of this new image, which I enjoyed doing whilst listening to the zouk music that features here every night. Tired but happy after finishing this rather [...]

This is a series of small Caribbean watercolors on Arches or Lanaquarelle acid-free paper. In them, I try to capture various aspects of the fauna and flora that surround me here in Antigua. The tiny jewel-like humming birds, the numerous and chatty yellow-breasted bananaquits and the stately brown pelicans on the Caribbean Sea are examples of the tropical birds I see every day.The bananaquits are pictured with hibiscus and bougainvillea, typical of this island. The humming bird hovers next to allamanda.Orchids are very much considered tropical blooms and grow well in the Caribbean; I absolutely love them (even though I don't seem very good at taking care of them!).The small Caribbean watercolors themselves are all approximately 8x10" or 20x25cm; they are also available mounted 11x14" or 28x36cm with a double white acid-free mat - which is a standard frame size.The brightly-colored transparent watercolors are the ideal medium for tropical scenery and the Caribbean in general and Antigua in particular.

Wedding fun featuring a forester and a surfer! Wedding Fun Wedding fun was on the agenda of Kate & Dotty's wedding plans. The wedding was to take place in July at the Magdalen Centre, Chard, Somerset (in England). This is an idyllic countryside retreat (or  holiday centre) which also incorporates a working organic farm. The theme was fun and relaxation, so Kate and Dotty wanted to include some games and fun items. One of these was the board shown here which I painted for them in acrylic just before the event. Kate is a forester for the Welsh National Trust, whose t-shirt is depicted as well as the chain saw she uses to cut down  & trim trees. The protective clothing - heavy boots, thick trousers (pants) and gloves are also featured.  Pine trees make up the background with a few bemused Welsh sheep in the foreground. Dotty's job did not lend itself to wedding fun,  so she chose windsurfing, which she loves. The rash guard and bright board shorts typify her personality, with the white-capped sea in the background.The lobster clutching the surf board line is included because "a lobster mates for life"! (" The Lobster" is also Kate's pet name for Dotty...). The wedding guests were delighted with the choice of games and many posed with their faces in this board. The wedding was a great success, lasting three days. The weather was glorious and the food and company excellent. We drank amazing organic wine and danced to music old and new. We all had wedding fun!   Rescue cat Eli and his portrait! Wedding Present For their wedding present, I painted a portrait of their lovely rescue cat, [...]

Polo Caribbean-style on Charlie Polo:  Caribbean-style Polo was part of my life from the age of three to twelve. I enjoyed my weekly ride on one of Billy Walsh's polo ponies. He owned The Equestrian Club (close to the famous Ham playing field near London, England). Over 30 years later I once again enjoyed the instant canter from a walk at the squeeze of the knees. This time it was  on one of Howard Boulton's ponies in Venezuela. The Venezuelan ponies are small & nifty, like the Argentinian ones that Billy Walsh liked so much. Here in Antigua, where I now live, there are no polo ponies.  However,  there is an active polo season on the Caribbean islands of Santo Domingo, Barbados and Jamaica (which boasts one of the oldest polo fields in the world, founded in 1892). Polo is still very popular on these islands and competition remains fierce despite the considerable expenses involved in this somewhat elite sport. It is, however, wonderful to watch and is an occasion to dress up - particularly for female spectators - although a pair of flat-soled shoes is required for treading in the divots when required! This watercolour painting (12x16” 31x41cm) depicts a Jamaican polo player on his nifty pony Charlie: polo Caribbean style. It was commissioned by a friend as a birthday present for the “man who has everything”!