A historic landmark and major tourist attraction that educates visitors on Jamaica’s rich past, The Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay is also home to Dean and Sheldon Watson, a father-son team of wood carvers that has produced outstanding, 100% Jamaican carvings for many, many years. If you are on the hunt for authentic island art, be sure to visit the Rose Hall Great House to have a look at their outstanding pieces.
The legend surrounding Annie Palmer, known locally as “The White Witch”, is an important part of the island’s history which incorporates all the elements of a captivating novel: a beautiful heroine, unrequited love, black magic and revenge.
Built in 1770 by plantation owner John Palmer and his wife Rosa, this landmark is set in a gracious old plantation tucked amidst the green hills of Rose Hall. One of the most important Great Houses on the island, most tourists pay a visit to this attraction to travel back in time and learn about the island’s rich history. The fascinating tour of the mansion ends at Annie’s grave, but don’t let the ghost scare you from visiting with the outstanding, resident artists.
You will quickly notice the fine craftsmanship and attention to detail, which make Dean’s and Sheldon’s pieces of art some of the most outstanding on the island. Real Jamaican woodcarvings produced by the duo include countless motifs and designs, including fishes, eagles, turtles, people, fruits, cats and dogs.
Dean, who is the son of a carver, was born and raised near Cinnamon Hill in Rose Hall. Like most children who don’t listen to their parents, he was not interested in his father’s trade at first. It took the influence of friends to get Dean interested in learning the trade and become a real professional carver. “My first piece was a small owl and after a while, I came to love carving,” recalls Dean who became the first artist to showcase his work at the Rose Hall Great House about 20 years ago. He remembers, “My stepfather worked for Mrs. Rollins at Rose Hall Developments and that is how I got to come to the Great House.”
Today, Dean and the 30 year old Sheldon make a fantastic father-son team. Says Dean, “Sheldon has been under my guidance since he was three years old and has learned to love the trade like I do.” The carver is proud of the fact that all his 5 children are artistic. Sheldon, he explains, is excellent at drawing sketches when custom pieces are ordered.
“When I was eleven, I started to play around with the chisel,” says Sheldon, who has since developed into a very talented carver. His father whispers with a smile that his son’s skills may even have surpassed his own. One of Sheldon’s artsy creations, a palm with a flower and a Doctor Bird, was even presented to Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain during her 2009 Royal visit to the island.
With cedar wood as his favorite medium, Dean enjoys creating fish the most, coincidentally, their best selling item. “People have called me from New York, Tennessee and other far-away places to order pieces,” says Dean proudly.
Ten years ago, when the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort & Spa opened, Mrs. Rollins asked Dean to branch out to the new hotel, where he currently spends six days a week. Sheldon remains based at the Great House, where he showcases a great array of carving, self-made bead necklaces, bracelets and cute little flip-flop key rings.
Look for Dean close to the beach at the Ritz-Carlton in Rose Hall from Sunday to Friday or call him on tel. 489-6672 to place orders. Sheldon is at the Rose Hall Great House every day except Tuesdays or on tel. 436-5535. The Great House is open for guided tours daily from 9:15 am with the last tour at 5:15 pm. Tel: 953-2323.
The legend surrounding Annie Palmer, known locally as “The White Witch”, is an important part of the island’s history which incorporates all the elements of a captivating novel: a beautiful heroine, unrequited love, black magic and revenge.
Built in 1770 by plantation owner John Palmer and his wife Rosa, this landmark is set in a gracious old plantation tucked amidst the green hills of Rose Hall. One of the most important Great Houses on the island, most tourists pay a visit to this attraction to travel back in time and learn about the island’s rich history. The fascinating tour of the mansion ends at Annie’s grave, but don’t let the ghost scare you from visiting with the outstanding, resident artists.
You will quickly notice the fine craftsmanship and attention to detail, which make Dean’s and Sheldon’s pieces of art some of the most outstanding on the island. Real Jamaican woodcarvings produced by the duo include countless motifs and designs, including fishes, eagles, turtles, people, fruits, cats and dogs.
Dean, who is the son of a carver, was born and raised near Cinnamon Hill in Rose Hall. Like most children who don’t listen to their parents, he was not interested in his father’s trade at first. It took the influence of friends to get Dean interested in learning the trade and become a real professional carver. “My first piece was a small owl and after a while, I came to love carving,” recalls Dean who became the first artist to showcase his work at the Rose Hall Great House about 20 years ago. He remembers, “My stepfather worked for Mrs. Rollins at Rose Hall Developments and that is how I got to come to the Great House.”
Today, Dean and the 30 year old Sheldon make a fantastic father-son team. Says Dean, “Sheldon has been under my guidance since he was three years old and has learned to love the trade like I do.” The carver is proud of the fact that all his 5 children are artistic. Sheldon, he explains, is excellent at drawing sketches when custom pieces are ordered.
“When I was eleven, I started to play around with the chisel,” says Sheldon, who has since developed into a very talented carver. His father whispers with a smile that his son’s skills may even have surpassed his own. One of Sheldon’s artsy creations, a palm with a flower and a Doctor Bird, was even presented to Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain during her 2009 Royal visit to the island.
With cedar wood as his favorite medium, Dean enjoys creating fish the most, coincidentally, their best selling item. “People have called me from New York, Tennessee and other far-away places to order pieces,” says Dean proudly.
Ten years ago, when the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort & Spa opened, Mrs. Rollins asked Dean to branch out to the new hotel, where he currently spends six days a week. Sheldon remains based at the Great House, where he showcases a great array of carving, self-made bead necklaces, bracelets and cute little flip-flop key rings.
Look for Dean close to the beach at the Ritz-Carlton in Rose Hall from Sunday to Friday or call him on tel. 489-6672 to place orders. Sheldon is at the Rose Hall Great House every day except Tuesdays or on tel. 436-5535. The Great House is open for guided tours daily from 9:15 am with the last tour at 5:15 pm. Tel: 953-2323.
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