A LEMON FROM THE COUNTRY

In the search for Jamaican made shopping ideas, we came across some uniquely looking hand embroidered potholders. After further investigation into who manufactures these handmade souvenirs, we found ourselves on the rocky road to Gutters, in the parish of St. James, to visit Ms. Elma Thompson.

At the edge of a steep valley of luscious jungle we managed to maneuver our vehicle into the only possible parking spot on the hill in front of Ms. Elma Thompson’s house. Guiding us down a rocky path to her welcoming home with panoramic views, Ms. Elma served us a glass of chilled soursop juice before filling us in on the nitty-gritty of the sewing and embroidery trade.

The enterprise of hand embroidering pot holders, bags and detailed, handmade quilts started over 16 years ago, when a lady called Ann Mills passed on her skills to a group of interested women. Today, Ms. Elma carries on her legacy with the help of a few ladies, using the original stencils showing Jamaican fruits, vegetables, birds, flowers and other Illustrating the appliquéd bird, the words ‘Jamaican Doctor Bird’ was embroidered onto the fabric, followed by perfectly stitched bordering of the bird.

Opening her treasure chest again, Ms. Elma pulled out samples of quilt squares and proudly showed us photos of the numerous quilts the team has made over the years. “A quilt can take up to 9 months to make.” Pointing to a picture, she added; “I remember this particular one, which had countless narrow strips of cloth, which we had to assemble.”

Ms. Elma, who is obviously not afraid of hard work, declared that; “Jimmy Cliff sings “’It’s gonna be rough’, but I am a firm believer in God and know that he will work it all out for me.”

Ms. Elma’s storage cupboards, which we caught a glimpse of in passing, contain countless boxes of embroidery threads categorized by color and perfectly arranged along with stacks of canvas looking fabric. Neatly organized metal chocolate and cookie containers filled with needles, threads and other sewing essentials, fill her airy balcony that serves as the workshop.

Assisted by her husband; “T”, Ms. Elma eagerly pulled necessary items from cupboards and containers to get ready for her demonstration. Using a solution of lead and kerosene oil, she stenciled the patterns onto a thick, beige canvas before neatly cutting out the shapes of birds and fruits.

We had to leave and approached the rocky path back to the road when “T” called down from the roof: “Can you catch?” Down came a rain of huge, rough skinned lemons. “Take a lemon from the country,” Ms. Elma said. Country people in Jamaica never let you leave without a gift.

Look out for Ms. Elma’s potholders in the following shops:

Montego Bay: Rita Simpson’s in Half Moon Shopping Village, the gift shop at Royal Decameron on Gloucester Avenue, the Tortuga Rum Cake Café inReading, Island Creations at MBJ Sangster Airport, Sunset Beach Resort and Sandals Hotels. Ocho Rios: Smile in Taj Mahal Shopping Center and Goggles Gift Shop at Royal Decameron, Runaway Bay. Negril: Sunny Side Gift Shop, Hedonism and Grand Lido Hotels.

All items, including handmade quilts, can be ordered directly from Elma Thompson on tel. 833-4214.

THE ARTISTIC GIFT OF ROY BERNARD

Jamaican visual art comes in many forms; the brightly colored façade of a house, a creatively designed shop or directional sign, a lone graffiti on a city wall or country fence or colorful pieces or intuitive art in one of the island’s many art galleries. Many locals are in the possession of incredible talent, whether self taught or trained at renowned institutions such as the Edna Manley School of Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston. Some artists, though seemingly at a disadvantage, shine in their own special way. Meet exceptional painter and sculptor Roy Bernard.

BY HEIDI ZECH

Upon entering the Saba Art Gallery, I find a smartly dressed man with short hair, glasses and a million dollar smile, who is stretching out his hand in a friendly hello. A different kind of interview object, 44 year old Jamaican painter and sculptor Roy Bernard has had to learn to hear and be heard in an alternative way and we quickly establish communication through good old pen and paper and signs.

Born deaf and mute, Roy and his sister were raised in the small district of Orange near Montego Bay by their mother Yvonne. It appears that the happy, laid back country life and the setting of a small, loving family created the perfect environment for Roy to learn to live independently.

I point to a question on my note pad to find out how Roy discovered his love for art. Writes Roy, “I was a kid that always loved art.” Wanting to give her disadvantaged son a good start, mother Yvonne kept her faith strong and worked as a housekeeper in the Ironshore area to be able to send Roy to the St. Christopher’s School for the Deaf in Brown’s Town, St. Ann. From the ages of 6 to 12, Roy learned sign language and other essential subjects and discovered his talent and love for art. Luckily allowed to develop his love for art, Roy shows me his Grade 5 yearbook, pointing proudly to the line ‘Roy is very neat in his appearance and his work. He has shown exceptional ability in art’. The page also shows some of Roy’s novice sketches, revealing that he started his career as a visual artist with pencil, crayon and watercolor, painting faces, cars and buses.

At the age of 24, Roy got what he considers to be a big break. Somehow, his mother managed to send him to the Edna Manley School of the Visual Arts, where he developed his artistic skills further. A karate green belt holder, he folds his hands and looks up into the sky; his way of telling me that he is religious. In fact, after 4 years of Bible study, he is a devoted Jehovah’s Witness.

While Roy works with acrylic, oil paint is his preferred medium, although he expressed his dislike of the paint’s speak for fumes by wrinkling his nose. His style is clear and simple and sometimes bears the characteristics of cartoons, which made him the perfect artist to illustrate the walls of the ‘Kids Club’ at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Rose Hall. Painting from what he describes as a photographic memory, his works bear titles such as ‘A Day in the Field’, ‘At Sea’, ‘Coconut Vendor’ and ‘The Future’, which is a portrait of a woman holding a young baby. The artist has also painted an outstanding piece of the fastest man on Earth, Usain Bolt.

Roy expresses the fact that one of his pieces was given to the Bishop of York by the St. James Parish Council as a great honor, but his distinctive works of art themselves through exhibitions at the Retreat Guest House in Falmouth, the Tryall Club and selected art galleries.

When I ask if he is married, Roy vigorously shakes his head and points to a bare ring finger, smiling. Who would have known that this literally quiet man is a fantastic cook, not shy of doing housework and even built parts of his mother’s house all by himself? However, Roy is not satisfied with what he has achieved so far in life. He has thoughts of moving back to Kingston, so that he can advance his art to an even higher level and create a solid living. I look at him in awe, reflecting on just how much this gifted artist has been able to achieve, despite his challenges of not being able to hear and speak.

Roy’s artwork can be found at Saba Art Gallery at 3-5 Fort Street in Montego Bay, tel: 940-1011. You can reach Roy directly by sending a text message to 885-2271. heidi@jamaicatourist.net.