Caribbean Brushstrokes

18/09/2026

What can two artists teach us about an island we think we know?

At the opening of “…Of Barbados,” Dr Thérèse Hadchity explored what makes Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser such distinctive voices in Barbadian art.

She described Sir Henry’s delicate watercolours as “haiku poems about the Barbadian landscape.” His coastlines, breaking waves and verdant fields capture fleeting moments with a timeless, meditative quality.

She also noted a fascinating tension: as a heritage advocate, he seeks to preserve; as a painter, he is drawn to changing light and atmosphere. His work holds both the passing moment and the desire to keep something from disappearing.

Arthur’s Barbados unfolds through many visual languages: folklore, photo-based collage, hyper-realist still lifes and beloved island scenery. Dr Hadchity playfully suggested that nowhere becomes quintessentially Barbadian UNTIL Arthur has painted it!

Yet there are surprises. She drew attention to a few works in this exhibition where Arthur leaves things less resolved, inviting us to spend time with the questions.

Beyond the canvas, their influence runs deeper.

In Sir Henry’s life across medicine, scholarship, heritage and art, she recognised the true spirit of a renaissance man: proof that creativity and scientific reasoning can enrich one another.

Recalling Arthur’s visits to other artists’ exhibitions during the Zemicon era, she described them as lessons in learning to see. His understanding of visual logic, and determination to master different visual languages, opened new ways of looking.

Her reflections leave us with a compelling invitation: there is always more to see—and more than one way to see it.

Come discover the Barbados you recognise, and the details you have yet to notice.

📍 Caribbean Brushstrokes
🗓 “…Of Barbados” continues through October 9, 2026
🎨 Artists’ Talk: Saturday, September 26 | 2–4 pm

(Photo by Elle Rene)

17/09/2026

The morning brought rain. The evening brought a room full of love for Bim. ✨

Last night, “…Of Barbados” opened to a wonderful buzz of conversation, with Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser in their element—chatting with guests and sharing the island they have spent a lifetime painting. Both now in their eighties, both painting since boyhood, and still finding so much to say.

Across watercolours, acrylics and mixed media, Barbados unfolded: the bustle of Swan Street, quiet churches, sweeping seascapes, glorious foliage and birds’ nests. Even abandoned buildings held their place in the story. Together, these works are a love letter to Bim, written through two distinct and deeply affectionate ways of seeing.

Dr Thérèse Hadchity’s opening remarks explored their practices and the abiding love for Barbados that runs through their art, while Sir Henry spoke on behalf of the artists.

Thank you to Stade's West Indies Rum for the rum cocktails, Evolve Barbados for their natural, sugar-free juices, and everyone who joined us at Caribbean Brushstrokes. You brought the warmth, curiosity and conversation that made the evening so special.

Missed opening night? “…Of Barbados” runs until October 9, 2026, at Caribbean Brushstrokes. Come discover the Barbados you know—and the details you may have passed by. 🇧🇧

(Photos by Elle Rene)

16/09/2026

The wait is over. Tonight, Barbados takes centre stage. ✨

Two artists. One island. A lifetime of looking closer.

Join us for the opening of “…Of Barbados”, featuring the works of Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser—two distinctive artistic perspectives shaped by a deep affection for the island we call home.

Come for the art. Stay for the conversation. Discover a Barbados that feels familiar, yet invites you to look again.

📍 Caribbean Brushstrokes, Building 1, Pelican Island, Bridgetown, St.Michael
🗓️ Tonight, Wednesday, September 16 | 6:30 p.m.

Bring an art-loving friend. Let’s make it an evening to remember!

15/09/2026

What makes an artist completely change the way he paints?

For Arthur Atkinson, an unexpected encounter in a New York gallery brought his journey into abstraction to a sudden turning point. Back in Barbados, he painted a super-realistic portrait—and discovered that years of loose, expressive brushwork had given him a command of paint he hadn’t possessed before.

Sometimes, an artist’s earlier experiments reveal their value in surprising ways.

Arthur’s curiosity began much closer to home. Growing up on Carlisle Bay, with a father who built and repaired boats, he developed an affection for Barbados that deepened through their Sunday drives around the island. Later, Saturday morning paint-outs with Goldie Spieler opened his eyes to how free and fluid watercolour could be.

That spirit of discovery continues through his explorations of photography, collage, acrylic and charcoal. His work invites us to look more closely at an island we may think we already know.

What did he encounter in that New York gallery? And how have these experiences shaped the artist he is today? There’s more to hear from Arthur himself.

Discover the work in “…Of Barbados”, then join Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser for the stories and conversations behind it.

📍 Caribbean Brushstrokes
✨ Exhibition opening: September 16, 6:30 pm
🎨 Artists’ Talk: September 26, 2–4 pm

14/09/2026

It began with a coconut tree, drawn at four years old. A lifetime later, Sir Henry Fraser is still answering the urge to paint.

Between the demands of medicine and science, art has remained a constant: a way to capture the places he loves and the feelings they awaken.

In Mammee River, Jamaica, watercolour evokes the cool hush of a gentle river in a shady valley. In Eastmont House, expressive washes give way to intricate penwork, recording architectural details worth pausing over. Look closely: there’s a barrel-vaulted hurricane shelter on the left!

One invites you to feel a place. The other invites you to discover its stories. Both reveal an artist whose love of nature and buildings runs deep.

This week, discover his world in “…Of Barbados”, featuring Sir Henry Fraser and Arthur Atkinson.

Join us for the opening at Caribbean Brushstrokes, Wednesday, September 16, at 6:30 pm. Come for the paintings. Stay for the details. ✨

11/09/2026

The works have arrived. The anticipation is something else.

Arthur’s and Sir Henry’s works are here, and with each piece, “… Of Barbados” draws a little closer. For now, a glimpse behind the scenes. Soon, the full story.

Join us on September 16 at 6:30 pm at Caribbean Brushstrokes as Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser’s Barbados comes into view.

The countdown is on. ✨

10/09/2026

A special delivery. A little closer to opening night. 🎨🇧🇧

Sir Henry brings some of his works to Caribbean Brushstrokes as we prepare for “…Of Barbados”, featuring the art of Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser.

Behind every exhibition are moments like these—the artist, the work, and the anticipation of sharing it with you.

Join us Wednesday, September 16, at 6:30 p.m. and discover Barbados through their eyes.

09/09/2026

ARTIST HIGHLIGHT | PROFESSOR EMERITUS SIR HENRY FRASER

Few lives bridge art, medicine, history and public service as seamlessly as that of Sir Henry Fraser.

A physician, educator, author, architectural historian, broadcaster and artist, Sir Henry’s contribution to Barbados has been both wide-ranging and deeply rooted in place. As a landscape expressionist, his work reflects a lifelong fascination with the island’s architecture, coastlines, historic spaces and natural beauty.

Alongside an extraordinary academic and medical career, he has exhibited as an artist for decades, including a one-man show at London’s Langton Gallery in 1976, followed by exhibitions at Talma Mill, Pelican Gallery, Queen’s Park Gallery and Gallery of Caribbean Art.

His parallel careers have continually met at one point: Barbados — its heritage, its stories, its landscape and its identity.

This September, experience the work of Sir Henry Fraser alongside Arthur Atkinson in “… Of Barbados” at Caribbean Brushstrokes.

Opening: Wednesday, September 16 | 6:30 PM
Artists’ Talk: Saturday, September 26 | 2–4 PM
Exhibition closes: October 9

07/09/2026

ARTIST HIGHLIGHT | ARTHUR ATKINSON

For more than half a century, Arthur Atkinson has looked to Barbados for inspiration.

Exhibiting since 1968, Atkinson’s work has continually evolved—from representation to abstraction, super realism and later, a distinctive stylised approach rooted in Bajan folk characters and social commentary. Yet through every shift in style, one constant has remained: Barbados and things Bajan.

Working primarily in acrylic and watercolour, Atkinson describes painting as a space of personal freedom—an opportunity to create, experiment and satisfy his own artistic curiosity.

Across his remarkable career, he has mounted 12 solo exhibitions, partnered in five exhibitions and participated in more than 25 major national and international exhibitions, with his work shown across the Caribbean and as far afield as Cuba, Japan, London, Miami, Paris, São Paulo and Washington.

In 2008, his contribution to Barbadian visual culture was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Visual Arts and a retrospective exhibition.

This September, discover the work and enduring vision of Arthur Atkinson in “… Of Barbados”, alongside fellow Barbadian artist Henry Fraser, at Caribbean Brushstrokes.

Opening: Wednesday, September 16 | 6:30 PM
Artists’ Talk: Saturday, September 26 | 2–4 PM
Exhibition closes: October 9

03/09/2026

Caribbean Brushstrokes is proud to present “…Of Barbados” — The Art of Arthur Atkinson and Sir Henry Fraser, bringing together two distinguished Barbadian artists whose work has been deeply shaped by the island they call home.

Arthur Atkinson has been exhibiting since 1968, moving boldly through representation, abstraction, super realism and stylised social commentary while consistently returning to Barbados and things Bajan for inspiration. With exhibitions across the Caribbean and internationally, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Visual Arts in 2008.

Sir Henry Fraser brings an equally extraordinary perspective. Physician, author, architectural historian, broadcaster and artist, his expressive landscapes and studies of Barbados sit alongside a lifetime devoted to documenting and protecting the island’s heritage. A former President of the Barbados National Trust, he was knighted in 2014.

Together, their work offers more than views of Barbados. It is Barbados observed, remembered, interpreted and preserved through two remarkable artistic lives.

Opening Night: Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30pm
Meet the Artists: Saturday, September 26 | 2–4pm
Closing Date: Friday, October 9
📍 Caribbean Brushstrokes, Building 1, Pelican Village, St.Michael

A space where creativity thrives, stories are told, and culture comes alive. With exhibitions, artist talks, and intimate events, we invite you to see art as a gateway to meaning and connection.

Welcome to a gallery like no other…