Ruby Bute Silk Cotton Grove Art Gallery

07/05/2026

07/02/2026

Emancipation Day | A Legacy Remembered Through Art

Today, we pause to honor the courage, resilience, and enduring spirit of those whose journey toward freedom forever shaped our history.

As we commemorate Emancipation Day, we are proud to reflect on our participation in this year's AFKA Festival, where the Lady Ruby Bute Silk Cotton Art Gallery & Estate had the privilege of curating the virtual exhibition, "Migration: Journeys of Identity, Freedom & Belonging."

Through a carefully selected collection of Lady Ruby Bute's works, each piece invited viewers to journey through the stories of movement, resilience, cultural identity, and the unbreakable human spirit that continues to define St. Martin and the wider Caribbean.

Today we revisit a few of those featured works as a reminder that art does more than preserve history,it gives it a voice, inspires dialogue, and ensures future generations never forget the sacrifices, triumphs, and dreams that brought us here.

May we continue to celebrate freedom, honor our ancestors, and carry their legacy forward with pride.

Happy Emancipation Day.

06/25/2026

Hello all I'm Jacky Vrolijk as the daughter of Lady Ruby Bute, it is my honor to personally invite you to visit The Lady Ruby Bute Migration Collection during the AFKA Festival 2026.

This special exhibition celebrates my mother's extraordinary legacy through a carefully curated collection of artwork, poetry, and cultural storytelling, reflecting the history, resilience, and spirit of St. Martin.

Thoughtfully curated by Gerline Nikisha Isaac , the exhibition offers visitors a unique journey through Lady Ruby Bute's artistic and literary legacy, inviting each guest to experience the stories, memories, and cultural heritage that continue to inspire generations.

Whether you have admired her work for many years or are discovering it for the first time, I hope you will take this opportunity to experience this remarkable collection and celebrate the enduring legacy of one of St. Martin's most treasured cultural icons.

📍 Visit the exhibition at Axum Café during the AFKA Festival
🗓 June 26–28, 2026

We look forward to welcoming you.

The Lady Ruby Bute The Migration Collection

06/20/2026

Lady Ruby Bute painted the stories of our people.

She painted our traditions.
She painted our struggles.
She painted our celebrations.
She painted us.

This June, those stories will once again come to life as the Ruby Bute Silk Cotton Grove Art Gallery joins AFKA~ Afro Karibe Festival 2026.

Through a specially curated collection of artwork, poetry, and cultural storytelling, inspired by this year's theme of Migration, the exhibition will explore the journeys, resilience, traditions, and cultural identity of the people of S'Maatin and the wider Caribbean.

With the intent for all visitors to journey through the history, heritage, and spirit of S'Maatin as seen through the eyes of one of its most treasured cultural icons.

More than an exhibition, this is an invitation to remember who we are, where we come from, and the stories that continue to shape us.

📍 Front Street, Philipsburg
📅 Friday, June 26, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM

Over the coming days, we will unveil the title of the collection and the selected works that will be featured during the festival.

The story of a people. The legacy of a nation. The vision of Lady Ruby Bute.

06/19/2026

GREAT BAY--The Ministry and the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, MECYS, Melissa Gumbs, has announced the second annual Dame Ruby Bute National Short Story Contest, inviting young writers between the ages of 12 and 14 to imagine the future of St. Maarten Carnival through storytelling, creativity and cultural pride.

This year’s contest is being held under the theme “Beats, Bytes & Bacchanal: It’s St. Maarten Carnival 2050.” The contest is being organized in collaboration with Antek, Boolchands, Klass Electronics and RBC.

For full story: https://www.thepeoplestribunesxm.com/articles/dame-ruby-bute-short-story-contest-returns-with-carnival-and-ai-theme

06/08/2026

As I stood on the beach tonight watching the sun slowly disappear beyond the horizon, I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude.

Five years ago, V.E.I.S.S. was simply an idea born from a journey that I never asked for but chose to embrace. Today, I stood surrounded by people from different backgrounds, countries, experiences, and stories, all connected by something greater than ourselves.

This weekend reminded me that healing is not always found in medicine. Sometimes it is found in conversation. Sometimes it is found in community. Sometimes it is found in being seen, heard, and accepted exactly as you are.

Our final activity was simple but powerful. We wrote down what no longer aligns with who we are becoming and released it into the bonfire. In its place, we wrote down a wish, a goal, or a dream that we are willing to work toward.

As I watched those pieces of paper disappear into the flames, I realized that growth often requires letting go. Letting go of fear. Letting go of doubt. Letting go of expectations. Letting go of the things that keep us from becoming who we were created to be.

Tonight my heart is full.

To every speaker, participant, volunteer, partner,member, supporter, friend, and family member who believed in this vision and helped bring it to life, thank you.

To my grandmother, Lady Ruby Bute, who taught me that purpose is not measured by what we gain but by what we give, thank you for keeping me grounded. I carried your spirit with me throughout the preparations prior leading to and this entire weekend.

As one chapter closes, another begins.

Tomorrow we continue with V.E.I.S.S. Vitiligo Awareness month Book Week because the work continues, the mission continues, and the love continues.

We Do Not See Color, We See Love.

With a grateful heart,

Gerline Isaac💜

06/05/2026

05/20/2026

There are moments in life that quietly take your breath away… and this was one of them.

To sit in a cinema and suddenly see Lady Ruby Bute appear on the silver screen was already emotional beyond words… but then came her voice.

That beautiful, distinct, comforting voice that so many of us knew and loved. For a moment, it felt as though time stood still. The theater disappeared and all that remained was her presence, her spirit, her art, and the memories attached to it all.

To hear her again… to witness her legacy continue to live, breathe, and inspire through film… was something truly special for all at the premiere. ✨

Legends never truly leave us. They simply find new ways to speak to the world. 💫