Artists of Abaco / Abaco Art by those who live there and those who wish they did.

Abaco Art
by Artists who live there and those who wish they did.
From Sandy Estabrook’s Guide to the Abacos, Bahamas
For quick access to this site, just remember AbacoArtists.com

We have eliminated click to enlarge pictures, on this page,
as often the artist's website provides that service. Where possible, links to their website are provided.

Here, Phil Capen captures the island spirit as he should with property on Green Turtle Cay. - Giclees and offset prints.

Trip Harrison is another Abaconian wannabe. With time spent on Man-O-War and at Hope Town, Tripp quite simply fell in love with the Abacos like so many of us. - Giclees and offset prints.

Hope Town and its environs. Three oils by impressionist Karen Hewitt Hagan. Karen lives with her husband aboard their boat splitting their time between southern coastal towns and the Bahamas while putting their reflections to canvas.

These lovely feathery watercolors are by Brigitte Bowyer Carey who’s Studio is on Tiloo Cay (by apt only). Her pictures are displayed at the the H.T.H.L and A.I. and the Conch Pearl Art Gallery (Water Colour)

Jonathan Bethel is a Nassau born Bahamian. But it was while at college at Clemson Univ, away from home for the first time, that Jonathan really developed his appreciation and love for the beauty of the Bahamas. which he captures in his work (acrylic on canvas).

Shattered bottles and glass buoys have been smoothed and polished after years of tumbling through the surf and sand and are the main ingredient of these creations by Marlee Mason of Silver Moon Designs

D. Michael Adams left Colorado and settled in his home/studio Oceansong on Guana Cay which provides inspiration for his work in multiple mediums. A few of his sculptures are shown here which are
on display at Conch Pearl Galleries.

A few of the postage stamps created by Alton Lowe,

Once a week, at Pete's Gallery's Foundry a casting is open
to the public, Here is one from his "Old Man in the Sea" series.

I must preface my remarks by saying I’m not an artist. I’d describe myself as an Island Hopper who fell in love with the Abacos. This no doubt has happened to scores of others. The Abaconian geography, its waters, wild life, people, colorful homes and settlements, are the stuff of art - an inspiration for the craft. Colorful seaglass having been tossed about for years inspire artisans in the craft of making jewelry. Still others, the descendants of the early Abaco boat builders, have taken to woodworking and carving models of their pioneering boats along with other wooden sculpture.

The purpose of this page is to bring to your attention a few of the artisans who have captured the élan of these islands. Some of the artists were born and raised in the Abacos like Alton Lowe of Green Turtle Cay and the bronze sculptor Pete Johnston who's father, a Canadian, was ship wrecked in the Abacos in the 60’s in Little Harbour where he settled and Pete still lives continuing in his father tradition only adding gold jewelry to his repertoire and aided by his two sons who have recently come aboard.

Still other artists have come to live in Abaco fell in love and settled in the Abacos adding a studio to their home. Many visit and return seasonally to capture its beauty in oil or water color adding new impressions to their medium of choice. Some of the latter group even make their home afloat.

Many have their own website. Others are represented by galleries. And a good many of the artists shown here belong to the Abaco Art Guild whose purpose is to bring awareness to the Abaconian Community of Artists. They are working on putting together a directory. You might want to check with them from time to time.

This web page is intended to foster all the aforementioned, those who live or spend a fair amount of time in the Abacos. This includes Non-Bahamian citizens with work permit to show and sell their work. Artists who just come to town with a "box of goods to leave at outlets" and return home are not shown here. That said, there are two non Abaconian atrtists, Phil Capen and Tripp Harrison that are the exception due to their commercial popularity. Their litho and giclce reproductions are widely distributed in stateside art stores, frame shops and decorating outlets. A couple are shown at the left.

Art shows pop up all the time in the Abacos. The Most widely recognized art show is the Annual Abaco Beach Resort Art Festival, generally the last weekend of January or first weekend of February. The Hope Town Harbour Lodge show is always the Friday after Thanksgiving with the Abaco Inn hosting their show just around Easter time. These shows are the "gold standard" for artists in Abaco. Heritage Days in Green Turtle Cay (late May) also offers an annual art and craft show. And finally another event that comes to mind is at the Green Turtle Club during mid March where a percentage of the proceeds at that event go to Abaco Cancer Society. For other events check with the Abaco Art Guild or the online pages of the Abaconian or inquire at one of the two Abaco forums (Forum), (Board). Chances are there will be one going on when during your visit.

Not all of the artists mentioned here provide a website for further perusal. A case in point is the classically trained Abaconian artist of Green Turtle Cay, Alton Lowe. (Paintings above and below.) He is the son of boat builder and museum founder Albert Lowe. Since he has no web presence of his own, you’ll just have to stop by his gallery outside of New Plymouth and housed in his lovely home set on a hill at the end of Black Sound. On the grounds is a small amphitheater for the performing ensembles that pass through a couple times a year. Alton work can be found world wide. He has even been called upon by the Bahamian Government for his artistry in the creation of a series of postage stamps. The same applies to Alton's wood carving brother, Vertrum Lowe, who followed in his father's footsteps and continues to keep the model boat tradition alive. He also has a shop in New Plymouth.

Most folks visiting the Abacos usually pass through Marsh Harbour so be sure to visit the galleries most of which feature one or more of the artists on this page. There are three namely, 1) The Conch Pearl Galleries for Bahamian art, sculpture, wood working, fine jewelry including that made of the elusive conch pearl. 2) Blue Sky Gallery featuring many local artists and fine craft. And the largest gallery 3) Wrackers Art Gallery located at Boat Harbour.

November of ‘06, I came across Kim Rody, (Pictures Above). She lives on her boat Orion in Hope Town in the winter, and travels in the summer. Her paintings and giclees are found in hotel lobbies in the Bahamas and Florida. Look for her work is shops in Marsh Harbour, Hope Town, Green Turtle, or go to her Website.

Bob Zwickel. An artist I discovered on my Spring ‘05 trip. He is self taught and a self described renaissance artist, sculptor, designer-photographer. He is also a Little Harbour resident where he offers workshops. But rather than duplicate his biography here, why not go to his website. Above are a few of his works.

Another local artist is Marjolein Scott whose medium of choice is watercolour on silk. She lives on the Island of Abaco and goes by the pen name Barefoot Contessa. There is much more to the Contessa's art than can be said here. So check out her website.

Finally, as mentioned, in the Abacos they are numerous attists who work with wood. During spring of 2007 while in Hope Town, we had the pleasure of meeting Perrec Petry. He took us to his studio where we saw some of the above pieces in their embryonic stages. His commissioned works are found world wide. In addition to Mr. Petry, Man-O-War has their own resident master of wood carving. You might even find him in his store, and that would be Joe Albury who's been selling his handcrafted items for years. One thing we found out; all Abaco wood working is done on local hardwood or an occasional piece of driftwood. There are still other artisans who specialize in "wood turning" and whose work you can find at one of the galleries or gift shops.

Here are just a few of the bronzes from Pete Johnston's Gallery in Little Harbour. Pete also designs and fashions gold jewelry some of which can bee seen on his website. Finally, also on display in the gallery are some of the origonal works of his father Randolph including his famous "Nine Ages of Man".