THE CARIBBEAN & SOUTHERN WATERS > Caribbean Arts The Caribbean is an art and artisan lover’s paradise. The hot sunlit hues, fragrant foliage and surrounding seas inspire everyone from painters to craftsmen who create body lotions, botanic edibles and model boats from local materials. Here is a sampling of eight artists and their treasures worth the hunt: & Artisans to Treasure BY CAROL BAREUTHER
BILLFISH PAINTINGS by Carey Chen Paintings of blue marlin so real that the fish seem alive and fighting is what has made Jamaican-born artist Carey Chen famous. While there are hundreds of wildlife artists, Chen is one of an exclusive few known for his marine art, specifically billfish, with anatomical details and amazing depictions using
acrylics on canvas that are correct, highly collectible, and sought out by celebrities and everyday customers. “You have to be both a fisherman and an artist,” says Chen, who worked as a mate on sport fishing boats out of Kingston as a teenager. His big break came when organizers of Puerto Rico’s
Club Nautico de San Juan invited him to be the featured artist for their prestigious International Billfish Tournament. This set off up to 30 tournament invitations annually in the Caribbean and around the world where Chen produces event T-shirt designs and fine-art paintings auc- tioned to benefit marine conservation. His marlin art has recently expanded to clothing and beverage labels. (careychen.com)
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