Davin Ebanks is a leading Caymanian artist, glass geek, flyfisher, banana-enthusiast, curator, and educator. Davin’s sculptures primarily use glass to explore his cultural history and environment through which he examines his Caymanian diasporic identity. He has won numerous awards for his art, both locally and internationally, including the Bendel Hydes Award of the 3rd Cayman Islands Biennial (2021). He is currently an Associate Professor and Head of Glass at Kent State University in Ohio, USA, and also serves as a National Gallery Board Member and Chairperson of the Collections Committee.

The magic of Cayman Art Week is that it creates vital partnerships that transition artists’ private practice into public dialogue. The expansive reach of this route connects the maritime heritage of the Brac with the immersive energy of George Town’s historic storefronts, private creative hubs, polished design studios, and social spaces. By activating these unconventional venues, this selection demonstrates how art can transform the way we experience our everyday environments. 

The strength of Cayman Art Week (CAW) is bringing together both contemporary and legacy voices in Caymanian visual art. This is the lens through which I approached charting this route. Whether traditional or contemporary, these artists push boundaries and expectations – from entire homes as a singular artwork, to intimate sketchbook-sized studies, to monumental paintings. This route’s artists demonstrate that what artists do is move and control space. They bring the outside inside, expose emotional interior spaces, and remind us that there are other perspectives than our own.

MIND’S EYE CENTRE – HISTORIC SITE & GALLERY

Let’s start at the beginning. If you haven’t yet seen this amazing site of Caymanian history, you need to. And if you have, there’s more on-site for you during CAW. Mind’s Eye Centre (or Miss Lassie’s House) is the childhood home of the intuitive artist and visionary Gladwyn K. ‘Miss Lassie’ Bush, MBE. The entire interior is painted with images from her visions; truly an amazing space. Located on the shore of South Sound, the location itself is inspiring: spendthrift blurs the horizon and the sound of the reef is in the air. Both locals and visitors will find this visit a treat.

CLAIRE AT THE BEACH AND DREADY

Speaking of stunning locations, located in the GILT building downtown, Claire Pettinati’s studio overlooks the harbour-front, providing constant inspiration for her water/cloud/light-inspired paintings. For this year’s CAW, she’s sharing the venue with Shane “Dready” Aquârt, a pillar in the Caymanian art scene whose work is imbued with humour and a clean, whimsical aesthetic. Both these artists had work in the most recent edition of the Cayman Islands Biennial. Claire’s new series uses the materiality of translucent washes of paint to suggest the quality of liquid light found in our island’s waters, while Dready’s work captures quintessential moments in Caribbean life and culture.

THE GALLERY BY JASON KENNEDY

Capturing moments is what artist Jason Kennedy does. Also a Cayman Islands Biennial Alumni, Kennedy works in a photorealistic style, blending exquisite painting technique with a lovely eye for the moment. From portraits of local fishermen and their catches, to the tangled roots of a mangrove cove, Kennedy’s paintings capture a slice of island life. For those viewers who prefer a more representational style, this is a must-see.

CHARLES LONG STUDIO

The drive toward the Pedro Castle coast in Savannah leads to the studio and showroom of another longstanding pillar of the Caymanian art world: Charles Long. With their inimitable style and iconic imagery, Long’s paintings have been one of the most in-demand artistic commodities in Cayman since the 1960’s. Typified by flattened images and bright colours, Long’s paintings are both modern and expressive, each recalling the bright spirit of the island’s outdoor environment and culture. This studio is open by appointment, so be sure to call in advance.

ISLAND HOUSE INTERIOR DESIGN

Look Closer, at Island House is a collection of intimate-sized treasures by Cameron Bridgeman, David Bridgeman, Chris Mann and Jo Austin. Bang-for-your-buck, this is a wonderful pop-up exhibit that showcases studies and small works of four (4) amazing artists, providing a unique insight into their individual creative processes. Studies have a long history in the art-world at large, often offering an entry-point for collectors who might not have the space for larger works. (You can also often get several smaller studies for the price of a single large-scale work.)

TERESA GRIMES AT KENNEDY GALLERY

Another Pop-Up exhibition of note is Teresa Grimes’ paintings at Kennedy Gallery in West Shore Plaza. Best known for her maritime and landscape paintings, Beyond the Drawn Lines marks a move into abstraction. Yet, the shoreline is not left far behind; these colourful paintings are still suggestive of the changeable light on the landscape of the island – humid mangrove interiors, a beach trail at dawn, the summer sun through the poinciana blossoms. Each painting is a poem written in colour.

GORDON SOLOMON GALLERY & STUDIO, CAYMAN BRAC

Self-taught Caymanian artist Gordon Solomon, best known for his ‘spots of light’ technique, has no formal training, yet clearly draws inspiration from artists like Seurat. Solomon’s sensitivity to colour shows that they have studied painting intensely. They also have a deep respect for the culture and traditions of the Islands. For this year’s CAW, Gordon launches The Fair Weather Project, 16 new original artworks that explore the island’s proud shipbuilding tradition and the ongoing efforts to restore and preserve this vital craft. Aside from escaping the hustle-and-bustle of Grand Cayman, Gordon’s gallery on the Brac is another excellent reason to book a ticket, and CAW is a perfect time.