The "A New Artist At LDub's 'Beach House'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished matting and putting a frame on our latest piece of artwork we have added to our collection.  For years Carol and I have tried to purchase a piece of artwork when we travel on vacation.  A few batik prints, a ragu bowl, a ceramic rattle, acrylic painted feathers, oil painting on bark and coconut shells, basketry, gyotaku fish prints, a multitude of watercolors, wood carvings jewelry and stained as well as fused glass.  The artwork comes from artist as far away as Italy and as close as the Chesapeake Bay.  Artist's names such as Lisa, Francis, Minguet, Elliott, McKeown, Humf, Richardson, Romy, Malnic, Casda, Miki, Frenchy, Sobot, Heltie, Erickson, Reece, and Chapon all grace the walls, windows and shelves in our house.  That's why when we neared the end of our vacation to the Bahamas without a piece of artwork we became worried.  Then, on our last trip to the city of Nassau we found a few streets lined with tables and easels of artwork.  

One local artist, Tiffany Barrett, caught our eye.  We loved her vibrant colors which she used in her batiks.  Tiff, as she likes to be called, was born in Nassau and was introduced to art at the age of 8 at St. Andrews School.  She is a self-taught batik artist using her island experiences to inspire her in her artwork.  On the rear of the piece we bought from her is a story about her where she says, Batik has both brilliance and subtlety of color and you're manipulating two mediums, wax and dye, to produce layers and textures.  Because of the permanence of the art form, it requires a level of commitment and a need for planning and patience.  The paper print we purchased of one of her underwater batiks will soon find a place on one of the walls in our "Beach House."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Our new print.