Some art is useful, sophisticated yet accessible, and available to anyone who passes by. The new outside wall at the (very yummy) Mexican restaurant Cafe Sol across the street from where I live in St Lawrence Gap in Barbados is an example of such art.
I’ve been watching the progression of work on the wall …
I love Cafe Sol because it’s lively without being obnoxious, has friendly waitresses, a great people-watching location, and two-for-one happy hour with about a dozen different flavors of margaritas, and great food. (Their Bico rum raisin ice cream topped with liqueur is responsible for and totally worth an extra half inch around my hips.)
Just as Cafe Sol is a Barbados institution, so is Earthworks. No one doesn’t like Earthworks’ colorful earthen pottery. I bet ‘most every home in Barbados has at least one piece of Earthworks pottery, if not whole dish sets. Guests to our island take home a piece of Earthworks as a fond reminder of their Barbados holiday.
Combine Cafe Sol and Earthworks and some imagination and you get something very special: a wall that is itself a piece of art.
Cafe Sol owner Mark Cothran used broken pieces of Earthworks pottery in his Little Arches hotel and then started buying matching pieces of Earthworks pottery to use for the outdoor wall at Cafe Sol. (Mr Cothran also owns McBride’s on St Lawrence Gap.)
Cafe Sol is one of my favorites, one of the best on the Island and Earthworks is a great visit. We buy each time we visit. The shop next to it is great as well.
Perhaps you should walk the long way to Cafe Sol to remove the extra muscle build up on your hips; you did say muscle?
Hardy har har. Right, Stephen. Muscle. That’s my story and if you never meet me you’ll never know that I just might be lying through my sweet-tooth.
A friend sent the link to your blogsite and this thread. Thanks for the nice comments. It’s great to be part of St. Lawrence Gap.
Things could be a lot worse. Let’s consider the vibrant Haitian art scene. Even in abject poverty there is a way out. If this is an economic hiatus we may look forward to time where we have more time to do things like this. That could be a good thing, could be a bad. We think, therefore we create.
Art has no value- but the intrinsic value may be more than a monetary amount. Or maybe less.
Thank you for posting this! Nachorally, we love Cafe Sol too!
Thanks for this comment, David. You’re right, Haitian art is so lovely, and all the more remarkable for the living conditions of most of the artists.
Here’s to Earthworks!! Thanks for your contribution in St Lawrence Gap and all of Barbados 🙂