For as long as she could remember, Jennifer had seen the world through colour, the way sunlight touched the ocean, the rhythm of brushstrokes on canvas, the beauty in small, everyday details. Art wasn’t just her hobby; it was her way of experiencing life. So when she heard about Antigua and Barbuda Art Week, she knew this was more than a vacation. It was a pilgrimage to a place where creativity and culture flow as freely as the sea breeze.
When Jennifer touched down in Antigua, her adventure began the moment she stepped off the plane. The Expressions of Art and Fashion exhibit at V.C. Bird International Airport immediately caught her eye, a stunning display of student and local artists that turned the arrivals hall into a gallery of Caribbean brilliance.
Her first stop was Bay Gardens, where the opening event, Symphony of Colours, blended music, dance, and visual art in a lush garden setting. Surrounded by laughter, rhythm, and the scent of tropical blooms, Jennifer felt like she had stepped inside a painting, alive, vibrant, and full of emotion.
Each new day unfolded like a canvas waiting to be filled. She wandered through Redcliffe Quay’s blossoming art district, chatting with local creators at Zemi’s Art Gallery, The Quay Studio, and Guava De Art. Every encounter revealed the heart behind the art, stories of heritage, identity, and resilience that added depth to every brushstroke.
The Art and Culture Bus Tour carried her beyond the city, through winding roads framed by hills and coastlines, to visit hidden studios and artisan spaces. Between bites of local treats, she discovered that art here wasn’t confined to walls. It lived in the people, the food, the landscapes, and the rhythm of island life.
Evenings sparkled with a different kind of creativity. Rhythm and Vibes at Hodges Bay pulsed with live music and spoken word, while Canvas and Cocktails invited her to paint under the stars, guided by local artist Gerron Farquharson. With a cocktail in one hand and a brush in the other, she felt completely free connected, expressive, and inspired.
Her weekend escape to Barbuda for Artsy in Barbuda was the perfect ending, a serene blend of art, sea, and soul. As she painted the soft pink sands and gentle turquoise waves, Jennifer realized she wasn’t just documenting her trip. She was capturing how it made her feel.
When it was time to leave, she packed more than memories. Her sketchbook brimmed with colour, her heart with gratitude. Antigua and Barbuda had shown her that art isn’t something you simply look at, it’s something you live.
Antigua and Barbuda Art Week was, for Jennifer, more than an event. It was a masterpiece, one painted with creativity, community, and connection.
