Arts

Saquona Astwood, a musician originally from the Turks and Caicos Islands, completed her studies at the Leeds Conservatoire in the United Kingdom in September 2026. While earning her degree in music production, the 29-year-old mother developed a new platform called Saquona Creates to inspire the next generation through educational resources. Astwood moved from the islands to study in Leeds, where she balanced her academic workload with motherhood. She launched Saquona Creates to improve accessibility in music education, authoring children’s books like "My First Music Studio: ABCs of Music Production" and "My First Turks and Caicos Adventure." These books aim to introduce technical concepts while providing cultural representation for young readers. "I want children, especially young girls, to see music production as something they can explore," she stated. Her passion began during a third-year audio documentary project, which introduced her to new storytelling methods while she navigated the challenges of living abroad. Looking ahead, Astwood plans to continue expanding her career and the resources available through her platform. She hopes to see her educational books adopted by schools and learning environments, including those within her home territory. For her, graduation marks the beginning of her journey rather than the end of her academic pursuits.

A profile in the Weekly News series Brushstrokes & Beyond features Kandi Hariraj, the Guyana-born artist behind Beach Kandi, whose handmade souvenirs now sell in around 10 of the Turks and Caicos Islands' most esteemed gift shops and galleries. The piece, published on 31 July 2026, traces her journey from a childhood hobby in Georgetown to a thriving enterprise. Beach Kandi launched in 2017 with a souvenir journal illustrated with Hariraj's own photographs, followed by paintings and handmade jewellery. She moved to TCI in 2007 with her young son, saying "I couldn't picture my life there" after her family migrated to the US. Resorts including Club Med, Beaches, The Palms and the Alexandra later requested their own collections, and her range grew to keychains, magnets, Christmas ornaments, art prints and jewellery. Hariraj still designs and curates collections but now outsources much of the manufacturing as the business has grown. Her severe allergy to certain metals drives her use of sterling silver, stainless steel, tarnish-resistant gold, freshwater pearls and beads. Shops stocking her work include Anna's Art Gallery, Atelys and Beach Monkey. "Beach Kandi is less about the things I make and more about encapsulating that feeling of falling in love with Turks and Caicos," she says.

Grand Turk artist Aysha Stephen has built a thriving career painting the island's donkeys, selling her quirky, colourful works to cruise passengers and high-end collectors from her Front Street gallery near Pillory Beach. The Guyana-born, self-taught painter calls herself a "quirky donkey artist" and estimates she has created several thousand pieces, mostly sold through her website. Donkeys dominate her studio — usually bespectacled, each painted to capture its own personality. "Donkeys are the main thing I love to paint. I love their fur, their whimsical character and the fact that each one has their own personality," she says. Her favourite is 'Orange Jack', which appeared on the cover of the summer 2024 edition of Times of the Islands. Several donkeys wander through her yard, including one she feeds apples — and calls Hamas, since he "started off as my nemesis" but became part of the family. Formerly in hospitality in Providenciales, she moved to Grand Turk three years ago to teach art classes to cruise visitors and stayed. In summer 2025 she released the children's picture book 'Midnight Donkey', about a mischievous donkey navigating Grand Turk. She advises aspiring artists: "Keep going. Don't stop and wait for the market to find you; create your own." Her work can be browsed at www.mahadevcorner.com.

Guyanese-born artist Hezron Henry, one of the most acclaimed painters on the Turks and Caicos Islands' visual arts scene, is profiled this week in Weekly News' "Brushstrokes & Beyond" series, saying he wants his work to fill a gap left by centuries of Western art that rarely featured Black or Caribbean faces. "I focus on culturally representative Caribbean themes, to create a connection for Caribbean people to see themselves in my art," he tells the paper. Henry began summer classes at Georgetown's Burrowes School of Art at six and moved to TCI at 12. He launched his professional career 10 years ago and, while working full-time for InvestTCI, estimates he has created hundreds of paintings, sold through his website and a Bermuda-based gallery. He is proudest of 'Communion', a 2023 piece painted partly by his then four-year-old daughter, which earned a curators' pick after he uploaded it to the marketplace Artsy. He is critical of artificial intelligence in art, arguing prompters "are not artists" and that AI borrows other artists' styles. Henry, who lives in Blue Hills with his wife Havana and their two children, says TCI needs a stronger artistic ecosystem, more exhibitions and recognition of visual art as intellectual property. Readers can follow him on Instagram @hezron_1 or at www.hezronh.com.

The husband-and-wife team behind Nikki’s Trinkets, a handcrafted souvenir studio in Grace Bay, are marking eight years of both their marriage and their business in 2026. Nicola ‘Nikki’ Forbes, the creative director, and her husband O’Brien Forbes, sales and marketing director, run the Ports of Call store, where visitors watch art being made, create their own souvenirs and experience Turks and Caicos culture. Nikki handmakes every piece from sand, sea fans, shells, driftwood and even construction debris gathered on local beaches, while O’Brien produces merchandise using her designs. The couple, old schoolmates from Freeport, Bahamas, reconnected after moving to their parents’ homeland and launched the business from a stall at the Thursday night Fish Fry in the Bight, later buying artist Alex Skye’s Grace Bay studio three years ago. "Every piece of art is unique, just like us,” Nikki says. They also host ‘paint and play’ sessions in schools and art-based team-building for companies, which O’Brien calls a stress-reliever. Designs drawn from across the Islands — sea fans from South Caicos, the pink hues of North and Middle Caicos, the earth tones of Salt Cay — tell each island’s story, and the pair see the TCI creative scene as "powerful and alive with so many up-and-comings”.

Husband-and-wife duo O’Brien and Nicola ‘Nikki’ Forbes run Nikki’s Trinkets, a handcrafted souvenir studio-cum-store at Ports of Call in Grace Bay, Providenciales, featured this week in the Weekly News series Brushstrokes & Beyond. This year marks eight years since both their wedding and the business launch. Nikki handmakes every piece — jewellery, mugs, coasters and curios — from beach-found sand, sea fans, shells, driftwood and even construction debris, while O’Brien handles graphics and merchandise. The couple, old school friends from Freeport who reconnected after moving to their parents’ TCI homeland, started with a stall at the Bight Fish Fry, ran the business from their dining table during Covid, and bought artist Alex Skye’s Grace Bay studio three years ago when she returned to the Czech Republic. Visitors can also make their own souvenir, enjoy a local drink, hear rake ‘n’ scrape and learn about TCI culture. "Every piece of art is unique, just like us," Nikki says. Beyond the store, the pair hosts ‘paint and play’ sessions in schools and art-based team-building and stress-relief sessions for companies, and they perform live painting at banquets, weddings and award shows. They see TCI’s creative scene as thriving, using island-specific materials to tell each island’s distinct cultural story.

Titus de Boer, the German-born businessman who opened the Turks and Caicos Islands' first professional art gallery in April 1990, is the subject of the first instalment of a new Weekly News series on the Islands' creative talent. His Bamboo Gallery in downtown Providenciales ran for 20 years, promoting local artists and teaching newcomers how to sell their work. De Boer, who moved to TCI in 1989 aged 23 after working as a journalist in Hamburg, recalls his business licence application was initially rejected because officials "claimed it was a retail operation". Among the first artists he championed was a young Dwight Outten of Middle Caicos, whose portraits and wildlife paintings he praises for their purity and honesty. He also mentored Haitian artist Benada Oduma, advising him to paint "from the heart", a shift that produced a distinct surrealist style. He tells schoolchildren that good art must be original and honest, and calls the talks his most rewarding work. His second gallery, TDB Fine Arts inside the National Museum in Grand Turk, opened in 2023 but closed two years later amid shifting global economics and unpredictable cruise passenger shopping. Now living in Grand Turk, de Boer remains optimistic, noting that art budgets have grown so significantly that artists with corporate clients in Providenciales can now make a very good living.

Professional rugby athlete Trevor Watkins won Cycle 7 of the TCI Top Model Contest on Providenciales in June 2026, securing the national title alongside four individual sectional awards. The Grand Turk native, who stands 6 foot 4 inches, claimed sectional titles for Industry Readiness, Model’s Portfolio Folder, Best Runway Walk, and Best Body. Watkins previously worked as a diver and boat handler with Oasis Divers, served with the TCI Government Fisheries Department, and brought his sports discipline and personal motto, "Shine Beyond Limits," to the fashion competition. The annual contest serves as a promotional platform for Turks and Caicos Islands residents seeking local and international careers in fashion, entertainment, and the creative arts. Watkins now prepares to take his runway career abroad as an ambassador for the evolving Caribbean aesthetic.

Legendary R&B balladeer Peabo Bryson, known to music fans across the Turks and Caicos Islands and worldwide as the "Duet King," died on June 2, 2026, at age 75. His family confirmed he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones, several days after suffering a stroke. The two-time Grammy Award winner built an enduring audience across North America and the Caribbean during a career that spanned more than 50 years. Born in South Carolina, Bryson released 20 solo albums and earned five Gold records, achieving major hits with songs such as "If Ever You’re in My Arms Again" and "Can You Stop the Rain." Bryson earned global acclaim for classic collaborations with female vocalists, including Roberta Flack, Natalie Cole and Patti Austin. In the 1990s, he achieved commercial heights recording two Disney animated-film themes, performing "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion and "A Whole New World" with Regina Belle.

Turks and Caicos Islands singer Aleta Astwood, known as “The Singing Apple,” headlined the inaugural Restored Woman Experience: From Loss to Legacy Luncheon in West Palm Beach on April 18, 2026. The sold-out event drew more than 100 women for music, storytelling, and panel discussions focused on healing, restoration, and rebuilding after personal trauma. Supported by the City of West Palm Beach, the gathering also raised funds for the Extraordinary Kids Provision Center. Organizers initially presented $3,000 to the charity, which rose to $4,000 after a donation from Astwood’s mother, Paula Arthur, in memory of her late daughter, Ayanna Astwood. Following the success of the gathering, organizers confirmed that plans are already underway to expand the experience to reach more women in the future.

Anthony Forbes, 11, of Eliza Simons Primary School, won first place in Harvey’s Second Annual Grand Turk Primary Schools Easter Card Competition held on 14th April in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands. Head of Division A, Superintendent Willet Harvey, organized the Grade Six art contest alongside Mrs. Nyree Taylor-Williams, Principal of the Eliza Simons Primary School, and Mrs. Rhoda Williams, Principal of Ona Glinton Primary School. Doranika Gardiner placed second and Damian Wilson finished third. To support their upcoming move to high school, all participating students received schoolbags filled with essential supplies. Harvey stated that the programme represents a lifetime commitment that will continue.

Performers in the Turks and Caicos Islands gained practical training in auditioning, self-tapes, and broadcast reads during a commercial acting workshop led by Mrs. Levenia Bishop. The hands-on session aimed to prepare participants for immediate commercial work across both camera and radio formats. The intensive session covered line-learning strategies, vocal control, pacing, and breath management, alongside technical camera skills such as framing, micro-expressions, and eye intent. Mrs. Bishop, Founder, Director, and CEO, People Management & Development Consultant, led real-time direction and practical exercises. Courtney Robinson, Founder and Executive Producer, TCI Top Model, explained that the training intended to bridge classroom technique with real-world commercial casting demands to ensure local performers can compete effectively. The workshop forms part of the build-up to Cycle 7 of TCI Top Model. Free public event Mission Catwalk, sponsored by TCI Sotheby’s International Realty, takes place on Grace Bay Road in Providenciales on Saturday, April 18th, 2026, at 3:00 PM. Tickets for the Grand Finale at Brayton Hall go on sale Tuesday, April 14th, 2026, ahead of the final competition on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026.

Secondary school students across the Turks and Caicos Islands can now submit original artwork to create the official visual identity of the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities. The contest is open to all secondary students across the islands, with each participant permitted one digital or hand-drawn entry. Designs must feature no more than three primary colors, fit inside a defined shape like a circle or shield, and scale cleanly across uniforms, vehicles, and stationery. Hon. Otis C. Morris, Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, urged students to use their imagination to represent the ministry's oversight of fire services, corrections, postal services, and water utilities, stating that young people are "among the most creative and visionary contributors to nation-building." Submissions must include the student's details alongside an explanation of 150 to 200 words explaining the design choices and symbolism. The winning artist will earn public acknowledgment, a Certificate of Recognition, and an official prize, with entries due by Friday April 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM through local schools or directly to the ministry's Grand Turk office.

The 11th Annual An Exclusive Evening of Art Exhibition and Fundraiser at The Shore Club in the Turks and Caicos Islands generated $151,000 for the Edward Gartland Youth Centre, alongside more than $87,000 for participating artists. A record crowd attended the event, which featured pieces from local, international, and student artists, as well as performances by centre members and alumnus DeAngelo McCleod. Sotheby’s New York Vice President and Auctioneer Phyllis Kao led a live auction spotlighting headline works from artists including Bradley Theodore Harvey, Fay Ninon, Eleanor McKnight, Romello Williams, and Agile Levin. Organizers have set the next edition of the charity art exhibition for January 30, 2027.