Hello St. John lovers and locals. I’m so glad to report we had a smooth and successful season. It’s exciting to see businesses and beaches bustling again with many old and new friends visiting. I even dare say things have returned to normal on our beautiful little island of St. John.
One of the most momentous occasions of this summer was the return of Carnival! St. John Carnival is the second of the three annual Carnivals amongst the major islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Carnival celebrations on St. John date back to the early 20th century and are a mix of African, European, and Caribbean traditions. In 1960, the 4th of July celebrations on St. John evolved into Carnival, and the festival lasted more than a week.
The “village” is located in the parking lot, and has music by big bands every night. Lots of good local food too. It was beautiful to witness the sheer excitement on the day of the parade, as Carnival has been on hiatus for two years. Every group was decked out to new extremes, and the firework show was the best I’ve seen. It was a true St. John celebration.
Furthermore, I’m very excited to announce the completion of the 2023 Calendar, Reefs and Ruins of St. John. It was photographed by Bill Stelzer and is available for purchase now. They are in stock. I did the same theme Reefs and Ruins exactly 20 years ago, and having the opportunity to bring a refreshing, new vision to it was really enjoyable. I’m so grateful to have created these calendars that function as a time capsule into the ever-changing world of St. John. However, I can honestly say that this year’s works explore parts of St. John that many haven’t seen before. So make sure to order yours.
I’m also thrilled to announce that my grandson, TJ has three paintings included in the 2023 calendar. TJ was featured in May in the 2022 calendar, and due to so much adoration for his piece, I knew I needed to let you all see more of his talent. TJ grew up on the island of St. John and has quite the eye for capturing its unique beauty. Some might say he got it from his grandmother. He is going into his senior year at Savannah School of Art and Design (SCAD), where he is completing a major in animation and a minor in sequential art. However, when TJ is home, he loves to hike, on and off-trail, around St. John, which is where he gained much inspiration for his works in the Reefs and Ruins. He’s got a crazy creative mind which I’ll think you’ll all see in this year’s calendar.
On the note of grandchildren, I’ve been lucky enough this year to have both TJ and my granddaughter Lily working at Coconut Coast Studios this summer. Lily is entering her third year at Emerson College, majoring in marketing and journalism. The pair helped me to run the gallery in its last few months of the season and are now helping me to close everything up as hurricane season approaches. The three of us took a trip to Florence, Italy, this August. We had the time of our lives, and it was such fun to show Italy to them. I have a new respect for the youth!
Lily was actually the one who took a call from the Virgin Islands Daily News letting me know that readers had voted Coconut Coast Studios for best local art. I was out on a friend’s boat when Lily gave me a call to share the news. It was an exhilarating moment for us both. I wanted to say thank you to all who voted. I’m incredibly grateful for the community created through this gallery and the community of St. John as a whole. You’ve all been very good to Coconut Coast Studios.
While we have had many great times this summer, a highlight would have to be the NEGUS summer creative arts and literary workshop visiting us at the gallery on our last day of the season. Twenty-five kids attended art lessons given by TJ and myself. We taught them watercolor techniques and then assisted them as they created their own art. These were some seriously intelligent and creative kids, and Dr. Carla Sewer and her colleagues were nothing short of inspiring.
A few things you should all know while my business will be closed: New paintings will be online as well as all merchandise and other products. I am here to process your orders as they come in. The gallery will reopen in October/November. Facebook Live will return in November as well! So enjoy the sunset with me, where I’ll show my latest art, clink some glasses, and even share the occasional story. Facebook Live occurs weekly on Wednesdays for a half-hour starting at 5:30 p.m. (St. John time). Don’t fret if you’re unable to make it, as we upload all FB Live to our Facebook page, which is linked below. However, for those who can join live, we have a weekly raffle for a piece of Coconut Coast merchandise! We look forward to chatting with you all in November.
Coconut Coast Studios Facebook Page
As our season comes to a close and hurricane season is upon us, I want to say a huge thank you to our customers and friends. Owning a small business in these unprecedented times can be stressful, but you all made things feel smooth and secure. I hope to see you all again when we reopen in October/November.
Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable Fall!
– Elaine Estern
and the crew of Coconut Coast Studios