Georgetown Heats Up in July with Second Saturday Art Attack and Garden Walk:

Summer celebrations continue in Georgetown with the Second Saturday Art Attack on July 10 and the annual Georgetown Garden Walk on Sunday, July 11. These colorful activities accentuate the unique character of Georgetown’s historic business corridor and creative residential neighborhood.

Through August 8th, A Splash of the Caribbean is exhibiting an eye catching Caribbean mask collection at Calamity Jane’s (where all the girls can kick your ass) in Georgetown.  Calamity Jane’s is a restaurant and meetinghouse in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of South Seattle, where they celebrate the spirit of their namesake. The menu is lively and comforting, with something to please a variety of palettes and wide range of tastes. All items are hand crafted from savory dressings to nostalgic meatballs and delectable desserts, all using the highest quality ingredients, often organic produce and Angus Beef.

Calamity Jane’s features a great weekend brunch.

Caffe Ladro in Kirkland is now exhibiting our popular Haitian recycled oil drum art from Croix de Boquets, Haiti. In addition, we have invited our guest, Jule Meyer , to exhibit her new imported recycled aluminum purses from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

San Miguel d’Allende businessman Arturo Buenrostro provides training to women in eight Mexican villages teaching them to make these great bags. They are made from recycled pop tabs and fully cloth lined with an inner zipper pocket for your cell or keys. Arturo’s programs have helped many families develop new livelihoods along with environmental training and support. Recently the women artisans have participated in programs offered by Arturo in their villages such as water conservation classes, village composting, and recycling programs. To order or to see even more styles, please email:   juleparkmameyer@gmail.com

They are stunning and are going to be a hit! If you are in Kirkland, stop in on the main drag for an iced coffee and check us out!

Caffe Ladro is located at
104 Central Way
Kirkland, WA 98033
(425) 827-5838

When people ask me about Haïti, I often respond that the Caribbean country possesses a great uniqueness in its history (gained independence as a free slave nation in 1804), language (Creole) and culture (art, religion, fashion, etc.). While I can never claim to be an art critic, I certainly have an appreciation for the different art genres that make each country unique and the art I have seen during my visits to Haïti are some of the most unique pieces I have encountered during my travels around the world. (Photo: Maggie Steber for The New York Times)

Ms. Kate Taylor wrote an article for The New York Times about restoring murals in the Episcopal Holy Trinity Cathedral, which is located in Haïti’s capital of Port-au-Prince. “Haitian artists and cultural professionals have been conducting informal salvage operations for the past four months,” explains Ms. Taylor. “But the Americans are bringing conservation expertise — there are few if any professionally trained art conservators in Haiti — and special equipment, much of it paid for by private money.”

Conservators “visited the ruins of the Musée d’Art Nader, a private museum that before the earthquake housed 12,000 paintings and sculptures by 20th-century Haitian masters like Hector Hyppolite and Préfète Duffaut, thousands of which were either destroyed or badly damaged when the museum collapsed. They also saw what was left of the Centre d’Art, a workshop where many of those artists trained in the 1940s and 1950s, which also collapsed. In the weeks after the earthquake, volunteers pulled thousands of paintings from the wreckage, which were stashed inside two storage containers parked in the sun in front of the ruined building.”

A recent news-magazine program, “UN 21st Century,” also highlighted the earthquake’s impact on Haïtian artists. Not only did thousands of dollars worth of art get destroyed in the January earthquake, but the ability to export the art to global markets has greatly diminished. You can watch the episode in its entirety below:

However, all is not lost and there is an opportunity for you to help Haïtians by purchasing their unique artwork. This entry is written by our Guest Blogger, Aaron Rose who has a great blog to follow: Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Splash is now exhibiting our newest collection of Amate tree bark art
pieces, miniature metal plated paintings from San Miguel de Allende,
Mexico. Owner Jose Betancourt opened the restaurant with a flare of
the Mexican Revolution in August of last year with business partner,
Dave Brownell. The restaurant features a Northern Mexican rustic,
mesquite grilled menu. Carne asada is just one of their specialties
and their service is very friendly.  Check them out!

Laredos <http://www.laredosgrill.com/> is located at
555 Aloha Street
Seattle, WA 98109-3925
Tel:(206) 218-1040

I promoted Splash of the Caribbean at the 2010 Oscars at pre-event at the promotional penthouse lounge at the Beverly Hilton hotel.

Shaun Toub with Yellowboat artwork

We featured a few of our most popular items from our artline: St. Lucian Zaka Masks, Haitian metal art from Croix de Boquets, Haiti, Puerto Rican Artist, Anna Rosa Astolfi and Yellowboat art pieces from the Virgin Islands. We met Kevin Sorbo from Hercules, Shaun Toub from Crash, Iron Man, The Kite Runner, and The Last Air Bender, Deirdra Hall, Robert Baker from Grey’s Anatomy, Chase Masterson from Star Trek, Camryn Manheim from the Practice and Ghost Whisperer, Michael Rady from 90210 and Willie Garson from Sex and the City among many other celebrities.

Robert Baker with Zaka Masks from St. Lucia

The stars loved the charity aspect of Trips4fundraising and almost all of them belonged to a non profit organization they help fundraise for. The night before the Oscars I attended the fabulous Weinstein MontBlanc party at the Soho House benefiting UNESCO. Leonardo Dicaprio, Quentin Tarantino, Olympic medalist, Apollo Ono, Jamie Fox, Juliette Lewis, Molly Sims were just a few of the star packed event! Following the Oscars I stopped in at the E Entertainment Oscars After party at the W Hotel in Hollywood and met Taboo from Black Eyed Peas, Corey Feldman, Jack Johnson from the US Men’s Hockey Team, Hill Harper and others. Definitely an exciting worthwhile trip!!

Chase Masterson from Star Trek

Deirdra Hall and myself with Yellowboat artwork

Congratulations to Marta Vega on the opening of  El Pilón on Rainier Avenue in the South Seattle neighborhood of Columbia City. The 35-seat restaurant serves home-style Puerto Rican cuisine for lunch and dinner and is hosting Caribbean art exhibits from Splash of the Caribbean. The mofongo relleno de camarones is the best!!

We are currently displaying paper-mâché Vejigante masks by artist Juan Alindato of Ponce, Puerto Rico. If you have only seen these colorful masks in photos, be sure to make it to El Pilon in the next two months before the exhibit changes. Also featured are painted calabash gourd masks by Puerto Rican artist, Jacinto Ramirez and the popular hand painted coconut shell butterflies made in the Dominican Republic.

Vejigantes–costumed characters signifying demons–date back to the 17th century in Puerto Rico. They are such a sight for the eyes that Miguel de Cervantes describes them in his classic novel Don Quixote written in 1605. Learn more about Vejigantes.

Exhibits will change every other two months.

Located 8 miles northeast of Port-au-Prince, Croix-des-Bouquets is set to house refugees of the 2010 Haiti earthquake in tent villages of 10,000 refugees each.

Caribbean Splash has been supporting Croix-des-Bouquets steel oil drum metal artists through the sale of their sculptures for the past five years. For a look at this astonishingly resourceful and intricate form of art, visit our shopping cart. We have just added new pieces to our inventory.

Tulip Room Divider Screen from Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti

Croix-des-Bouquets has the largest concentration of oil drum metal artists who make use of every part of used 55 gallon oil drums. The labor intensive process involves burning off the oil residues, flattening the drum into sheets and cutting out designs which are hammered for different textures and painted or left “raw.”

We have also added several new items from Haiti’s neighbor, the Dominican Republic. Taino tapestries ranging in size from 12” x 18” to 2’ x 6’, feature hand-painted or Batik designs depicting Caribbean scenery and images of Taino Petroglyphs. Some are also adorned with coconut shells. Pair the tapestry with some of our new rag rugs. Woven from cotton or felt, these soft rugs are available in bright solid or multi-color designs. We have also added new pieces of the Dominican Republic’s unique Larimar jewelry. Choose from beaded necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and stud and drop earrings.

Larimar jewelry set from the Dominican Republic

Be sure to also check out new hand-carved calabash (higuera) masks from Tobago, West Indies. In deep tones of brown, charcoal and green, these Tobago masks make an interesting contrast to Puerto Rican carnival masks (also new items added) which are painted in an assortment of brilliant colors.

Casuelitas Owner,Richard Dwyer interview with KIRO Radio

On January 21st, Casuelitas Caribbean Cafe in Belltown hosted a fundraiser for Haiti Earthquake Relief. The event was organized by  Casuelitas Caribbean Cafe Owners, Richard and Frankie Dwyer, Alyssa Johnson, owner of A Splash of the Caribbean and Aaron Rose of Rose Consulting.  Splash of the Caribbean donated and raffled off two Haitian recycled oil drum art pieces made in Croix de Boquets, Haiti.  Restuarant owners donated all their profits for the evening to Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

Alyssa Johnson,Owner of Splash of the Caribbean,raffles off Haitian metal art piece,captured by Fox News Channel 13

Proceeds from the event went to FAVACA, the Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas, Inc, a private not for profit organization formed in 1982 by former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham. FAVACA sends volunteer groups to provide disaster relief and preparedness, medical assistance, entrepreneurial and teacher training, among other areas. FAVACA is currently helping the relief efforts by providing food and other needed survival items to Haitians in Port au Prince.

Over 100 people came to dine on flavorful Caribbean treats and support the cause. We are thankful for the great turnout of Friends of Jamaica, Casuelitas fans, friends of Splash of the Caribbean and  Rose Consulting among others.  Our event coverage on KIRO Radio can be seen and listened to here. KUOW Radio and Fox News also announced the event.

Aaron Rose of Rose Consulting, Co-organizer, interview with KIRO Radio

Our continued fundraising efforts of art sales at Casuelitas, La Isla in Ballard and Penelope’s on Bainbridge Island are directly helping a group of 60 earthquake survivors with food, water, tents and mattresses.  To help this group directly, feel free to contact Bazil Justin in Haiti at zigzagatelierart@yahoo.fr

Event organizers,Casuelitas Caribbean cafe Owners,Richard and Frankie Dwyer,Alyssa Johnson and Aaron Rose

Roadside stand of painted recycled steel oil drum sculptures in Petionville outside of Port au Prince. Photo by Alyssa Johnson

Haiti is full of talented internationally renowned artists and some of the most beautiful artwork found in the Caribbean from paintings and beadwork to steel oil drum sculptures and hand sewn accessories.  The innovative recycled steel oil drum sculptures are some of most popular and unique pieces found in Haiti.  Used 55 gallon oil drums are purchased from the port and transported to Croix-des-Bouquets, a small town with the largest concentration of steel oil drum metal artists resides, just 45 minutes outside of the capitol, Port au Prince.  The art form started in the mid 20^th century by blacksmith, Georges Liautaud, from Croix-des-Bouquets.

Remnants of the oil drums are used for fencing in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. Photo by Alyssa Johnson

Artists start with old oil drums and remarkably, they use every piece of the oil drum used in different art pieces including the cap and edges. One can even find homes and workshops in Croix-des-Bouquets lined with fences made from unused edges of the oil drums.

Musical Mermaid Screen by Atelier D’Art in Croix-des-Boquets. In Haitian culture, the mermaid depicts La Siren, the Vodou spirit or lwa with power under the sea who enchants sailors with the melodies of her trumpet. Exhibited at La Isla. Photo by Alyssa Johnson

The drums are stuffed with straw or banana leaves and lit on fire to burn off the residues. Once cooled off, the flattened drum becomes a rectangular sheet approximately four by six foot wide. They are flattened and designs are chalked out on and then cut out with a mallet and chisel.   Different textures sculptures are created by hammering in “bumps” of different heights.  Some are finalized with brightly painted designs, others are left in raw form.

This small art industry has allowed families to build their own businesses, export internationally and earn higher wages than two dollars a day that ¾ of the population lives on. Unemployment in Haiti, the Western hemisphere’s poorest nation is variously estimated at between 60 and 80%. This labor intensive art form allows skilled craftspeople to earn fair wages in Haiti and makes a direct positive impact of poverty alleviation.

Jean Emelie and Jean Pierre Richard negotiate a metal art purchase at the Port of Cap Haitian on the North Coast of Haiti. Photo by Alyssa Johnson

A Splash of the Caribbean supports these artists buying directly and selling online and at local Seattle Caribbean restaurants such as La Isla on Market Street in Ballard and Casuelitas Caribbean Café in Belltown on Vine and Western, among others.