Doctor Roy's House
Cayman's most famous former landmark, Dr. Roy's house.
From an original picture owned by his niece Marguerite Wight, Dr. Roy's
home has now been demolished and replaced in its location by The Harbour
Place Financial Centre. So many artists have done this home over the
years in oils and watercolours, and Caymanians will not easily forget the
day it was torn down! It is my absolute delight and priviledge, to
present the one and only original threadpainting! And with my
gratitude, much to the delight of Dr. Roy's family!!!!
A sister picture to the George Town Harbour, as that
picture was taken from this house, this piece took me about 80 hours and
was very difficult to produce. It wasn't just the screened windows
and doors, and curves, posts and plants. Having visited the family
archives, in the beginning, I attempted to reflect the original house
which was very plain white, two story with a flat roof and the double bay
window upstairs. Unfortunately this meant that the house was not
recognizeable to most people today, and of course only had meaning to me
because I had seen the original picture! I learnt that the
area with the awnings was later added as his dental offices, and led
to upstairs by a flight of exterior stairs! So I considered that!
Still the landmark was unrecognizeable, except to family members, and I
was very tempted to paint a little Miss McTaggart riding her bicycle past
the house! But that wouldn't have helped.
Then I understand, the garage came into being, and an
upstairs verandah with lattice work railing........still unknown to people
today! Then again, in every picture and at every corner, one had to show
the gutters and piping leading rain water from the ceiling to the cistern.
Finally the famous last picture was unavoidably the one to go by.
After at least 80 hours, I completed the piece but was
not satisfied.....something was missing and it bothered me, so I put it
away until it hit me. My own memories of Dr. Roy's house that I too,
as a Caymanian, fell in love with! In the last 70's and early 1980's when
I worked on the waterfront, near Dr. Roy's house, it was big and majestic!
And there were hanging plants and a Cayman hammock on the verandah!
So it is done!
And hey cuz, Mr. Bodden,.....this one's for you!
You were on my mind every step of the way! Thank you for the
love and support you give me in my works of art.
Eight colours in fabric of cotton, satin and polyester,
a rainbow of bright colours do not show on camera, as house, trees, flower
and fauna come into 3D view, by the best and brightest embroidery threads
hewn together in a majesty of old Cayman, created in a zillion stitches of
uncountable variety. What can I say? It was hard work!
Framed in gold, with creme matting and highlighted with
gold fillet, this beautifully compliments the George Town Harbour.
CI$4000.00 - (U.S.$4875) Sold