by Cathy Buffonge
Inspired artist and craftsperson Shan Murrell died tragically last March, and since then her art and craft Gallery in Salem, still with its sign up, has been standing closed. Based in Britain, Shan, who had Montserrat roots, used to come down every year to the island to visit her father and sell her attractive paintings, unique craft items and gifts under the label “Little Island Designs”.
Then she returned to Montserrat to live full time and built the Gallery, her long-held dream, a pretty blue building in Salem. The Gallery officially opened on December 1, 2016, with the ground floor featuring an attractive display of her work, while the lower ground floor was designed as her workshop and for classes in arts and crafts.
All this was in place and going strong when her untimely death occurred last year. But when her father and brother expressed interest in reopening The Gallery, a group of volunteers quickly rallied round and have worked hard over the past three months to organize and ready the space for reopening. The intention is to display and sell her remaining work (which is plentiful) to the public on behalf of the family.
At the recent informal reopening ceremony, after some background information by Jean Handscombe, who introduced and thanked those involved, Shan’s father Dennis Murrell cut the ribbon to the building, and those present were able once again to walk in and admire the work on display.
These include vibrant, colourful paintings and prints of attractive scenes on Montserrat and elsewhere, always from an original angle; gift cards, cushion covers, ear rings and other jewelry, and a host of other items. Originality and uniqueness were hallmarks of Shan’s work, and all are a pleasure to look at.
With many visitors, both tourists and overseas Montserratians, expected on island, this will be a great opportunity for people to visit the Gallery and see for themselves Shan’s brilliant work. For information on dates and times when it will be open, interested people can visit the Facebook page Little Island Designs at the Gallery. The opening times are also posted on the door of the building.
The Gallery is located in Salem, a pretty blue building on the corner just above the Catholic church. All who are interested in art and craft are encouraged to visit, and whether local or visitor you are bound to find a souvenir or gift to send or take back with you, or you are welcome just to look around and enjoy the display.
The volunteer group, with the family’s approval, also intends in the future to invite other art and craft practitioners to make use of the Gallery, to display their work and to share their expertise with others. This will help to continue Shan’s legacy into the future, as she herself would have wished. The Gallery is a fitting tribute to the memory of this special person who created so many beautiful things.
