A Special Find in Jamaica

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Photo by: Eddy Patricelli

I consider myself to be a black-belt shopper, and take great pride in my ability to sniff out a retail opportunity, wherever in the world I may happen to be. I snagged my latest acquisition in Jamaica, where I came across this hand-painted canvas literally on the side of the road.

We were on our way to Good Hope Great House in Trelawny, motoring inland along narrow winding roads leading into Jamaica’s heartland, when I looked out the window and first noticed it, nailed to the side of a lean-to roadside shack. Then and there I decided it would be mine. On the return journey later that afternoon I begged our driver to pull over, did some quick negotiating with Miss Ingrid – the stall owner who’s sister painted the piece – and $40 later, the painting was in my hot little hands.

It turned out to be quite a drama getting my find back home to the States, a comedy of errors that involved an ugly and unfortunate incident with one of those plastic luggage wrapping machines at the airport in Mo’Bay. But now the painting has pride of place on my bedroom wall – and I have one more story to add to my ever-expanding shopping adventures.