Renowned Artists to Be Honoured at Craft Fair on Sunday

The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) will posthumously honour renowned Jamaican artists Mallica “Kapo” Reynolds and Kenneth Abendana Spencer at its ‘Craft with a Difference’ event.

Previously called ‘Crafting for Christmas’ the rebranded event will be held on Sunday (November 26) beginning at 11:00 a.m. on the lawns of Devon House in St. Andrew.

In a recent interview with JIS News, Director of Product Quality and Training at TPDCo, Deanne Keating, noted that the name change signals a re-imaging of the annual event and sets it apart from other craft fairs.

“There are a number of entities that stage craft fairs and there was, in our perspective, not much difference between them. We wanted to stand out… we want to make a big impact [with a] specific focus on the development of souvenir items for the tourism sector,” Ms. Keating said.

She informed that honouring trailblazers in the craft and artisanal sector will be a feature of the annual event going forward.

“We’re going to be having a presentation ceremony, and one of the sons of Kenneth Spencer, Mr. Kensington Spencer, will receive the award on his behalf. Miss Naomi Reynolds, the daughter of [Kapo] will receive the award on behalf of her father. We’ll also be having their work on display in a mini museum, which will be part of the [offerings] on the day”, she noted further.

TPDCo has also partnered with the National Gallery of Jamaica, which will curate an exhibition of the artists’ work at the fair.

Ms. Keating informed that the intention behind celebrating the two masters of their craft is to inspire current and future artists while preserving Jamaican art and culture.

Kapo was a mixed artist, skilled in carving, painting and pottery and has been recognised both nationally and internationally, while Mr. Spencer is known as a painter of scenes in Jamaica.

“We have several of his pieces on display in our National Gallery and because both he and Kenneth have achieved mastery in the quality of their art, we thought it prudent to… put them up as beacons for those persons involved in arts and crafts and for artisans in Jamaica to look to them,” Ms. Keating said.

This year’s staging of the craft fair will also feature, for the first time, Maroon craft through partnership with the Charlestown Maroons in Portland and Taino craft with the Cacique.

‘Craft with a Difference’, which is free to the public, will be held on the South Lawn of Devon House.