Tropical Ties

Tropical Ties Dominica Photography products and other craft by artisan Celia Sorhaindo. "A Shot of Love from Dominica" ­ capturing the beauty and life of the Nature Island.

Born in the scenic Nature Island of Dominica (Waitukubuli) in the Caribbean, I lived many years in the UK and finally came back home in 2005. I started taking photographs soon after; this was the start of an awesome experience and journey in re-­discovering the amazing colours, light, vibrant life and stunning scenery of my island, through the lens of my camera.

I began to notice that the images on many souvenir items like fridge magnets and key rings were not of Dominica, so I decided to create my own range of products using my photos and incorporating elements of our culture, like madras, in the designs. My range includes photography, key rings, fridge magnets, greeting cards, canvas and fine art prints, which are all designed, printed and put together locally.

Dominica's natural environment is often a major source of inspiration to both local and visiting artisans. Coming from an IT background, I too was inspired to further explore not only the island, but my "creative side" as well. With the help of my artist sister, Carol Sorhaindo, I developed a range of environmentally friendly, "eco", paper mache (papier-mâché) bowls and fridge magnets, using discarded paper. Each item is uniquely hand crafted and painted/designed. The process takes patience and time, especially drying the paper mache in often humid conditions. I pay special attention to the products used in the process and try to ensure as much as possible, that they are non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

Thank you for visiting my profile. I think Dominica is an ideal place to find authentic art and craft, if you know where to look. It is inextricably rooted in our history and culture and the island can boast a large percentage of diverse, versatile and talented artisans and a rich heritage of skilled craftspeople. However since mass consumerism, artisans and support for authentic local arts and crafts in general, have been on the decline, with the markets often flooded by cheaper, mass machine­-produced, imported items. I am happy to be a member of DACPA and support the work they are doing to try and promote an develop local craft and artisans.

Personalised products can be made to order for individuals or businesses, hotels etc.

Tropical Ties­ - A Shot of Love from Dominica