Jamaica is a natural muse. Our land gleams in technicolor, as lofty Blue Mountains spill onto verdant plains, shimmering sands and turquoise seas. Our people are bold, brash and bubbly, hailing from around the globe to give a spectrum of skin tones, customs and traditions. Our rich history and culture provide a plethora of ideas, images and untold stories.

Given all this, it’s no wonder Jamaicans pulse with a creative energy that overflows into whatever we do. It’s in the way we talk, walk, dance, dress and in the countless other nuances making up the fabric of our everyday lives. Our creativity, however, is perhaps most tangible in our visual art, which uses our country’s inspirational palette to give a physical reflection of everything we are, have been and will be.

Jamaican paintings, sculpture and pottery are among the best in the Caribbean. What makes our art extraordinary is its diversity. Our artists work in a variety of styles, modes and forms, ranging from the academic to the self-taught or intuitive, the surrealist and symbolist to the impressionist and social-realist. Also they masterfully draw from, or blend, European, African and American influences. And they’ve learnt from Europe’s and America’s classical and abstract forms, while mimicking the techniques, colours and symbols found in African art. All together, they’ve collected and merged these influences to create the extremely varied, unique Jamaican school.

Over the years, this relatively small country has produced a seemingly infinite number of outstanding artists. Some of our most famous are Edna Manley, renowned sculptor and painter; Albert Huie, our foremost landscape painter; Cecil Baugh, master potter; Kapo, the most prominent of our self-taught artists and Alvin Marriot, realist sculptor. The list is impressive and endless, growing each day as new artists burst onto the Jamaican art scene.

Fine works of art are omnipresent. Everywhere you turn - from traditional galleries and museums to surprisingly unconventional spots like roadside displays or inner-city walls - you’ll find pieces of note. Famous collections with soulful works, like David Pottinger’s paintings and William Joseph’s wood sculptures, are often housed near to public displays such as Kay Sullivan’s bronze figures honouring Sam Sharpe, and barbed-wire fences laden with amateur paintings for sale.

When visiting Jamaica, take a tour of our colourful art arena. Browse the numerous galleries, showcasing our most treasured pieces, or look out for the newest talents as you wander the streets. You too, may be, inspired.