Durants: Discover Arts and Crafts and Painting

At the Black Art Studio in Durants Village, handmade carving and painting come together: local artist Kenneth “Black” Blackman creates carvings from native wood and stone; paintings by Oneka Small are described as stream-of-consciousness paintings. This gives Durants a concrete cultural point of interest, spanning worked natural materials and painting.

Blackman’s work foregrounds materials and craftsmanship, while Small’s focuses on painting and its stream-of-consciousness approach. This contrast can help you decide whether the studio matches your interests: are you more interested in carving and the materials used, or in the paintings? If you plan to visit, check the current opening hours, as they may change.

More cultural and nature-related themes in the wider destination of St James

The Holetown Festival takes place annually in Holetown for a week in mid-February. It commemorates the arrival of the first settlers on 17 February 1627. The programme includes fashion shows, music parades, and stalls selling Bajan food and arts and crafts. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the specific dates in advance.

Holetown’s street layout also offers practical orientation: 1st and 2nd Streets run parallel to each other, with restaurants and bars between them. Another cultural point of interest is St. James Parish Church, which commemorates the first English settlers to arrive in Barbados. The sanctuary and north porch were added in the 20th century. The remembrance of the first settlers and the later architectural additions thus offer two historical perspectives side by side.

Folkestone Marine Reserve was established in 1981 and is Barbados’ first and, to date, only legally designated marine protected area. An artificial reef was created in Folkestone Marine Park after the Greek ship Stavronikita sank off the coast. The reef provides a habitat for various marine animals. Alongside the history of the protected area, this adds the story of how the reef was formed and its role as a habitat.

Folkstone Park, operated by the National Conservation Commission, has a visitor centre, snorkelling equipment rental, a souvenir shop, picnic tables, a children’s playground, tennis and basketball courts, toilets, changing facilities, and parking. Folkestone Marine Park includes a protected snorkelling area in the calm waters of the west coast, an information centre about marine life, and a museum.

When looking for a holiday rental in Durants, the studio can be a thematic point of reference if arts and crafts and painting are among your travel interests. St James adds cultural and nature-related themes to your plans. If you plan to visit the studio, festival, or park, check opening hours, event dates, and current park facilities in advance.

Discover more destinations: Oxnards, Lascelles, Lancaster, Holetown, Weston, Folkestone, Westmoreland, Porters.

Back to the wider travel guide: St James.