Local

Ayissa Textile Designs inprints on local market

As we continue to celebrate women this month, the National Cultural Foundation is highlighting the journey and work of artist and designer Ayissa Burnett in this two-part feature. Next we will feature her daughter Shanika Burnett who is also an artist and designer.

Talented artist and designer Ayissa Burnett’s face lights up as she speaks about her business.

She is the textile and fibre artist behind Ayissa Texitle Designs, located at #8 Pelican Craft Centre. She creates a range of home goods which includes, but is not limited to, soft furnishing pillows, throw cushions and table cloths. She also offers accessories, shirts, scarfs, shawls, wall pieces and a commercial line of mugs which feature her fabric designs.

The artist’s pieces are not only handmade but ecofriendly as well. They are created with the best all natural fibres and dye products available on the market.

“We were certified in 2016 by the Future Centre Trust as a green business so we take care and we pay a lot of attention to the products that we are using, how they impact the environment…how sustainable they are…” she explained.

Burnett has been an active artist and teacher for about 30 years. She started out when she was a young girl by learning crochet and knitting from her aunt.

Back then, she also did smocking as a hobby. After, she started to sew but finding the materials to work with was a challenge so she got into designing her own fabrics for her garments.

She gains inspiration and bounces ideas with her daughter, Shanika Burnett who also designs under her label Shakad Designs. She creates the fabric while her daughter makes the products.

Despite Ayissa Textile Designs and Shakad Designs being two separate businesses, they often collaborate. In 2022, their joint efforts could be viewed at the NCF’s Wearable Art Exhibition.

“After a while, Shanika came along and she was really into the fashion and she started to create pieces that were beyond my imagination…she was doing a fantastic job with what she was coming up with in terms of designs for the textiles…[I] put all of my energy then into designing the fabrics that she worked with and then we came up with the line of soft furnishings,” she said with a smile.

Burnett’s other source of inspiration is her immediate surroundings. The colours in her work especially reflect a lot of the environment.

“Sometimes standing by my door and looking across… as the sun goes down, that is inspiration… seeing the water, the different shades of blue you get on a given day, those are sources of inspiration,” she said.

Additionally, her work uses the ancient techniques of batiking and tie dying.

“Years ago, the NCF had a training programme where they brought in a textile artist from West Africa and that too really was a springboard in further development for me in terms of the textiles… that helped me take it to another level in terms of designing and patterning…,” she said.

Over the years, she has participated in other NCF workshops such as the Adinkra Workshop in 2003 and more recently, the Accelerate to Export Symposium 2022. Furthermore, she has been an instructor for NCF’s Community Development Craft Workshop and Youth Achieving Results Visual Art Programme, a judge at the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts and an assistant curator for the Celebrating Textiles Exhibition.

As someone who has worked and taught with the NCF on multiple occasion, she recommended that other creatives form a relationship with the NCF as well as pointed out the training opportunities such as the current workshop in leather craft and crochet.

Going forward, she wants to increase and build the presence of Ayissa Textiles and carry on their legacy. Moreover, she wants to continue to share and give back through her workshops.

She shared some advice for those who are interested in taking a similar path: “You have to be passionate about the work you are doing. You have to have that stickability… because the journey has been long and the roads were rough sometimes… it has its ups and downs so you have to be willing to stick it out. Every day is not a picnic and you have to be willing to put your all into it,” she said.

Ayissa Textile Designs can be found on Instagram and Facebook at ayissatextiledesigns or on their website www.ayissatextiledesigns.com (PR)

Local

Remembrance Day Parade On November 10, 2024

Barbados will remember the servicepeople who lost their lives during World Wars I and II, with the customary Remembrance Day Parade and a short inter-denominational service at the Cenotaph, National Heroes Square, The City, on Sunday, November 10.

The parade will commence at 8:00 a.m. and will be broadcast live on national television and radio.

Several armed and unarmed uniformed groups will be on parade, including the Barbados Defence Force, The Barbados Police Service, the Barbados Legion, the Barbados Fire Service, the Barbados Prison Service, the Boy Scouts, and Girl Guides.

Wreaths will be laid at the Cenotaph by the President of Barbados, Her Excellency The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason; Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, Chief Justice Leslie Haynes, members of the diplomatic corps, and other dignitaries.

The service will be followed by an informal inspection of veterans and a march-past by uniformed groups. Members of the public desirous of attending the event are asked to collect tickets from the receptionist at Government Headquarters, Bay Street, St. Michael, from Monday, November 4, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Local

Key Reminders When Considering Investment Opportunities

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) is reminding the public to exercise caution when considering investments in Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) schemes. While MLMs may present themselves as legitimate business opportunities, some can be risky or even illegal, leading to significant financial losses.

Here are some key things to consider before making any investments:

1. Research the Company/Person(s): Thoroughly investigate the background, business model, and reputation of any of the company or persons involved. Verify whether the company or persons associated with the investment are registered and regulated by relevant authorities like the Financial Services Commission.

2. Understand the Business Model: Genuine businesses generate revenue primarily through the sale of products or services, not recruitment of participants. Be wary of models that emphasise recruitment over product sales.

3. Check for Red Flags: Promises of high returns with little effort, emphasis on recruiting others, or pressure to make large upfront investments are warning signs.

4. Consult with Experts: Seek advice based on your financial goals and wherewithal from regulated individuals or companies set up to provide such guidance.

The public is urged to approach all investment opportunities with caution and conduct their due diligence to safeguard their financial well-being.

It is an offence for persons not registered or licensed with the Commission to offer investment advice, sell financial products or deal in securities.

The public is encouraged to notify the Commission of any situations where entities or individuals engage in these practices without being duly registered and/or licensed. (PR/GIS)

Local

Barbadians Continue To Benefit From UNESCO Training In Cuba

Barbadians continue to benefit from UNESCO training courses in Cuba, despite the country experiencing an island-wide blackout from Friday, October 18.

Three Barbadians are currently in Cuba participating in the Caribbean Cultural Training Hub of the UNESCO Programme Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, which was organised by the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana, and funded by the European Union.

Historian and Genealogical Researcher, Stacia Martindale, is participating in the course Designing Small Businesses in Heritage Tourism Destinations, while Landscape Architectural Technician, Kodi Husbands, and Assistant Coordinator and Researcher of the Barbados National Register of Historic Places, Rhianna Smith, are participating in the course Introduction to the Management of Integrated Development of Historic Centers.

They shared their experiences of being in Cuba and about the courses they are studying.

Ms. Martindale said: “So far, the experience has been very amazing. I’ve been loving the culture of Cuba and the general experience in class.

It’s really been exciting for me. It’s my first time in Cuba. I think I know quite a bit about Cuba just because I’m really interested in History. I’m actually a History teacher, so to come here, where that history has happened, is really, really exciting for me.”

Mr. Husbands, who is on his second visit to Cuba, shared that the first time he visited was on a vacation. “It really resonated with me. I got to understand the culture a lot more [and] I was able to identify with the people after speaking to them about their experiences and how they live. That’s what inspired me to continue working in sustainable architecture and design, and cater for society and the people, rather than doing it for money.

“So far, I’ve found different methods or techniques and practices which can be useful for back home in my field of architecture. And different ways I can further develop my country, whether it’s towns like Bridgetown, Speightstown, or Oistins. Or even smaller communities like in the East Coast, or in St. George or more rural areas as well,” he remarked.

It is also the second time for Ms. Smith, who previously benefitted from a course in June, this year, at the prestigious International Film and Television School of San Antonio de Los Baños, on the outskirts of Havana.

“This experience has been a lot different compared to when I was in San Antonio. Havana is a lot more active and has a lot more to see. And so, I’ve been able to immerse in the culture in ways that I was not able to the first time around,” Ms. Smith said.

She added: “We have been having some tours where we have been seeing examples of not only the restoration of historic sites and buildings, but also the repurposing of those buildings for uses that really fit the community. For instance, earlier this week we visited a daycare. But it was a day care for the elderly which doubles as a day care for babies, and so on.

“And so, what they are trying to do is to integrate those two generations and, of course, develop a consciousness of caring for the elderly. Things like that have led me to conclude that it’s been nothing short of inspiring so far, and I’m just looking forward to seeing where things go.” (PR/GIS)

Caption: From left to right – Rhianna Smith, Barbados’ Ambassador to Cuba, Dr. Sharon Marshall; UNESCO Director Anne Lemaistre; Stacia Martindale; and Kodi Husbands pose for a photograph