Doliver the Folk Artist of Grenada

If you received our last newsletter, you may remember reading about Doliver who is a local folk art painter with an outstanding talent for capturing both the people and culture of the local area. His colourful scenes of every day Grenadian life can also be seen around our hotel.

Born in 1959, life as an artist started for Doliver when the US invaded Grenada, back in 1984. His first piece was inspired by watching a US helicopter drop troops onto Green island which happened to destroy the board house which was then used by fishermen.

Doliver uses a variety of mediums

Most of Doliver’s pieces of art are painted with acrylic, oils and enamels using traditional canvas, wood and even metal as his ‘canvas’. His art pieces are unique and art lovers travel miles to purchase them to become part of their collection. His pieces feature wildlife such as fish, turtles and birds and he has also created many pieces that portray scenes of agricultural life in Grenada. In some cases, scrap metal is refashioned to create whimsical fish, birds, turtles and other animals, all painted in his unique style.

Doliver is a true artist and his personality shines through in every piece he produces. Although he has to endure the artist’s life with some days being very lean, his happy nature is caught up in every piece.

Although Doliver has also taught school children about art in the local area, sometimes his artistic gift is not always recognised, nor the economic and cultural potential of folk art for Grenada. As a visual recorder and ambassador of Grenada and it’s culture, Doliver should be supported, celebrated and observed for his artistic contribution to the assembling of images of Grenada’s everyday life.

If you want to see Doliver at work or surrounded by his artwork, you can visit him during your visit to Grenada.