Echoes of Resilience | Original Painting

Title: Echoes of Resilience (2025)

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Board

Size: 20cm x 25cm

With Echoes of Resilience, I wanted to capture not just the physical structure of the ruins at Pigeon Island, Saint Lucia, but the weight and atmosphere of their history. Working in acrylics on this small canvas board allowed me to focus on the texture and ruggedness of the stone, contrasting the deep, ancient tones of the walls with the vibrant, persistent greens of the tropical life surrounding them.

This piece is a homage to the island’s layered past. These stone fortifications date back to the 18th century, primarily built by the British during the frequent struggles with the French for control of Saint Lucia and the lucrative Caribbean trade routes. Pigeon Island was a crucial military post, famously used by Admiral Rodney to monitor French naval movements. What we see today are the remnants of those barracks and battlements, a testament to centuries of colonial conflict and strategy.

For me, the painting symbolizes endurance and memory. The architecture is scarred and broken, yet it is held fast by the surrounding nature; the trees and vines are reclaiming the structure, suggesting the inevitable cycle of decay and renewal. The strong arches, framed against the bright blue Saint Lucian sky, represent a portal to the past. They stand as silent witnesses to the momentous events that shaped this beautiful island.

I invite you to look through these arches and connect with the spirit of the place to feel the history embedded in the stones and recognize the enduring resilience of both the landscape and its past.