Shop local this holiday season at the National Gallery Gift Shop! We proudly support the makers in our community by stocking a wide variety of beautiful jewelry, accessories, silver thatch crafts, décor and books created in and inspired by the Cayman Islands.
Discover a few of our artisans’ stories and learn more about their unique creations before visiting the Gift Shop for your holiday shopping needs. The National Gallery Gift Shop is open from 10am – 5pm, Monday through Saturday.
Isy Obi – Isy B. Design
Designer Isy Obi is the founder of Isy B., the award-winning fashion brand from the Cayman Islands. Her aesthetic is rooted in design that tells a story through a considered exploration of harmony, simplicity and balance of form, through which she strives to visually engage and connect with the wearer. Isy B. was recently named one of the Caribbean brands to watch by the Caribbean Journal and since its launch in 2015 her company has garnered a remarkable string of successes locally and internationally. Isy B. was awarded the title of Lifestyle Designer of the Year at Phoenix Fashion Week in the USA in 2016, and in 2017 she successfully launched a capsule collection for Evine, the third largest home-shopping network in the USA. Her designs have also featured on the Macy’s website in the USA and on red carpets across the world from the Grammys to Cayman Film Festival. In 2017 she was proud to be selected to represent the Cayman Islands at Carifesta in Barbados and in 2018 her work was shown in the exhibition Art of Fashion at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands and in Island of Women- Life at Home during our Maritime Years at NGCI in 2020. She was awarded a Bronze Star for Creativity by the Cayman Islands Cultural Foundation in 2019.
Jan Barwick
Born in New Zealand, Barwick spent her childhood in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Malawi before moving to the Cayman Islands. She was highly prolific through the late 1980s and early 1990s before relocating to France. Travel, a keen interest in ecology and wildlife, and an exceptional colour sense combine to make her a painter of unique vision. Barwick’s keen interest in ecology and wildlife and her remarkable sense of colour create a unique vision of the Cayman Islands’ underwater environment. In a period dominated by Realist painters, her highly decorative style became iconic when it was reproduced in poster format and in merchandising across the islands. The series included several variations, depicting the reef in both sunlight and moonlight, but Coral Reef by Night is perhaps the most recognisable. Her line “Bairiki by Jan Barwick” showcases her original paintings translated into beautiful home goods, clothing, accessories, resort and gift products. Find Barwick’s vibrant Bairiki silk scarves and oversized cards at the NGCI Gift Shop.
Rachel Christ – Xie Xie Designs
Rachel began learning the intricate and complex skills of the craft of a silversmith at the Nova Gallery in Chiang Mai, Thailand. She served an apprenticeship under the watchful eye of Nagoon where she developed a bohemian, elegant and confident style, creating designs of lasting beauty from mainly organic, natural stones. She set up her studio in South Sound, Grand Cayman in 2005 and it is here that she transforms enchanting gemstones and precious metals into bold, unique designs which exude an elegant style. Her inspiration comes from her exposure to the various cultures she meets during her travels in Southeast Asia. “I soak up all of my creative energy while I am traveling in Southeast Asia, whether it be at a market searching for stones and materials, in a temple or simply walking the streets. I am most alive when I am there and feel that when I am designing my jewellery some of that energy goes into each piece that I create.”
Gale Tibbetts – Bee Line Design & Jewelry
Gale Tibbetts is a Caymanian artist who enjoys dabbling in many forms of arts and crafts. From an early age she desired to have some form of art as a career. Gale keeps busy making her jewelry and resin crthrough her company “Bee Line Design & Jewelry”. Her jewelry designs incorporate a variety of gemstone beads and metal works produced through hand stamping. The artist is inspired by the memory of her sister, Brenda, to create beautiful jewelry and donate a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer awareness. As an active Cayman artist, she is a member of the Visual Art Society and has served on the board of the VAS for several years.