Exhibition
Drawing on the intuitive spark that inspired her ‘markings’ at the age of sixty-two, Miss Lassie emblazoned everything – from common household furnishings to traditional fine art materials – with an imaginative blend of religious teachings and cultural references, becoming a respected figure within the field of intuitive art from across the Caribbean.
As evidenced in the exhibition, her ‘markings’ are both piercing in their symbolism and sincere in their expressive treatment of personal and religious subjects. Conveying powerful messages with a simplicity and directness of approach, her work embodies a desire to impart the teachings of the Bible and its Gospels as the model for an enlightened way of life—inspired by the Christian values that have traditionally underpinned Caymanian society. Although preoccupied with these spiritual sentiments, within the wider context of her practice her paintings offer more than simply literal illustrations of Biblical scripture. Interwoven with scenes of religious iconography, Miss Lassie depicts the familiar landmarks and cultural references of our islands, emphasising the inherently autobiographical nature of her visual repertoire and a life defined by emotional depth and spiritual truth.
In the face of a rapidly changing physical and social landscape, Miss Lassie’s work continues to resonate through the timeless messages it seeks to convey. Focusing on the lasting legacy of an artist who, despite being self-taught, discovered a passion that moved her to transcend the potential limitations of formal technique, this exhibition showcases the uninhibited torrent of visionary expression that defined her process of creation. Celebrating the festive season and the passage of a new year, the featured artworks bear witness to Miss Lassie’s intuitive spirit and universal messages of hope and strength—bringing communities together and inspiring renewed optimism for the future.
Daniela Granados Solis, Curator
Megan Arch, Curatorial Assistant
Sarah Needham, CNCF
About the Artist
Gladwyn K. “Miss Lassie” Bush
1914–2003
A fourth-generation Caymanian, Gladwyn K. “Miss Lassie” Bush was a self-taught artist who began painting at the age of 62 following a visionary experience. Her work, which she referred to as her “markings”, is executed in a naïve style reflecting her status as an intuitive, self-taught artist. Strong Christian themes run through her art, which she not only painted on canvas, but also on the walls, windows, and furnishings of her home. Miss Lassie’s work was included in the 1995 Carib Art international traveling exhibition and is profiled in several books on intuitive art worldwide, including Raw Creation (Phaidon Press, 1996), Caribbean Art (Thames & Hudson, 1998), Fantasy Worlds (Benedikt Taschen Verlag, 1999), and My Markings: The Art of Gladwyn K. Bush (CNCF, 1994). Her work is in private and public collections, most notably that of the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. In her lifetime, the artist was honoured as a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1997 and received a CNCF Heritage Award in 1993 as well as the Excellence Award in 1999. Her home, in Grand Cayman, was added to the World Heritage Watch List in 2012. NGCI exhibitions include a solo show Prayer Canvases in 2012, Mediating Self (2017), and Tropical Visions (2019).
