Her amazing body of work paints a vivid picture of my childhood, relatable to most Latin and Caribbean countries .

 Belize Painting Description

It is 12:00 at the bridge foot and everyone has somewhere to go. Few,  if anyone at all is taking notice of the drama happening in the  1974  Volkswagen bus. As the one legged man makes his way across the street  accustomed to all the time he needs, the driver of the blue bus,  confused by all the congestion, the narrow bridge and the seeming  disarray, fails to notice him. Her husband yells at her, causing her  foot to mash the brake and her nerves to fray. Having just arrived with  the intention of sharing with the people of Belize their love and good  will, it would not do to injure one of their citizens. The ethnic mix  and diversity of culture is evident. It is, in fact, the unique  character of Belize. In the early days when most goods were imported  from Great Britain, they came by ship. Shop keepers put their orders in  months in advance and waited with anticipation for the ships to arrive.  When the goods were finally docked and customs cleared everyone rushed  to be the first to claim their merchandise and display it in their  stores, printing a placard announcing that new items were on the store  shelves. So it is today. Housewives and dandies eager for the latest and  best want to be the first to have the best selection before goods are  picked over. One such item is linoleum floor covering, called marley. It  is so called after the English company that manufactures it. It comes  in an infinite variety of colors and patterns. The sign outside the shop  tells passers-by the selection inside is in all colors just as the  people outside are of The bally in the Bob Marley T shirt who wears the  ANC colors, the blond governor’s daughter who wears her school colors or  the British military personnel in drab camouflage, each make a  contribution to the character of Belize. 

It’s 12:05 at the bridge foot. The lady driving the van has regained  her composure and driven on down Albert Street, yet another new arrival  to add to the ethnic mix that is Belize.

Carolyn Carr -"My  purpose in this life is to be clay in God’s hands, to be molded into  something useful to Him that serves His Son and blesses other people.

It  is my belief that art is not only a reflection of the soul and spirit  of its source but a message to the soul and spirit of others. My message  is: In the world we will have trouble but there is hope. John 16:33"

One of the most recognizable sights in Belize is its markets.  Bereft of warehouse-sized superstores and pristine plastic shelves lined  with brand products, the markets of Belize bring the fruits of the salt  and earth directly from the seas and farms. Ladies in colorful blouses  and flowing skirts present the fruits and vegetables they’ve harvested  from their own land. Men haul a smelly, bountiful net filled to the brim  with fish, oysters, and conch.

📷  It can be a disconcerting sight for those more accustomed to more  developed countries. No labels, no packaging, no nutritional charts, no  plastic, not even price tags or cash registers. Money changes hands all  the same, but the prices are gauged on weight and quantity alone. Many  stalls sell wares at about the same price, but competitors can undercut  each other at any moment, so often it is best to have a trusted stall to  call your own or hunt for the best bargain, something even a visitor to  the country would be familiar with. There is no haggling, however. Once  a price is stated, it is final… at least, until something happens to  make it change another day.

But the markets aren’t just a modern trend. They are historic  tradition. This was how things were when the British still claimed  Belize as a territory. The system has not changed even if the Queen no  longer reigns. Why would they need to? It has worked so well for them,  and it brings with it a taste of familiarity and uniqueness they simply  could not do away with.

The painting’s namesake is the old man forefront on the leftmost  side. A mariner who has seen and done it all, his experiences leave him  with a wealth of stories and experiences. He could be at home relaxing  on his chair or he could be sleeping off the high noon heat, but instead  he chooses to come to the fish market in Belize City. He takes in the  scent of gutted groupers, the feel of the coarse, corroded wood of the  benches, the smooth and bright colors of the conch shells. This was his  life. This still is his life. It will be his life until the day he dies  and he would have it no other way. How many of us can claim to be so at  peace with our world as Jimmy Hines?