Noah’s Ark
In this work, Annie Joy Ebanks uses the biblical story of Noah’s Ark to create a unique basket in the shape of the eponymous boat, to which contemporary decorative elements, including plastic animal figurines, have been added. The resulting piece combines the established techniques of silver thatch plaiting with a contemporary updating of this historic practice, showing the continued relevance of Caymanian craft traditions today.
About the Artist
Annie Joy Ebanks
b. 1950
Born in Cayman Brac, Mrs Annie Joy Ebanks began straw work at the age of five and made her first basket at the age of six under the teaching of her mother. She has a reputation for creative artistic interpretations of original thatch designs and is considered an innovator in the field of basketry. She is a member of the Cayman Islands Traditional Arts Council and has contributed to numerous community events and heritage days, where she continues to share her skills. Mrs Annie was the recipient of a Cayman National Cultural Foundation Silver Heritage Cross (2012), and her work is in the public collections of NGCI and the Cayman Islands National Museum. Her work was featured in NGCI’s exhibitions Merging Cultures (2003), 21st Century Cayman (2010), All Access (2015), and Revive: Contemporary Caymanian Craft (2017).
