Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi.
“It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten.” — Akan proverb, Ghana, origin of the Sankofa symbol
At the Charlestown Gallery, art has never been separate from craft. Pattern, texture, and thread carry as much weight here as pigment on canvas.
- Founded 2013, a registered non-profit
- Located on Main Street, Charlestown, Nevis
- Shows international contemporary artists, open to work from anywhere
As featured in The St Kitts Nevis Observer (2014)
At the Charlestown Gallery, art starts with roots. The gallery is drawn to work that reaches back, to pattern, to proverb, to the hand-passed techniques of weaving and dyeing that connect the Caribbean to West Africa across centuries of water and memory. Its own roots are in textiles as much as painting: a well-woven piece of cloth and a well-composed canvas are doing the same work, asking you to notice craftsmanship, discipline, and an elegance built from restraint rather than excess.
The gallery is open to artists working anywhere in the world. It isn’t building walls, it’s building conversations. But it’s no accident that so much of what hangs here traces back to the Caribbean, to St. Kitts and Nevis, and to Africa. That’s the lineage this island carries in its own bones, and the one visitors are invited to leave understanding a little more deeply. If your work speaks that same language of pattern, memory, and elegant restraint, wherever in the world you’re working from, there’s a wall here for you.
What Visitors Say
“[Deborah] and team have created a very special place at Charlestown Gallery featuring local artists working in various media… She is also very knowledgeable about provenance, origin and influences of various technique and styles.”
Google review
“We were lucky to view a Canadian artist when we visited. The gallery was very nicely presented and the host was helpful.”
Google review
Our Directors
The Charlestown Gallery Arts Organization is dedicated to the growth and development of the visual arts in our community. We believe the world needs more of our art, and our aim is to build the skills and capacity that let our creative industries grow.
Deborah Tyrell
Founder and Board Chair
Deborah Tyrell founded Charlestown Gallery in 2013 and now serves as its Board Chair. Her own background in textiles shaped a belief that runs through everything the gallery shows: a well-woven cloth and a well-composed canvas are doing the same work, asking you to notice craftsmanship, discipline, and an elegance built from restraint. Under her direction, the gallery has grown into a home where international artists can find an audience for their work.
Clayton Huggins
Curator
Clayton Huggins is the Curator at Charlestown Gallery. He's a man of many talents: a published poet, a painter trained at the Toronto School of Art, and a furniture designer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charlestown Gallery a non-profit?
Yes. We've been a registered non-profit since 2013, and our focus has always been giving international artists a place to be seen.
Can I submit my work to be shown at the gallery?
We'd love to hear from you, no matter where in the world you're working from. Send us a message through the contact form and tell us about your work.
Join Us
If your work carries craftsmanship, memory, and quiet elegance, we’d love to see it, wherever in the world you’re working from.
Get in Touch