Paint mixologist, Kristopher Ellis, is the artist behind the eye-popping mural on BTVI’s main campus. Considered his “biggest (artistic) contribution” to any community, paint mixologist, Kristopher Ellis is proud to have his work displayed on the panels of BTVI’s Fashion and Design Studio. (Photos: BTVI)
Art meets fashion at the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI). For the first time in its history, a mural has been painted on a building, adding a pop of vibrant colours to the main campus.
The Fashion and Design Studio, which faces Old Trail Road is now an eye catcher for passersby; moreover, it fosters a welcoming environment for creatives.
The mural features a processional of cartoonishly rendered tubes and buckets of paint, juxtaposed by showy silhouettes of haute couture and set against a summery floral backdrop. As the lengthy mural transitions from colourscape to colourscape, the imagery is anchored by large expressionist portraits that carry the viewer on an odyssey of emotions. These moody portraits draw the viewer in with striking detail and then explode into colourful patterns of surreal imagery.
Also prominently displayed is an elegantly perched tropical bird, draped in flowers that unravel into threads which are then cut by giant scissors painted with silver metallic paint. The mural is a beautifully unhinged blend of surrealism and modern expressionism.
Behind the work is artist and paint mixologist, Kristopher Ellis.
“There’s a lot of abstract art and some surrealism. It’s an art form,” said Kristopher.
Coming from an artistic family, Kristopher said he has been an artist all his life but began creating murals in 2015 – thanks to Uncle Bud’s Bar, where he had his first opportunity to paint a mural.
The mural concept is that of Fashion Head of Department and International Fashion Designer, Apryl Burrows. It creates imagery that speaks to the programme’s offerings, aspirations and tools of the trade.
“The mural represents our creative community: the imagery includes tools and design techniques used daily in the fashion and garment industry and the colour schemes used are to inspire creatives when designing garments, textiles and surface prints. It also represents the future of the department, which would include more art disciplines,” said Ms. Burrows.
Ms. Burrows believes that as a creative department, the building where creative ideas come to life should be easily recognizable on campus.
“Our Fashion Trades students are excited and proud of the mural and what it represents. They are inspired by the colours, patterns, composition of the piece and especially that there is a public expression of them,” she added.
Meanwhile, “Creatives” is a buzzword. Such a project is important as representation of creatives is important in the technical vocational education and training (TVET) movement.
“We have a voice, a point of view that can be quite different from other departments and this mural is a reminder that we are different, and in a wonderfully fantastic way,” exclaimed Ms. Burrows.
“Creatives possess a versatility that allows us to transfer skills from one artistic discipline to another. From apparel to accessories, to fine art and furniture design, we have vast options – some yet to be discovered. BTVI is the hub of creative education in The Bahamas and we are extremely proud of that,” she stated.
Joining Ms. Burrows as instructors in BTVI’s Fashion Design programme are Kathy Pinder, John Lewis, Kevin Evans and Myrlande Julien, all who are respected Fashion Designers.
Additionally, Kristopher began work on the mural in September 2023. With a full-time job, he was only able to work on the project during his off days. He collaborated with visual artist, Kaja Jones, owner of Hippy Painters.
“Because I love this, I’d give any off day or free time to do what I love. My mind is always here. As long as I’ve been doing murals, this one holds a special place for me because of the amount of art and being the first building on the campus to have such artwork. This is the biggest contribution I have given to a community in terms of art. I am honoured to have been chosen,” said the artist.
The multi-dimensional artist who creates drawings, airbrushing, graffiti, vinyl painting, screen painting, visual arts, canvas painting and is a junkanooer, said he hopes the mural evokes creativity for creatives at BTVI.
“You can pull motivation from nature, just looking at flowers and birds. Junkanoo, in itself trains me to be more than one-dimensional,” said Kristopher.
Additionally, on the western side of the mural is a tribute to BTVI board member, Ann Rolle, who passed away in May 2024. Her name is enshrined within the artwork.
“When I found out about her passing, I was really touched and felt compelled to do something in her honour. She was pushing for the mural. From my understanding, she was an advocate for the mural. I put all the themes together and will dedicate this section to her – which includes daisies and hibiscus – because she didn’t get to see it. I appreciated her support,” said Kristopher.
