Debbie May-Jardine

Debbie May-Jardine is a self-taught watercolour artist whose gift for painting flows naturally from both sides of her family. On her father's side, an uncle dabbled in painting as a hobby, and on her mother's side, artistic talent ran deep: her mother painted with skill as a young girl and later, in her older years, turned her creativity to sewing tapestries and crafting lovely floral arrangements. This inherited appreciation for beauty and form has shaped Debbie's own artistic journey.

Debbie's roots trace back to a family of notable distinction in Trinidad and Tobago. She is the great-granddaughter of Doctor Enrique Prada of Mille Fleurs, who was Mayor of Port of Spain from 1914 to 1917, and the granddaughter of Colonel George Herbert May, who married Doctor Prada's daughter, Rosa Enriquita (Quita), in 1913.

Colonel May served as a soldier in His Majesty's Army and was placed in charge of the Constabulary in Trinidad, going on to serve as Inspector General from 1916 to 1930. One of Colonel and Mrs. May's children was Claud Anthony May, also known as "Tony May", who served as Commissioner of Police from 1973 to 1978. Debbie is his daughter, carrying forward a family legacy of service and distinction into a new generation defined by artistic expression.

Over the years, Debbie has painted off and on, having furthered her craft through two art courses completed in Grenada. Her artistic curiosity has led her to master two rather unusual mediums: ink and bleach, and ink, pen and water, a technique that yields stunning and distinctive pieces of art. She also works in watercolour, marker pens, and watercolour pencils, moving fluidly between mediums to bring each subject to life.

Now retired, Debbie paints purely for the joy of creating pieces that showcase her talent. Her subjects are wonderfully varied, ranging from landscapes and flowers to birds and insects, among many others. For Debbie, painting is a way of expressing her deep appreciation for all the beauty that surrounds us - a quiet, personal celebration of the natural world captured one brushstroke at a time.