They were among the star attractions at the recently held Taiwan-Saint Lucia Trade Exhibition and with all the attention, Shirley Edward is trying to keep up with the demands for her adorable Creole Christmas Angels and other Christmas adornments. These one-of-a-kind pieces, the artistic Edward says, are borne out of a passion she has had for craft and creativity since the age of three.
“I started to showcase my work about twenty years ago when I participated in an annual Caribbean trade expo in Barbados. After about the ninth year I decided to do something different and I came up with the Creole angels and the response was overwhelming,” Edward told the STAR. “I had persons from the Caribbean and even the United States making purchases,” she remarked of her madras-wearing angels. Since then Shirley Edward has participated in a number of regional trade shows as well as the annual Taiwan-Saint LuciaTrade Exhibition. This year she again showcased her Creole angels which garnered much attention from those who visited the trade show.
Edward told the STAR she has been making things out of any raw material or recyclable material since she was three. “At school I participated in painting, in art; I am also a dancer and a qualified certified interior decorater,” Edward says. She is also a full-time employee with LIAT.
In terms of her products she says she gets requests year-round but they can also be purchased at La Place Carenage in Castries as well as upstairs in the JQ Rodney Bay Mall.
“The exposure this year has been overwhelming despite my biggest challenge of sourcing material,” Edward said. Today, Saturday December 12th, she will again be showcasing her angels and other gift ideas, this time at BayFest on the Rodney Bay strip.
