Feel the Rhythm, Taste the Life — Discover Laborie
Paint the Village 2026: A plein air event
by Lydia Charlemagne
The 10th annual Paint the Village, plein air art event, was held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th January, 2026, in Laborie, St. Lucia. Plein Air, a French term meaning “in open air” is a method of painting in which an artist creates a painting entirely outdoors, capturing the subject and lighting of a scene. As usual, the event was open to anyone and registration for the event was free.
Day 1 of Paint the Village was held at the Morne Le Blanc Nature Heritage Site. Spread around the ruins of the old American missile tracking station, forty-three professional artists, art students, children, and visual art enthusiasts painted a variety of subjects including the ruins, flowers, architectural elements like a traditional standpipe, and nature. A still life, comprising a coalpot and clay pot, gwaj, tanbou, and charcoal iron, was also set up. This catered for young children and fledgling artists reluctant to paint more involved subjects.
Day 2 was a more rigorous but perhaps even more satisfying affair. Undaunted by the hike down a steep winding track, twenty-two intrepid artists made it to the Adoudou Falls at Mc. Diamed. Perched on rounded river rocks and boulders scattered within the stream, they transferred the sunlit greens and shadows, the moisture and humid wetness, the gurgling water, the basin-like pool, the glistening falls, and the tranquility of the scene to their canvasses.
Most participants attended one of the two-day events but artists like Christine Samuel, a repeat participant, Lucan Francis, and the three Trinidadians (Jason, Ifé, and Yaya) who flew in specially for the event participated on both days.
Started in 2016, the Paint the Village has been held annually on the second Saturday of January, except for 2021 (due to the covid-19 pandemic). It is a collaborative initiative, which has been sponsored mainly by the Nobel Laureate Committee. At its inception, it was a collaboration between Labowi Promotions, under the direction of Yves Renard, and artist Jonathan Gladding. Since Yves’ passing on January 20, 2023, the Laborie Development Foundation has assisted in hosting the event. Paint the Village brings art enthusiasts together, both professional and amateurs, to paint outdoors in the beautiful village of Laborie, St. Lucia. Registration for the event is free. Each year, participants are invited to explore different elements of natural scenic landscapes, traditional architecture, heritage artifacts, local models, and other cultural elements in their artwork.
The Paint the Village Committee thanks the Nobel Laureate Committee for its continued sponsorship, ECHO-Lab (the Environmental Conservation and Heritage Organisation of Laborie) for access to the Morne Le Blanc Nature Heritage Site, the residents of Mc. Diamed, the Laborie Development Foundation and all the artists, many of whom participate every year. The success of the event depends on their attendance and participation.