An Authentic Caribbean Villa for Art Lovers

Vincent Van Gough once said “if you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”

It’s easy to understand why so many artists have been inspired by nature. It’s even easier when you visit the authentic Caribbean villa St Bernard’s Hill House.

With its mountain-top location, you enjoy panoramic views of the ocean, beautiful gardens filled with bougainvillea and hibiscus, lush manicured lawns and pathways lined with palm trees.

The perfect place to be inspired

It’s been said that St Bernard’s House is “Heaven on Earth” – the perfect place to relax, unwind and be inspired. And as its proud owner and US-BVI dual citizen, I would, of course, agree.

I am still in awe of the surroundings and this was firmly in my mind when choosing artwork and furnishings for the interiors.

Each piece of art has been carefully selected to complement the villa’s authentic Caribbean architecture and enhance the beauty outside, even after the sun has set.

The result? You experience ultimate peace and tranquility.

While my connections to the Virgin Islands are strong and important to me – I grew up in the US Virgin Islands, spent vacations and holidays in the BVI with my mother and her family, and have Belonger status in the BVI – I now reside in Minnesota.

My local gallery, Art Resources Gallery, showcases the largest and most unique collection of original artwork in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN.

There are pieces by talented, award-winning artists from all over the world. However, certain artists particularly stood out and a collection was soon curated with the help of Art Resources Gallery Director Janella Fesenmaier.

Each piece is important. Each artist’s story adds to the St Bernard’s Hill House experience.

Whether it has vibrant colors, texture or movement, the artwork is a subtle reminder of what awaits you and your senses when the sun rises the next day.

They sit alongside photography of all the hidden gems and beauty on Tortola and the sister islands.

Leila is Arizonan and influenced by the diverse natural beauty that runs deep in the state. Green and metallic leaves on a white background hang in The Palm Villa.

Her work embodies balance and freedom, just what we try to embody here.

Lisa Ridgers studied art in England and abroad. She, too, spent her childhood living on an island (she lived on the Spanish island of Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea) and she has a passion for diversity in nature and different cultures.

Her pieces feature a calming organic palette, making Waterside Views and Country Views the ideal choice for a central position in the Main Villa’s lounge.

Bonnie Hinz, a Minnesotan artist specializing in metal, was commissioned to produce the simple yet beautiful St Bernard’s Hill House signage. Her inspiration comes from nature: leaves, flowers and pods to the gracefully curving lines of grasses, roots and trees.

Hong-Kong born artist Lun Tse has won numerous awards. His work is characterized by “a dreamlike quality that is mesmerizing, but precise” thanks to his use of hazily blended colors and wispy brushstrokes.

You should see how his beautiful metallic botanical pictures make the real plants and vegetation stand out outside. The effect is sensational.

Lively, colorful, utopian and uplifting, “Little Flowers” and “Dreaming in Color” are pieces from Peter Kuttner’s Cut Out Collection, selected for the Main Villa’s dining room.

The ethereal quality of his work is created one thin layer at a time and “cannot be replicated by hurried methods”. This calmer, slower pace is a true reflection of time spent at St Bernard’s Hill House.

My hope is that each piece will resonate with your senses, inspire stillness, relaxation, and even quiet contemplation.

When life slows down, it opens new perspectives. That’s usually when inspiration strikes.

And that’s why there are art supplies at St Bernard’s Hill House, so you can create your own masterpieces.

(We can also arrange private workshops and lessons for you with local artists too).

Just imagine standing at an easel with a palette of water colors, gazing over the harbor in the bay below and painting, without a care in the world…

You could awaken long-forgotten talents or simply enjoy the mindfulness of the practice.

Come and find out.

Your authentic Caribbean villa awaits.