WITH a third store opening up at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel, Carole Holding is proving she's just as much of an entrepreneur as she is an artist.

Carole Holding Ltd. has a store on Front Street in Hamilton and a store on Town Square in St. George's. The new outlet, which is called The Bermuda Store by Carole Holding, is located in the lower lobby of the Southampton Princess.

The store sells Ms Holding's paintings and notecards, plus work by local artists such as banana doll-maker Deirdre Furtado.

"Before the remodelling of the store was even completed, people were banging on the glass, wanting to come in," said Ms Holding. "So we have the ribbon cutting on Thursday. And we will be up and running on Friday."

Architects Linberg & Simmons helped to remodel and renovate the store space that was previously used by the English Sports Shop. "It was so exciting to work with Linberg & Simmons," said Ms Holding.

The store will also offer an exclusive line of Bermuda Spa and Bermuda Tan products, chopping boards, jams, chutneys, wearable art and nautical items including antique bottles, shells for bathroom decorations and reproduction maps.

"My artwork is our best-selling item," said Ms Holding. "My customers are a fair mix of tourists and locals. We anticipate doing a lot of group work with all the conventions that the Southampton Princess hosts."

MS Holding started out painting as a hobby, but she enjoyed it so much it progressed to a career. Her entire family is involved in the business, in some way. Her daughter Elizabeth Tee handles the publicity and another daughter, Caroline, is a painter who goes by the name of Caroline Troncossi. Ms Holding's husband, Joe Tee, also helps.

"When my children were little they would see me painting constantly," she said. "We always did a lot of arts and crafts together.

"When they had birthday parties we would have theme parties and make swords and capes and that sort of thing. Art has been a family tradition. Both girls studied art in university. Caroline currently has a show at City Hall. We carry some of her smaller pieces, but a lot of her stuff is very large. That often goes to corporations."

Ms Holding says for an island as small as Bermuda there is a huge art colony.

"Harbour Nights are a great promotion for local artists," she said. "There is also the Crafts Market in Dockyard. I think, lately, tourism has been improving. Hopefully, things will continue along that path. At the Southampton Princess there is a lot of convention business."

Carole Holding lithographs are hung in all guest rooms at the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel. In addition, Ms Holding has produced two lithographs of the hotel Whaler Inn and Waterlot Inn which are available for sale from her collection.

In addition, she has completed a chopping board design with a rockfish glaze recipe created by the head chef of the Waterlot Inn and note cards, which were commissioned by the hotel's general manager, featuring four views of the Fairmont Southampton Princess Hotel. The original watercolour painting of the Whaler Inn is also available for sale from the Bermuda Shop.

The shop is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week (with a lunch closure).

JESSIE MONIZ