Carole Holding is one of Bermuda's most popular watercolour artists. Her delightful work of Bermuda flowers and various Bermuda scenes is purchased by thousands of tourists each year.

Ms Holding has developed a rapport with tourists over the years and she is a major attraction on Front Street, Hamilton during Harbour Night evenings. "I like meeting tourists and get great enjoyment from chatting to them. It all goes with what we are doing,'' she said.

Morecambe, England, is the birth place of Ms Holding who developed an interest in arts and crafts from an early age of about five. She did a painting of an 18th century laughing cavalier which won a ribbon at the village country fair about age seven.

"In retrospect, I believe I was born to become an artist. I started painting by number when I was five or younger and always had a passion for colouring.'' Ms Holding comes from a long line, three generations, of hoteliers and restaurateurs.

"My mother and father and grandparents were very lively and outgoing and enjoyed dealing with people. I was brought up using manners and learned the art of conversation naturally from my parents.'' Following in the footsteps of her ancestors, Ms Holding was educated in hotel management. She arrived in Bermuda in 1968 and pursued a career with the Hamilton Princess.

She met her husband, Mr. Joseph Tee, married and had two lovely daughters, Elizabeth and Caroline. While she was staying home taking care of their girls she turned again to her childhood hobby of arts and crafts in 1975.

At this time Ms Holding was painting Bermuda flowers in oil on 5x7 canvases hung on velvet ribbons. A friend, Ann Walker Selley, encouraged her to sell these beautiful little works.

She then branched out into painting Bermuda scenes so sought by locals and tourists and today has a thriving business of retail art in St. George's, Hamilton and Dockyard. The Bermuda Press produces the retail prints.

Ms Holding creates and sells original art too. She has done originals for locals and people in many foreign countries such as Japan, Germany, England, Canada, Norway and the United States.

"My role in tourism is promoting Bermuda and capturing it's natural beauty.

First I promote Bermuda and then I promote Carole Holding the artist.

"I always paint on location and never from a photograph,'' she says of her art. "I feel this is the only way to capture the spontaneous quality of watercolour.

"I do most of my scenes in the cooler weather like September onwards. I draw everything and then colour. My style reflects true representation of what I am viewing. I try to capture Bermuda's light and colour.