Artist William Gringley has set his sights and artistic palette away from Bermuda for the first time in his varied career.

His show "A Year in the Sun: Exploring the Caribbean" opens at the Bermuda Society of Arts, Gallery B this evening.

The artist, who has won numerous awards and taught in the Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art summer programmes, found new inspiration in the Caribbean.

"As the husband of a marine biologist, I was able to accompany my wife as a scuba diver and assistant on her travels and research throughout the Caribbean in 2006," said Mr. Gringley. "Together we visited several islands including Barbados and Jamaica, as well as Caribbean locations in Central America. Through these travels, I was exposed to diverse island and Caribbean cultures, which served to expand my visual and artistic perspective on life in the Caribbean in contrast to my lifelong experiences as a Bermudian." The couple stayed in remote locations rather than posh hotels. "I was privileged to view to the true experiences and raw nature of Caribbean life and culture," he said. "Such experiences broadened my horizons and inspired my artistic palette. I found the Caribbean bursting with colour and exceptional beauty. Having painted Bermuda's manicured landscape and architecture extensively, I found the Caribbean to be rustic in nature, contributing to a new direction in my paintings.

"In this show I have presented my personal view of scenes and people I witnessed while spending significant time submerged in these cultures. I hope that through these works, as Bermudians, we can celebrate the diversity between our islands' cultures and value the underlying commonalities that unite us all."

The paintings are exclusively in oils due to their longevity and resistance to fading, said the artist. "When purchasing an oil painting, one is purchasing a lifelong investment that will never tarnish or fade," said Mr. Gringley.

"Paintings presented in this show range from 8" x 10" inches to 18" x 20" inches, which is slightly smaller than my usual work."

The public opening will be tomorrow from 5.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.