Botanique Studios

Botanique Studios is dedicated to preserving and carrying forward the tradition of Antiguan seed work, a centuries-old craft first practiced on the island nation by enslaved African women, and today sustained by a small group of master artisans. Founded by Anne Jonas in 2017, the initiative creates opportunities for that knowledge to pass between generations through workshops centered on the traditional use of locally gathered tamarind seeds to create jewelry, mats, and other intricate woven pieces.

My photography documents both the artisans and the process behind this living tradition, helping tell its story to audiences well beyond Antigua. The work has appeared in international coverage from The Guardian and Smithsonian Global, and has been exhibited alongside Frank Walter’s paintings as part of The Garden Museum’s “Artist, Gardener, Radical” exhibition, where it was even viewed by Queen Camilla.