Edrid Banks

Edris Banks Jr. was a prolific Caymanian intuitive artist whose creative journey was shaped by personal adversity. After contracting polio at the age of seven, which left him deaf, Banks developed a profound connection to music—an early passion that later evolved into a lifelong dedication to the visual arts. Working primarily in painting and photography, he expressed his deep appreciation for Cayman’s culture and landscape through his art.

Flower Tree is a vibrant tribute to Cayman’s natural environment, painted by intuitive artist Edris Banks. The work depicts a blooming Poinciana tree in front of a traditional stone wall, with each flower carefully placed to reflect Banks’ strong sense of design and order. Intuitive artists like Banks draw inspiration directly from memory and the world around them, capturing the essence of everyday island life with instinctive skill.

The Poinciana, celebrated for its brilliant red blossoms, is the national flower of St. Kitts and Nevis and a familiar sight in Cayman—especially in Savannah and parts of South Sound, where its branches arch gracefully over the roads. Also featured in Banks' work is the Silver Thatch Palm, Cayman’s national tree, further rooting the painting in the cultural and ecological identity of the islands.

This is a reproduction of the original painting. The original will be installed during the second week of June 2025.

Biography adapted from National Gallery of the Cayman Islands website: https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/artist/edrid-banks-jr/