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Blue Horizons by Sophie Munroe Blue Horizons Sitting high amongst the rolling hills of Jamaica, Sophie Munroe discovers an artist who has found his paradise. Graham Davis, an English artist, was first drawn to Jamaica in 1970 when he took up the position of head of art at the Priory School in Kingston. It was originally a one year contract but, far from returning to his native England when the year was up, Jamaican life had so captured his imagination that the contract was extended time and again. Eventually, 11 years later and well-established into island life, Graham left the school to move to the north coast of the island where he became Artistic Director and Partner of Harmony Hall, an art gallery, shop and franchised restaurant in a Victorian fretwork building that was formerly a Methodist Manse. How Graham came to own his present home, Golden Spring, is something of a fairytale story. Its previous owner had just passed away and Graham was taken to see the property by a friend. Immediately entranced by its idyllic position set amongst rolling hills with distant views of the sea, Graham took to spending days there with just the housekeeper and his paints for company. This unusual arrangement lasted for two years until he heard that an old friend in Toronto was thinking of buying Golden Spring. Graham made it clear that he too was interested in the property and, to cut a long story short, the two bought it together, the plan being that Graham would renovate it and make it his home while his friend would come out to escape the harsh Toronto winters. Harmony Hall This idyllic arrangement may have sounded perfect in theory but a small oversight by Graham’s friend led to its downfall. Being a sun worshipper, he had not anticipated the cool, wet and changeable climate of that part of the island, so eventually Graham bought him out. next page...