Rare Caribbean Art
SCT supporter Diana Wright received the world's first total knee replacement at Stanmore in 1977. She is also the lucky recipient of a number of paintings by Canute Calliste, the famous Carriacou painter, whose artworks adorn the walls of none other than Her Majesty the Queen.
With a birthday approaching, Diana has kindly offered to auction some of her collection to help raise funds for SCT. She shared the story of these valuable artworks with us.
“Whilst I much appreciate her kindness, my house is not big enough to house all the paintings!”
Diana Wright’s claim to fame is that she had the world’s first Stanmore Total-Knee Replacement in 1977. Her story was printed in the SCT Newsletter a few years ago. As a mark of her gratitude for her ‘working leg’ she has been a supporter of our charity since its inception.
Diana comes from a tiny island in the Caribbean called Carriacou, which is parish of Grenada. Her grandfather purchased a lime factory (producing lime juice) in Carriacou in 1926, and her parents spent most of their lives there. Carriacou proudly boasts a ‘primite painter’ called Canute Calliste, who has become quite famous in the art world and Diana is reliably informed by the artist’s daughter Clementia that Her Majesty the Queen owns several of Canute’s paintings.
“Over the years Canute gave several of his paintings to my parents, and then later his daughter Clementia, who is Curator of the privately run Museum in Carriacou, gave some other paintings to me. Whilst I much appreciate her kindness, my house is not big enough to house all the paintings (!) and as another birthday approaches, I have decided it is time to sell some of them and donate the funds to SCT. As I live in Ipswich, my son Matthew Wright, took the paintings on my behalf to Ewbanks Art Dealer in Surrey.
“As you are all aware, SCT’s fundraising activities have had to be cancelled and I am hopeful that this venture will raise some much needed funds.”
“If you are interested in art and would like a unique piece of art depicting Carriacou life, please bid on-line and bring a bit of Caribbean sunshine and cheer to your home or office – and raise funds for SCT at the same time.”
The unique pieces of art will be up for auction at ewbankauctions.co.uk, contact Andy Delve - if you would be interested in placing a bid please contact the auction house or email rnoh.sct@nhs.net to be put in touch with Diana directly.