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Take Home an Original

By Chris Goodier

Savvy shoppers know that trip mementos really earn their suitcase space when they are locally created crafts or works of art. St Croix fits the bill with a large and growing colony of talented artisans who produce handmade jewelry, pottery, metal sculptures, glassware and paintings.

Wearing a silver or gold bracelet is a decades-old island tradition for both men and women — even toddlers sport them before they can talk. The simple bangles latch with a hook, loop or other clasp made in a style that varies by shop. Nautical theme clasps are popular — sailors' knots, shackles, anchors and creatures from the deep like dolphins or starfish — as are symbols of major hurricanes. If you have difficulty choosing, no problem: The island custom is to wear several at once.

Some jewelry is inspired by history, like gold charms of sugar mill ruins or Mocko Jumbie stilt walkers that represented spirits to enslaved Africans. You can even take home tiny antiques from St. Croix's plantation era — pottery shards set in gold or silver to be worn as earrings, bracelets or pendants. The rounded shards are called "chaney," a term derived from "china money" that island children picked up on dirt roads or beaches to use for games. The 18th- and 19th-century porcelain bits are mostly blue and white, though they can also be other colors.

In island boutiques, you'll find handmade Mocko Jumbie sculptures on stands, traditionally dressed in masks, hats and madras plaid costumes. Art glass craftspeople also draw from island themes to make their reasonably priced plates, platters and holiday ornaments. Look for West Indian cottages, lizards, hibiscus blossoms and sea turtles in a variety of colors.

To chat with island painters or photographers and see their latest work, watch for announcements of exhibit openings. From November through May, Christiansted gallery owners invite browsers in for wine and cheese on the first Thursday evening of each month. Fort Frederik and the Caribbean Museum Center — both in Frederiksted — often host exhibitions, and the nearby Good Hope School holds the island's largest and oldest art show each February over Presidents' Day weekend. Even if original works exceed your budget, remember that note cards, prints and calendars are easy to find — and to pack.