Antiguan born Stephen Murphy is an eco-artist that uses items he finds around him to make art and craft jewellery.

Murphy in a recent sit-down chat with the Pepperpot Magazine said each piece is made from what we call recycled material, which is basically anything that we find lying around in the environment.

He added that things like sea glass and water bottles are used to make jewels which are sold right in his shop, Zemi.

“I left Antigua for Canada when I was very young and I got into hotel/restaurant management after finishing high school with the aim of coming back to Antigua to work in the tourism industry but I have always had a kind of liking for art and craft because I like to make things with my hands,” he said.

Murphy stated that he, however, went to college and graduated in hotel/restaurant management and was working in that field in Toronto and it was doing quite well but he didn’t feel complete and wasn’t enjoying himself.

At that point, he decided to make a career change and returned to his homeland, where he worked in the tourism industry after which he branched off in art and craft which he felt was his calling.

“Right now working with my hands is very fulfilling and I am making wall photos from simple things but the finished product is very telling and this for me helps to bring down my stress level,” Murphy said.

This move caused his business, which has been in existence for the past 12 years, to blossom and today he has several shops in St. John’s busy shopping area.

Murphy employs mostly artists because he prefers people with a touch of creativity to develop ideas which turn into art and craft pieces.

He pointed out that to sell art one has to be bold and pull at the heartstrings of customers and his pieces are all exclusive and unique.

Murphy told the Pepperpot Magazine that he has in his employ three day-to-day staff and about two dozen locals, who bring things form the environment for him to make art and craft for his shop.

“I have had people take my pieces to Dubai. My art and craft are in almost every country because one day I was watching television and saw my pieces in the homes of people abroad. I have been selling craft for 33 years and been in this business for much longer. I took the risk and put myself out there and succeeded so stop saying art doesn’t pay, it does,” Murphy said.

Zemi Arts and Craft is nestled in trendy Redcliffe Quay, in St. John’s Zemi captures the essence of the Caribbean culture via an unprecedented approach to art. There, you can find a unique collection of indigenous and local, hand-made artwork which steps away from mass-produced souvenirs.

Zemi aspires to implement authenticity in the broadest sense of the word. This means doing business genuinely and sustainably: culturally, economically and environmentally.

Hence, next to paying tribute to our pre-Colombian ancestors and the Caribbean culture, Zemi honours Antigua’s local landscape, beaches and marine-life by embracing non-intrusive ways of doing business (e.g. recycling) and advocates strongly Caribbean-made merchandise, to support our local economy and its artists.

It is the gallery’s objective to introduce to tourists and the general public the great wealth of handmade and exclusive artwork and craft and produce souvenir items that have flooded many Caribbean islands.

Zemi has handmade assortments that are native wooden masks, painted calabash gourds, bright colourful metalwork, handmade natural soaps, distinctive clay sculptures.