In May, 1610, Sea Venture survivors left Bermuda and sailed on to Jamestown, Virginia in the Deliverance and Patience pinnaces loaded down with provisions that would save the fledging new world colony from starvation.

Many locals know the story well, but have trouble picturing what happened after the passengers left Bermuda. A new art exhibition at the St George’s Foundation’s World Heritage Centre aims to change all that. Artist Wynne Colley has painted key historic locations from both Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown, Virginia and St George’s, Bermuda.

Mrs Colley’s personal history is closely linked to these locations. Her husband, Dr Hywel Colley, grew up on Shinbone Alley in St George’s. Later, he and Mrs Colley lived, worked and raised a family in Richmond, Virginia for more than two decades. The Colleys moved back to Bermuda several years ago, but still go back to Virginia every year.

“I thought it would be fun to paint locations in Virginia and Bermuda that are historically connected,” said Mrs Colley. “I approached Charlotte Andrews, Executive Director of the St George’s Foundation about putting them up at the World Heritage Centre and she was very interested.”

The exhibition opened on Saturday and visitors to the Centre can see depictions of such scenes as the area where the James River meets the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. It would have been from this spot that starving settlers in Jamestown first spotted the arrival of the lifesaving Deliverance and Patience from Bermuda. Other paintings show what thee first settlers’ dwellings would have looked like in Bermuda, and the fort in Jamestown. Visitors can compare the State House in St George’s to the State House in Williamsburg. Fire destroyed the State House in Jamestown three times before it was decided to move the seat of government to the nearby Middle Plantation, later named Williamsburg in 1699.

“When I was painting the State House in Williamsburg, I began to really hate bricks,” said Mrs Colley. “In the end I had to find ways around painting each individual brick.”

Mrs Colley took up painting about 15 years ago, after a long break.

“I painted quite a bit at one time and one of my children destroyed one of my paintings,” said Mrs Colley. “I decided I wasn’t going to do it again until they grew up. I had a very lengthy hiatus. When I started again it was just like starting all over again. It is not exactly like riding a bike; art is a little different.”

Mrs Colley said she felt the project using art to connect Virginia and Bermuda was important.

“People need to know the impact that Bermuda had on Virginia” she said. “One of my children once said if it wasn’t for us (meaning Bermuda) you (America) wouldn’t be where you are today. It is over simplifying but we had a tremendous impact on the development of the New World.”

“Bermuda has so many talented artists and historians, but it is a rare thing to find both in one person,” said Dr Andrews. “So, when Wynne Colley approached the St George’s Foundation to exhibit her new set of original paintings highlighting the historic connections between Bermuda and Virginia we were delighted. Wynne’s knowledge of and enthusiasm for the stories of St George’s and St David’s and the ‘Historic Triangle’ of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown in particular is directly aligned with our heritage and cultural tourism work.”

The artwork will be up until September 1 and pieces are for sale. Mrs Colley will donate half of the proceeds from painting sales to the St Georges’ Foundation.

“Wynne’s generous gift makes the exhibit even more of a Win-Wynne,” said Dr Andrews. “We hope residents and visitors alike will come visit the World Heritage Centre show.”

For more information see www.stgeorgesfoundation.org or call 297-8043.