A new store is bringing colour and creativity to the streets of St George’s. Handmade pieces inspired by Bermuda fill the shelves at Resin Art Patricia on York Street. Patricia Medeiros Saints and her husband, Roger Saints, opened the store last month. Handmade jewellery, coasters, decorative plates and artwork are among the many pieces on display.

For Ms Saints, the opening marks the next step in a business she has steadily built over several years.

“I had some good ideas and so I played with them and I kept making stuff,” she said. “This is something I enjoy doing. I love all this. So I keep doing it.”

She was introduced to resin by her husband, who used epoxy to seal his paintings. The couple later began exploring how they could use it in other ways, which led them to start watching videos about projects online.

“About five years ago, I went into Hamilton to try and buy a cupcake tray for my cakes at Christmas and I couldn’t find one,” Ms Saints said.

Back at home, the videos proved useful. The couple came across a tutorial showing how to create exactly what she had been looking for using resin epoxy.

“And because we had resin at home, my husband said, ‘Let’s try,’” she recalled. “And we did.”

What started as a creative experiment quickly became a passion. Without formal training, Ms Saints taught herself, encouraged by the online tutorials and lots of practice.

“I watched the videos and started,” she said. “I didn’t have classes. I just watched the videos and tried for myself.”

She kept adding to the collection. The couple soon realised they were running out of space.

“Because I had a lot of products at home, my husband said, ‘Patricia, go out and sell this stuff’,” Ms Saints said. She approached the gift shop at Grotto Bay Beach Resort & Spa.

While the store did not have room for her products, staff helped connect her with hotel management. She was eventually given the opportunity to set up and sell her work directly to hotel guests several days a week.

“So I went there Wednesdays to Sundays, put my table out and started to sell to the tourists,” she said. “That is how I started.”

Demand for her products continued to increase, eventually convincing the couple it was time to open a permanent location.

“My stock was flying from the shelves,” Ms Saints said. “So I decided to look for my space.”

Finding a location, however, proved difficult.

“I tried Dockyard, St George’s … I had a hard time,” she said. “There’s a lot of people out there looking for a place, and when landlords speak with us they ask, ‘Are you sure you can really do this? Will you really have sales?’ They don’t want to give us a chance.”

Eventually, the couple secured the York Street storefront — a location they say feels like the perfect fit.

Her creations on display range from resin jewellery and serving trays to colourful artwork and home decor pieces, many designed to reflect Bermuda’s natural beauty.

“I can do sand earrings, the glass with the sand,” she said. “I can do dried flowers, with stone, with shells. I add a lot of stuff to my resin. I do a lot of painting with resin,” Ms Saints said.

“I love St George’s. That’s why I’m here. I like this part of the island. It’s so peaceful and it has good energy. I love good energy.”

Mr Saints believes the new business adds a fresh energy to the Olde Towne.

“We feel it’s a great location because of the historic value that the town has,” he said. “There’s a lot to do and see down here from that aspect.”

He said the couple wanted to create a place that was welcoming to both locals and visitors.

“If you come see our storefront, you’ll see it’s very inviting — there’s lots of colours, which I think is beneficial to St George’s as well as us, being a tourist destination,” Mr Saints added.

Neighbouring businesses and residents have stopped by to introduce themselves since they opened the store.

“A lot of people have popped their heads in from other businesses and shown their support and welcomed us with open arms,” he said.

Added Ms Saints: “Everyone is welcome. All of Bermuda’s locals, the tourists, are all welcome. I have gifts here for everyone, not just for people from outside the island.”

• Resin Art Patricia, located at 31 York Street, is open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm, and Sunday from 10am to 4pm