Lawrence Deligny (St. Lucian Wood-Carver)

Lawrence Deligny was born September 22, 1952, in Choiseul where he lives to this day. He always wanted to be an artist and started developing his artistic ability in early childhood, and then seriously pursued it from age 19.

He is a completely self taught artist with no formal training. He started by carving “afro combs” which were popular at that time when hairdos were afro style, fashionable prior to Rastafarianism.

He sold his afro combs in various shops in Castries. When sales became slow with the outbreak of Rastafarianism, he started carving masks and from there developed to making pieces of furniture and carving columns and sculptures.

The majority of his work can be seen at Anse Chastanet and the Anse Chastanet art gallery. In the Anse Chastanet beach restaurant Trou au Diable, Lawrence Deligny created the tall vertical “Rain Forest” sculpture in the bar area, as well as the “Life in St. Lucia” sculptures in the beach restaurant, and also most of the columns in the building.

In the Anse Chastanet Piti Piton Restaurant and Bar, the most remarkable carved pieces are the entire wooden railing going into the Treehouse restaurant, as well as the carved frames around the paintings.

The entrance into the bar area is dominated by Samson and Delilah, a very large work that took Lawrence Deligny several years to carve and which went through a veritable odyssey, being claimed by many different owners before finding its permanent location at Anse Chastanet.

The majority of carvings and sculptures in the resort’s guest rooms have been created by Deligny. Recent projects include a Mermaid Four Poster Bed as well as several sculptures and large plaques.

Deligny has 4 children two of which are being trained as wood carvers by their father.