Ask any Bahamian about The Bahamian Calendar, and they will surely know what you are referring to and where to get one. They likely will have their own copy hanging in their place of residence as well. Even in this day of digital calendars and smartphones reminding you of upcoming engagements, there is something comforting about having a paper calendar hanging in your home or office, especially one with such thoughtfulness and relevant information to this small island nation.
Started by Long Island resident Fiona Maillis in 1987, 2019 celebrates 32 years of production. Fiona now enlists her adult children and extended family with the creation of the calendar each year, and jointly, they have come to be known as The Calendar Family. The calendar is all hand-painted in watercolors, and provides moon cycles, fishing guides, gardening tips, recipes, rainfall and average temperatures, and regional island celebrations. Fiona does all the painting, with assistance occasionally from her daughter Oceanna, who also provides photographs of island destinations for inspiration. Her son Thaddeus provides gardening information, and another son Luke, an avid fisherman, provides fishing recommendations.
Photo Credit: The Calendar Family
Fiona learned calligraphy at 7 years old and followed art into high school. She always enjoyed art but never believed she had much of a talent. It wasn’t until her fisherman husband Nick needed a calendar to track the relationship between the moon phases and fishing seasons that she started to pursue painting. She wanted to make the calendar look nice, so the original calendar took shape based out of both necessity and visual appeal. She immediately gained support from friends in the local community, and it quickly steamrolled into producing a calendar each year.
Although she could use any medium, she prefers watercolors, as they allow the white of the paper to show through and enhances the natural lights and vivid landscape of The Bahamas. Each page is a collection of thoughtful, original works, and the hand-drawn grids vary in sizes so she can fit all of the information within them. They are printed on heavy duty, watercolor matte paper. Since inception, Fiona has gained confidence, and the frames have become more complex. She has become more experimental and started “painting outside the lines”. She attributes her success to dedicating herself to learning the media, but also by choosing to use good quality paint and paper, and meeting people over the years who have inspired and contributed to her growth. Having six children along the way provided challenges in getting the calendar out each year, but she always managed, and now her family continues to support and contribute to the business’s success. Oftentimes Fiona finds herself cramming in the fall, as she rushes to get the calendar finished for publication in the spring. The 2019 calendar was released in March/April of 2018.
They are popular take-home gifts for visitors, each month showcasing a different beautiful island scene from locales throughout The Bahamas. You can find the calendars in every region in The Bahamas, look for them in grocery stores, pharmacies, and gift shops. Visit www.thecalendarfamily.com for more information.
Make sure you get yours for the new year!
Please note – This is an informational blog post only. To purchase the calendar, visit the official website www.thecalendarfamily.com
They are our number one Christmas gift and something that we can’t do without. We have not missed a year since we have been in the Bahamas.
We love them !!!!!!
Angie, Carriearl Boutique Hotel, Great Harbour Cay, The Berry Islands, Bahamas