Bahamas Marine EcoCentre fills a special niche in the world of art, promoting scientifically based art that inspires and educates the public about the unique and fragile habitats of the Bahamas. Our first book, ‘Islands of the Sun: A Tribute to the Northern Exuma Cays, Bahamas’, features text and paintings by John A. Thompson and photography by Nikita Shiel-Rolle. An unprecedented fusion of science and art, Islands of the Sun tours the reader through the ecosystems of the central Bahamas from the hilltops to the depths of the ocean. BME continues to foster artistic endeavors focused on native flora and fauna of the Bahamian environment.

‘Islands of the Sun’ functions as an informative reference volume as well as a monumental work of art, with photography and painted illustrations bringing to life the unique and diverse plants and animals of the Exuma Cays. The culmination of a three-year effort, every chapter in ‘Islands of the Sun’ features a different habitat, showcasing the wondrous and bizarre organisms that make their homes in this tropical island idyll. Remarkable colour photographs depict a range of life from orchids and rock iguanas to sea slugs and reef sharks. All in all, a total of 298 members of the flora and fauna are featured. Accompanying text informs the reader about these species, including their historical and cultural value as food or medicine. Every chapter opens with a two-page landscape painting of the selected habitat and its denizens.  Each chapter additionally features a ‘special focus’ section dedicated to a plant or animal of particular interest specific to that habitat. ‘Islands of the Sun’ is a landmark publication both from an artistic and a scientific point of view, as Bahamas-specific volumes are rare.

Publication of ‘Islands of the Sun’ was supported in part by The Nature Conservancy; the Bahamas National Trust facilitated field work. The book was produced for The Danguillecourt Project (now Bahamas Marine EcoCentre) by Neko Meicholas, Guanima Press Ltd, and printed by AC Graphics, a certified green printer using paper from well-managed forests and vegetable-based inks. All proceeds from ‘Islands of the Sun’ support environmental educational activities of Bahamas Marine EcoCentre.