Described by CBC Arts as “the most famous Canadian artist you’ve probably never heard of,” artist Geoff McFetridge has collaborated with brands that run the gamut from Apple to Hermes. His art has been showcased in Canada and (far) beyond. Most recently, though, McFetridge has set his eye on the small but captivating nation of Belize—specifically, its enchanting pine forests and much-adored southern beaches. McFetridge has collaborated with the Family Coppola Hideaways to tell the story of sister properties Turtle Inn and Blancaneaux Lodge through illustration. The reason, as an article published in The New Yorker put it, is to mark “fifty collective years of hosting adventure-seeking travelers”.
Blancaneaux Lodge and Turtle Inn Illustrated
Illustration by Geoff McFetridge.
“Francis saw something in the jungle in the Philippines that he could not let go,” McFetridge tells The New Yorker. “He followed that feeling and love for adventure all the way to Belize.”
It’s a tale that previous guests of any of the Family Coppola Hideaways in Belize are likely already familiar with. A couple years after the filming of Apocalypse Now, renowned director Francis Ford Coppola visited the tiny nation of Belize and was immediately enamored with its natural environment and lush, wild settings.
Motivated by that love, he purchased an abandoned Blancaneaux Lodge. Initially, it served as a family retreat, tucked away inside Belize’s Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Eventually, though, Coppola opened Blancaneaux to the public.
“This is very Coppola,” says McFetridge, of the conch shell that hides a phone, beloved by children and adults alike. “They invent things constantly.”
Shello! Photo by Kevin Quischan (@BelizeMyTravels)
Through the use of colored pencils and sketches that he says are reminiscent of those he often does while traveling, McFetridge tells the story of Blancaneaux, his choice of medium adding a touch of whimsy to it all.
He also illustrates snapshots of life at Turtle Inn, Blancaneaux’s beachside sister property, set in Placencia Village. One such “snapshot” is that of the Shellphone. It’s a unique – and beloved – intercom system that can be found in the dwellings at both hideaways. It’s one of the many personal touches that guests will discover upon staying at the Coppola Family Hideaways.
Featured: Illustration by Geoff McFetridge (@mcfetridge on Instagram). This article was adapted from “An Illustrated Tale of Two Family Coppola Hideaways” published in the New Yorker. Read the original piece here.
