Friday, July 25, 2025, 7:13PM | 
MENU
Advertisement
Terry McKoy and Barbara Alperen wearing some of his creations for Sloop Jones Studio in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.
1
MORE

Sloop Jones Art Studio in the Virgin Islands has a Pittsburgh connection

Sloop Jones Art Studio in the Virgin Islands has a Pittsburgh connection

Don't touch that "Every Hour is Happy Hour" T-shirt.

If you go to St. John in the Virgin Islands, please forego the cheap imitations in the hotel gift shop and buy a hand-painted T-shirt - or some art, or a pillow, or SOMETHING - from Sloop Jones instead.

What's more, while you can buy his work at shops in Cruz Bay, the island's largest town, you owe it to yourself to drive out to the Sloop Jones Art Studio on the pristine eastern end of the island instead. That's because Sloop happens to live in one of the most beautiful parts of St. John, 15 minutes past Coral Bay, and his property is a magical garden of banana groves, Ylang-Ylang trees and gorgeous views. It's a glimpse of rural St. John which, for now, is still undeveloped.

Advertisement

More importantly, there's a Pittsburgh connection. Sloop, aka Terry McKoy, grew up in the city's Point Breeze neighborhood and still has relatives in the area. And while, during a recent visit, he asked about folks living in Pittsburgh, don't blame him for wanting to live where he is.

Mr. Jones (a nickname from long ago that just stuck, he says), came here several decades ago from Massachusetts with his wife, Barbara Alperen, fell in love with the island and decided to use all of their artistic and business talents to make a living here.

Mr. Jones mixes all of his paint from scratch and creates clothing inspired by the technicolor blues and greens of the Caribbean as well as the local flora and fauna, painting on cotton, linen and tencel - all natural fibers.

We looked at them during a recent visit and wanted to buy them all, and maybe next time we go back, we will.

Advertisement

For more information on Sloop Jones Art Studio, go to www.sloopjones.com.

First Published: September 15, 2010, 8:00 a.m.

RELATED
Comments Disabled For This Story
Partners
Advertisement
An aerial view of Hersheypark.
1
news
9-year-old dies in incident at The Boardwalk in Hersheypark
David Mielnicki, left, and Debbie and Jerry Santucci, owners of Cafe Notte in Emsworth.
2
life
Cafe Notte sharpens its focus after transformation via a major TV makeover show
Gov. Josh Shapiro appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Thursday and talked a lot about Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump, and the arson attack on the governor's residence in Harrisburg in April.
3
news
Gov. Shapiro tells Stephen Colbert that Trump has 'abandoned' Pennsylvanians
The 11 Stanwix building Downtown on Sunday, March 3, 2024.
4
business
Brunner joins office shuffle as more companies leave Downtown for the North Shore
Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith (56) warm up during the NFL football team's training camp in Latrobe, Pa., Thursday, July 24, 2025.
5
sports
Christopher Carter's Steelers chat transcript: 07.25.25
Terry McKoy and Barbara Alperen wearing some of his creations for Sloop Jones Studio in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Advertisement
LATEST life
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story