Mavis V. Parris is a Fashion, Clothing and Textiles teacher at Charlestown Secondary School and an accomplished batik artist. With over four decades of experience in sewing, embroidery, and fabric design, she is recognised for her creativity, resourcefulness, and commitment to passing on traditional and modern textile skills. Her teaching journey spans primary, special education, and secondary school, where she worked diligently with learners of all abilities. Since 2007, she has specialised in TVET education, becoming a trained professional in the field of, Textiles Clothing and Fashion. Over the past 18 years, she has inspired her students with both discipline and passion, proudly standing by her classroom slogan: “If I hear a click, you get a stick.” She takes great pride in her students’ growth, especially when they embrace the subject with genuine enthusiasm.

Her passion for textiles began in childhood, inspired by her mother’s practice of recycling fabrics into new garments. This love for resourcefulness continues today through projects such as her denim recycling collection, “All in Your Jeans.”

Mavis studied Special Education at Harris-Stowe State College, Missouri, where she was introduced to batik art. In 2019, she expanded her expertise through a year-long scholarship in Java, Indonesia, mastering the techniques of Batik Tullis, Batik Cap, and Batik Lukis.

Today, she designs bespoke pieces—including scarves and sarongs for the Nevis Tourism Industry and conducts workshops throughout Nevis, ensuring that the art form is passed on to future generations of Nevisians.