Kreyolicious Artist Spotlight…in which…in which I present to you, dear kreyolicious cheries…to an artist you should know about. Today’s person of interest is a fifteen-year-old named Laureine Lilavois, a songbird based in Port-au-Prince. She tells me that she recorded her first song “The Same” (available on iTunes) at just 13. Amazing no? What’s more amazing is that on her song “The Same”, she displays all the vocal maturity you’d expect of someone of her age flipped—some 31-year old. File her under soft-core R&B with just, just a tinge of a world sound.

Let’s get to know her better dear kreyolicious cheries.

Kreyolicious—Tell us more about yourself.

I am currently in Secondaire Un—10th grade—and have done all my studies in the Haitian-French system. I love going to the beach and hanging out with my friends. I love to be myself—no matter how weird it may seem to others. Luckily, my friends are just as weird as me and we usually have a great time no matter what we are doing or where we are.

Kreyolicious: Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey?

No hesitation there: Whitney Houston. I choose her because she has a powerful voice—and above all—I feel the emotions rushing out through the words as she sings. She makes me feel the pain or joy she felt when she wrote or sang the song.

Kreyolicious: Do you drink lemon tea and honey to take care of your voice as some singers tend to do?

Yes. I especially use honey. It helps to clear up my vocal chords.

Kreyolicious: I read that you were born in the USA, and moved back to Haiti with your parents.

I moved to Haiti with my parents at the age of one. I grew up here. It’s my home. I travel to the States a few times a year for vacation and to visit family.

Kreyolicious: From your view of things, how is the musical scene in Haiti looking right now?

The music scene in Haiti now is awesome. We have our konpa, but we listen to all types of music here. We celebrate and encourage all genres of music in Haiti and have many festivals and parties allowing artists from around the world to showcase [themselves].

Kreyolicious: Will you be releasing an album soon? What do you have cooking musically?

For the moment, I am focusing on my studies. I have many songs written in their preliminary stages. When a topic comes to mind or something or someone inspires me, I write it down in my music journal. I have a few favorites and hope someday to complete them and share with the world.

Kreyolicious: How did you know that you had it in you—this singing thing?

My parents say I’ve been singing even before I could speak. [Laughter] I had my first onstage singing experience in Kindergarten. I’ve always loved singing, it’s just a part of me.

Kreyolicious: And what do your parents have to say about all of this? Are they like, “Laureine girl, as long as you become a nurse on the side, it’s perfectly okay if you pump up that microphone”?

My parents are my biggest supporters. They have encouraged me all along the way and I know they always will. Of course, like most parents, they want me to graduate from college—which I fully intend to do.

[All photos courtesy of BlowUp Records.]

PURCHASE LAUREINE’S MUSIC ON iTunes | LAUREINE ON INSTAGRAM |

Nadine Renazile should be on your radar. Actually, she should be a big dot, huge dot on your radar.

Above: The artist Nadine Renazile poses with singer Lauryn Hill.

The Haiti-born, New York abstract and mixed media painter is known for melting multiple cultural identities in her work. She says her work expresses themes like displacement, language, race and social class ambiguity and of course, memory and family relationships. Recently, her work was part of singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill’s Diaspora Calling group exhibition.

Nathalie’s work has also been on display at the Smack Mellon Gallery, and her work was in the exhibition line-up at Princeton University’s All-Rise at Robertson Hall. You can catch an exhibition featuring the work of the Columbia University graduate at Selebrasyon, Haiti Cultural Exchange’s Haitian art, culture, music extravaganza going on right now until the end of June.

Kreyolicious: At which moment did you have your first epiphany that being an artist was going to be a huge part of your life?
In 2013 while painting in Studio #16 at the Art Students League, I knew I had found my passion and right then and there I dedicated my life to becoming a painter.

Kreyolicious: Was parental support heavy when you made your intentions known?
I was in my fifties when I started painting; parental support was not a consideration. However, it took a while for friends and family to understand how hugely important painting was to me. At first, they were annoyed at listening to me rave about this gallery show or that museum exhibition, but then slowly they came around to accepting the fact that this wasn’t simply a pastime.

Kreyolicious: Did you ever have to struggle within yourself between being an artist and pursuing something else?
Interestingly, I had just completed a Master’s in Information Management and Knowledge Strategy at Columbia University and was looking into becoming a Knowledge Manager at another institution but then I realized that I wanted to paint full time. I’ve had to say NO a lot! Knowing that I am a librarian and possessing a certain skill set, people have all kinds of requests of me but having waited so long to find the one thing I was born to do, I felt I needed to give it my all and not be sidetracked by other people’s needs. It’s hard for folks to understand, but I’ve been pretty uncompromising about not veering off my path.

Above: From Nadine Renazile’s Earthquake painting series. Photo taken by Gina Marcel.

Kreyolicious: What do you usually do when you have a creativity slump?
I read art books, lots of poetry, visit museums and galleries or I just work through ideas in my sketchbooks.

Kreyolicious: Have you been to Haiti?
I went to Haiti in 2010 two months after the earthquake. It was a life-defining moment. Previous to that time I hadn’t been in decades. In Haiti, all the familiar landmarks of my childhood were gone, the Cathedral where I had my first communion and my elementary school amongst other things.  My old family home in Fontamara was not only gone, but the whole area had become totally impoverished. It was no longer the haven I remembered it to have been forty years ago. It was devastating to see that the social and economic fabric of the country had deteriorated to such extent that people had to live this way.  I was staying in Frère, but didn’t feel very safe there. Despite the high walls everywhere, things were still in disarray. However, I took a side trip to Hinche and fell in love with the interior of the country. It was like time had stopped, young men and women reading their books were sitting in a sweet little park in the town center. People spoke this amazing lyrical Kréyol; they had a great dignity about them. I felt humbled. I think I fell in love with my language then. Although I had traveled there to volunteer my services, things didn’t turn out that way. I did a couple of things, but certainly not enough to warrant saying “I volunteered”. I am still haunted by what I saw there. I’ve been working on an ongoing series about the earthquake for a while now. I hope one of these days to do a residency somewhere that would allow me the space and time needed to work on that exclusively.  

Kreyolicious: What do you wish you had known before launching your career?
Had I known I would have developed this passion for painting I would have gotten both a BFA and an MFA (Bachelor and Masters of Fine Arts).  I think a formal art education would have been beneficial. That said I’ve been pursuing an atelier-style education at the Art Students League in New York and doing art residencies and taking workshops. Mostly, I am developing a practice where I paint everyday, developing my visual vocabulary—that’s the best way to build potency in my art. My brother Erick has an MFA and I was always in awe of his skill set and talent.

Kreyolicious: If you were to make a short list of books that have changed your life…what would make the Top 5?
I’m interested in a world of ideas. I’m a reader, I’ve been a librarian for over twenty years, so my list is deep, but I’ll try to stick with the five requested. A list of best anything is always a capricious endeavor, but here I go:

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse was the first book I read in high school that made me think beyond the obligatory classroom response. It is a philosophical novel. The idea of seeking enlightenment was astounding to me; I was becoming aware of myself as a person. I walked around the house for days in a trance. My parents thought I had gone mad.

A librarian friend, Jean Refusé, gave me this poetry collection by Félix Morisseau-Leroy titled Haitiad and Oddities. This was right after I returned from Haiti and having fallen in love with Kréyol. His “Thank You Dessalines” gives me a thrill each time I read it.

I love James Baldwin’s lucid writing but one in particular, Another Country, is a spellbinding book that raised my black consciousness to another level entirely.  This is black intellectualism at its best.
Like most of Toni Morrison’s books, Song of Solomon is not for the faint of heart. The story of a black family striving is so compelling. Morrison presents black life is such a radical way: unapologetic, unblinking and fierce. The end of the novel, which, can best be described as a flight of fancy, captured my Haitian imagination.

Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine. Another poetry collection, this one presents as both a collection of poetry and criticism. This book is a timely meditation on race, violence, racism, and art. This tour de force is poetic and political. I created two paintings based on Rankine’s meditation on Serena Williams.

Above: Another Nadine Renazile painting. Photographed by: L. Blumberg

Kreyolicious: What are some accomplishments that you hope to check off in the next five years?
I want to paint full-time. I’m hoping to get gallery presentation, to continue showing my work and share it in all kinds of ways and grow my artist community. I’d like to be able to make a living while pursuing my passion. I’m trying to develop clarity in my art, be engaging and relevant. And yes, dare I say it, to have my art in museums however improbable the whole idea might seem. I always dream big.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT NADINE RENAZILE’S WEBSITE

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SELEBRASYON FROM HAITI CULTURAL EXCHANGE

Native New Yorker Florine Demosthene is a visual artist and educator based in South Africa. The daughter of Haitian parents, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Parsons the New School for Design as well as a Master of Fine Arts from Hunter College-City University of New York. A self-described citizen of the world, her work has been exhibited all over, including the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa.

There’s something startlingly original about her art. Pieces like The Move in Love look like scenes from earthly life etched in heavenly clouds, but by very capable fingers.

Kreyolicious: What’s it like being based in South Africa?
I’m based in Africa. I move between South Africa and Ghana.

Kreyolicious: What’s the artistic scene like there?
I tend to be more involved in the cultural/ ethnic aspect of each country. This is not to say that I don’t participate in the arts movements, but my drive/passion comes from learning about the unique cultures and cultural practices.

Kreyolicious: Did your parents encourage you towards the career path you’ve taken?
My Haitian parents? Uh uh. I think they are still disappointed that I did not become a nurse. Their plans for my life and MY plans for my life have yet to overlap.

Kreyolicious: Do you go to Haiti often?
No. I do not go to Haiti often, but I plan on changing that very soon.

Kreyolicious: Are there some paintings that you are more attached to more than others?
Each painting is a thought and so I am not attached to any particular one. Once they are completed, I move on to the next one.

Kreyolicious: What would you say to a young woman who’s finished her junior year in college, who loves art, and wants to make a career out of it?
Being an artist, like any other career choice, is all about how much you are willing to dedicate to your craft. Many people often see artists as these laid back individuals, but creating art requires so much hard work. You give up a lot to be good at what you do. So, I will give the advice that my faculty from Parsons gave me: Move somewhere affordable and create a body of work. You should focus your attention on the content of the work you are creating. Once YOU feel that this body of work is complete, then begin submitting to art calls, residencies, etc. It is important that you have a clear understanding and awareness of what is important to you.

Kreyolicious: What’s the most life-changing book you’ve read in your life?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Above: A Florine Demosthene piece entitled The Move in Love.

Kreyolicious: Is it hard creating? I think that some people think that writers, singers, and other artistic types create effortlessly.
For me, it is not difficult creating because making art is my form of meditation.

Kreyolicious: What should we expect from you in the next year or two?
I want to focus some of my attention to creating small scale sculptures and performance. I don’t want to say too much about it, but it will be a logical progression in what I am doing.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE ARTIST’S WEBSITE!

The hyphenated word multi-faceted was made for people like Michèle Voltaire Marcelin. Voltaire-Marcelin has written short stories, as in the short narratives that have been highly anthologized. And then there are the paintings that have been exhibited everywhere from Port-au-Prince to D.C. to New York. The acting bug bites religiously and Voltaire-Marcelin has had roles in such films as Raoul Peck’s L’homme Sur Les Quais and Patricia Benoit’s Se Mèt Kò.

She’s most prolific as a poet. Voltaire Marcelin’s pen has churned out two volumes of poetry: Lost and Found and Amours et Bagatelles. “Stones Don’t Bleed”, one of her poetic pieces, is an unmistakeable tribute to the often-touted resilience of the long-suffering women of Haiti:

I know not the beginning nor the ending
but pain is eternal and speaks in multiple voices
Need I add mine to the chorus
when death comes and finds me alone
When I am turned to stone and bone
I will bleed a red thread in the ground

“In Defiance” pays tribute to the intrepid women over the course of the history of Haiti, who have rebelled and gone against the odds as a reaction to their turbulent world. For some reason, in reading the poem, I thought of Yvonne Hakeem-Rimpel, a Haitian feminist from the 1950s, who had been beaten and left for dead, whom I had first heard of when I read Elizabeth Abbott’s book Haiti: The Duvaliers and Their Legacy. Michèle Voltaire Marcelin obviously has women’s causes close to her heart, as seen not only by her feminism-driven work, but her choice of projects when performing. She once had a one-woman show based on Walking on Fire, Beverly Bell’s anthology of stories about the lives of Haitian women in Haiti, and in a staging of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues”.

Q&A

Do you think that the fact that you were born with that last name automatically made you a born writer?
That would be too easy- and at the same time paralyzing! Both Voltaire and Marcelin are the names of very talented writers. The French philosopher was one of the most intriguing and influential thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment and the Marcelin brothers, Pierre and Phillipe-Thoby, were Haitian poets and novelists whose work offered valuable insight into all levels of Haitian society. They were also founders of “La Revue Indigène” which motivated Haitian intellectuals to seek their inspiration from their African heritage. Writing is a gift that came very late to me and I have not the arrogance to think that what I write will have that kind of impact. But when I was an adolescent, books saved me from despair so I can only hope that my writing resonates with the reader and makes them feel less alone.  Frida Kahlo wrote: “I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.” So, here’s to the one who will experience my writing and say, as a reader once did: “You are telling my story.”  

You spent some time in Chile. How’d you land there? How was that experience? Is there a large community of Haitians in Chile?
I always had a difficult love affair with Haiti- I loved her but she suffocated me. The society in Port-au-Prince was so rigidly codified, the air so rarified; it was difficult to breathe.  But even when you feel like you will die if you stay, it’s bittersweet to leave what you are familiar with at 16.  Like many important experiences and events in my life, it was purely accidental that I reached Santiago during that time. I owe that to the kindness of a brother who invited me to live with him. When I think of Chile, Violeta Parra comes to mind. Violeta who sang “Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto”, a song of gratitude, of reverence towards life and its many gifts. I think of Victor Jarra who was tortured by the military and whose hands were broken to stop him from playing his guitar – and still he sang “Venceremos!” (We will triumph). I remember the Liceo #7, the all girls’ school I attended in my navy and white uniform. I remember the theaters and museums and learning to speak Spanish by going to the cinema daily to watch dubbed films. I was in awe of the freedom Santiago offered me. Our Haitian community was so small, we knew each other by name. There were very few blacks at that time and passersby would stroke my arm and caress my Afro for luck. I left Chile in 1973 after the violent USA backed coup that overthrew Salvador Allende.  My brother and I had been detained in the infamous National Stadium, used as a detention and torture center for those suspected of sympathizing with the regime. I was one of the fortunate ones who was released unscathed. Nearly 40 years have passed. I have not returned since. 

Is it a privilege in life to write?
To write should be a right, but it is a privilege because in too many places, knowledge is withheld from a category of people. Depending on which country I was born in and my social class, I could be now be working day-in, day-out, from sun-up to sun-down on some back-breaking job. I might not have been taught to read or write. It would also be a privilege to breathe, to live, to have running water and electricity, to have legal recourse and access to education and healthcare. Any creative work would seem a blessing. Nevertheless, creative people are compelled to create and I don’t know if they view their compulsion as privilege. My experience with writing varies from feeling exalted at the moment of inspiration to doubtful and demoralized when advancing on the laborious, time-consuming work of revision. Ah, the time spent on editing…It reminds me of an Oscar Wilde quote: “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again. I do not feel entrapped in the act of writing as it is only one of the creative activities I engage in; I am as shaped and defined by being a painter or an actress. I am an artist. It’s not a pretentious term. It is how I define myself. If I were a dressmaker or a cook, I would use these words.  I am an artist, and hopefully a decent human being.

You played the role of Madame Janvier, a big meanie in Raoul Peck’s film L’homme Sur Les Quais. How did you and Mr. Peck hook up? How did you prepare for the role? Would you play a villainess again?
As an actor, you do not label your character. You work from within – as if you were the character. You see, no one in life thinks they are the villain – they always have extenuating or mitigating circumstances to explain their actions; always pleading “Not guilty, your Honor” or  “Guilty with an explanation”!
Complex characters who make difficult life choices are fascinating. They also have better lines and I enjoy witty and sharp dialogue. It’s great fun!  I gravitate toward characters who seem unlikeable and the challenge is to make them human.  It’s not about creating a caricature but rather finding in each character the part that allows you to say – had this been me in this particular situation, perhaps I would have acted this way… It’s finding the truth in the moment – one of the multiple truths we face. To this day, people come to me and tell me how accurately I portrayed Madame Janvier.  I also played a brief part in Peck’s first feature Haitian Corner a few years before where I ended on the cutting room floor, so we knew each other. He called me and described the character he wanted me to play. Raoul has a very precise vision for his characters – what they should look like, how they should behave – even their intonation. The film was shot in San Pedro de Marcoris in the Dominican Republic. There were some scenes that were cut – one in particular where the character was caught with her lover in a compromising position in a Church’s confessional.

So you’re a poet, writer, performer and actress. How do you deal with creativity overload?
What a luxury it would be to have a creativity overload! I can imagine this cartoon character in a frenzy of action, a whirl of energy painting, writing, acting and pulling her hair out at the same time!  But unfortunately, the human brain only does one thing at a time. Distract it, overload it, do too many things at once, and creativity suffers. So I take frequent pauses to allow my wondrously inventive brain to renew itself. I love to cook and walk and laugh and spend time with my loved ones. That keeps me a very happy Mimi.

You wrote La Desenchantée, a novel. What inspired it?
La Désenchantée is a tale woven of childhood memories colored by lies and secrets. The background is Duvalier’s Port-au-Prince. The book guides us through the life journey of the narrator, an old woman who retraces her path, recalling details that provoked the characters’ loss of innocence. “All art is autobiographical; the pearl is the oyster’s autobiography”,  Federico Fellini said.  The image that inspired the writing was the photograph of my mother who was so beautiful, she made men swoon. My father saw this image at a friend’s house and said “This is the woman I will marry.” He stole the picture and met the woman who would become the love of his life. Isn’t that passion inspiring?

What are you currently working on?
I wrote several texts inspired by the earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010 and its aftermath. They were very unlike the celebratory sensual poems of Lost and Found and Amours et Bagatelles. They were emotionally difficult pieces that I performed frequently throughout that year. I was overwrought reliving these events and it made me sick each time and last year after performances to commemorate the anniversary of the catastrophe that caused more than 200 thousand deaths – I decided to create a compilation of these poems. I want to write again from a place of love about what it means to live in the world, in all the difficulties and struggles of the world, amid the chaos of the world and still remain a decent human being.

In terms of your paintings, where do you find the inspiration for them?
Art is inspiring. I started painting because one day, I saw Rufino Tamayo’s paintings in a Mexican museum. It was a moment of epiphany. I was blown away! Beauty is inspiring – so is music. Sometimes, I’m inspired by a serendipitous collision of images, sounds, emotions – something that hits you accidentally as you turn the corner and will be translated in colors and textures on a canvas.

Miami-based hip-hop artist and activist MECCA aka GRIMO was featured on Coming Home Haiti, Revolt TV’s documentary on Creole-language rap that appeared on the network recently. This marks one of several times that mainstream, international media has taken note of that musical genre. Mecca aka Grimo discussed being part of the doc, and what he has been up to lately.

Kreyolicious: How did you get involved with Coming Home Haiti?

Who’s Crazy Film Academy was asked to continue their film series and their next stop was Haiti. They already traveled to Cuba and Peru and Revolt Tv really liked their vision. So, as they were preparing to make arrangements for their trip, DJ Efn and Michael Garcia, who are two good friends of mine from the hip-hop scene in Miami. They invited me to roll with them since they knew that I am heavily involved in the Hip Hop Kreyòl scene and the Haitian Community. They both felt like I would be a helpful asset on the trip assisting in translating and introducing them to Haitian hip-hop artists that I’ve worked with on prior projects.

Kreyolicious: Was the fact that it was a Revolt TV production a major factor in your agreeing to be a part of it all?

Not at all. I would’ve been down to explore and bring light to the influence of hip-hop in Haiti—even if Revolt TV wasn’t involved. We are all thankful that Revolt TV embraced this series because it’s important to know how certain types of music styles integrated into different cultures, and how it affects the progression of the culture. Also, I was very delighted to be able to go back to Haiti and meet up with fellow artists, friends and family that I haven’t seen awhile.

Above: MECCA aka GRIMO poses with other members of Miami’s artistic community at a screening of Coming Home Haiti.

Kreyolicious: Why do you think the movement warrants so much attention?

The movement warrants this attention because Haiti has been through a lot of adversity. When a nation has gone through the struggle that Haiti has gone through you have to ask yourself what is keeping them inspired and alive. Hip-hop feeds the soul. It energizes the spirit. The youth in Haiti find hope in hip-hop. It’s a way for them to express themselves, and feel good about what they are accomplishing. We all feel the same when we say music crosses language barriers. So, no matter what language we speak, music operates on frequencies that drives us all. The movement also promotes social and political change. Through music, we are all messengers of the art form. So, we keep it alive in its truest form by talking about what is real to us.

Kreyolicious: What is the current state of Miami’s Creole rap scene?

There’s a few of us spread out through out Miami’s hip-hop Kreyòl scene, but the heavy hitters are in Haiti for sure. We are all influenced and driven by the beautiful country of Ayiti. We all want to do so much more. At the very least, our contribution is to preserve the language and culture so those that come after us have something to feel proud about. More artists of Haitian decent are coming out [of] the woodwork and making an effort to connect with the culture these days…which means that we are becoming more proud of who we are as a people when we are able to reflect our culture through our every expression.

Kreyolicious: What projects are you working on currently?​

I’m currently working on my book titled Haiti was Born in Me, which includes a cultural guide towards the rear of the book after the poems and readings. The book will be out in April for National Poetry Month. I’m also working on a project called “We Dem Zoes”, which is our musical expression and perspective being of Haitian descent living in America. Spearheaded by 103.5’s The Beat, DJ Epps, the project includes other artist such as Grimass, Stichiz—who is also an on air personality for 103.5 The Beat, myself MECCA aka GRIMO and the producer of the project, Magnificent Beats. Look for our first single and video “Test of Strength” to come out soon. On the last Friday of every month, I host a poetry venue called “Poetic Lakay”, which allows artists from the community to come and share their work of expression. Our 501(c)3 non-profit organization Children’s Hope Chest of Dreams reaches out to the underprivileged youth and teaches conflict resolution and anger management and resolution skills. The organization also offers cultural-based programs and mentors youth who have entered the juvenile system.

Be sure to keep up with Mecca aka Grimo…

MECCA AKA GRIMO ON INSTAGRAM | MECCA AKA GRIMO ON TWITTER | MECCA AKA GRIMO’S ORGANIZATION CHILDREN HOPE CHEST OF DREAMS | MECCA AKA GRIMO ON SOUNDCLOUD

The word “versatile” is used to describe a lot of things and people, but it won’t be a waste to use it on visual artist and illustrator Marlie Decopain. She’s designed storyboards for Nike, Time Warner Cable, Coach, Dove, Prudential, and even a Ricky Martin music video. Her professors at the prestigious School of Visual Arts (from which she graduated) taught her well you might say. But as she explains during our interview, she was born into it, thank you very much.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she immigrated to the United States when she was sixteen years old. She recently joined forces with the entrepreneurs behind the Haitian chocolate brand Askanya, and yielded a stunning design for their candy bar.

Kreyolicious: How did you become an artist?
I can’t say that I came to be an artist. Being an artist as always been a part of my identity. I’ve always loved to draw, and I drew all the time as a very young child living in Haiti as many young children do. But while some kids stop when they find new interests, I kept going. In my early teenage years a woman moved next door and told my parents that she was running an art school out of her home. Naturally my parents enrolled me. There, I continued improving on my drawing skills and also began painting seriously and exploring pottery. I was introduced for the first time to European art history and various drawing and painting styles. This is where I really got my foundation, in my neighbor’s home in Haiti. I moved to the US at 16 where my creative pursuits continued. I signed up for art class at the High School I attended and within the first few classes I realized that I needed more from the class in order to advance my craft. I spoke to the teacher and got moved to a higher level class. At that point I really knew that when it came to art there was no turning back for me.

Kreyolicious: People find it hard to grasp that visual creatives can experience blocks. But some do. Is that the case with you?
Yes, of course. I think any creative person can experience blocks. It’s part of the journey.

The wrapper design for Askanya, a Haitian chocolate brand.

Kreyolicious: How do you resolve those moments?
If it happens while I’m in the process of working on something I usually step away or put the piece aside and come back to it later or in a couple of days depending on my schedule. This allows me to look at the piece with fresh eyes and brand new ideas. If it happens before I even start, I typically turn to things that inspire me.

Kreyolicious: You attended and graduated from the School of Visual Arts. What were some of the most important things you learned while there?
Not only did I learn a new art form, but I learned how to be a professional. SVA sets high standards and demands a high level of skills and work ethic. I learned that being a creative isn’t the same as being a creative professional. Being a creative requires skills while being a creative professional requires that and much more.

SVA also taught me the importance of collaboration. While you might see your peers as competitors they can be great assets in building your career and your brand. Bringing your voices and skills together and cultivating one another’s strengths becomes an enriching experience for everyone.

Above: A storyboard Marlie Decopain designed for one of Nike’s campaigns.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT MARLIE DECOPAIN’S WEBSITE!

Gina Samson’s world is full of trips, exhibits, and painting sessions. It’s a wonder she’s able to put some time aside to do interviews. This past September, she and four other artists of Haitian descent, took part in a joint exhibit at the Harlem Fine Arts Show during Congressional Black Caucus Week.

How did her path as an artist begin? In childhood, like most visual artists! But lots of would-be artists tend to get derailed by self-proclaimed critics—whether teachers, parents, peers, and other folks in their surroundings. If this was the case with Gina Samson, how did she get the gumption to continue? Let’s get the answer to that question and a whole lot more in this two-part interview!

Kreyolicious: What childhood memories do you have about art?
Growing up in Haiti, I remember seeing high color everywhere, and I absorbed early on that our culture encourages expression through art at any level and for every occasion. I often visited the section of Marche en Fer, a lively scene where arts and crafts vendors were showing their wares every day: woodcarvings, elaborate decorated baskets, handmade dolls, and paintings of landscapes and every day life. Around the market were buses and public transport with embellished flatbed trucks, where the passenger seating areas is a wooden addition profusely decorated with flowers and proverbs. Nothing was left plain, and I remember houses with their bright doors and windows, and the very typical signage for stores that was hand-painted for the most part. While there was material deprivation, art seemed accessible to everyone as a part of daily life.

As a child, I was fortunate to visit the studios of two admired painters, first Nehemy Jean when I was just a five year old having drawing lessons with this master, and as a teenager seeing the gallery and studio of Claude Dambreville. I was very affected by those experiences, and that is where I formed a very concrete desire to be able to become a painter in the future, and started to crave being able to create art and have access to more complex artworks.

Kreyolicious: Lots of people who start painting get sidetracked or stop altogether because of comments they get about their premature efforts. What kept you going from the beginning to the artist you are now?
My first foray into exhibiting was a juried show of art made by young people at the German Consulate in Port-au-Prince. My High school art teacher submitted my two large scale charcoals and I obtained third place. That was encouraging.

After creating pieces for many years without showing them, I took the plunge twelve years ago, and on impulse, joined an artist-friend who was submitting work for a show, and just kept that going. What I learned from those early shows is that an artist is part of a process of communication, not only to create art to express a thought and moment and feeling in the work, but also to start conversations and exchanges by opening this experience to others.

There is a vulnerability in putting your work out there—when you have invested your thoughts and efforts and artistic skills. And, once you accept that, you will receive feedback and comments pro and con, it becomes a rewarding exchange. You hope that people enjoy or learn from [your] work—as is appropriate and relevant to them. They may not like the work or not relate to it in the way you anticipated. You allow this to happen and let the public take in the work and interact with it in their own way. Of course, it helps to be able to explain to viewers and collectors what you mean to express and what the piece means to you personally, but pretty much, once you are showing your work, you have to let go and avoid trying to control the experience. The best outcome is to have a body of work that resonates and is well-received…to be true to yourself, and your inspiration and message. And hopefully, to find good homes for your work by attracting collectors.

This concludes PART I of the interview with Gina Samson…Watch out for PART II…Meanwhile…

CLICK HERE TO VISIT GINA SAMSON’S WEBSITE! AND DON’T FORGET TO COMMISSION A PAINTING BY GINA SAMSON!

Nzingah Oniwosan is at the same time a dancer, dramatist, spoken-word artist, dancer, musician, and jewelry designer. Born in Miami to Haitian parents, her artistry is endless.

Her jewelry pieces seem to have a life of their own. They illuminate the plainest faces. The designer gave us a look behind her line.

How did you get started with jewelry making?

I always wanted to start a jewelry line tried to in 2003 but it didn’t catch. I wasn’t happy with what I was producing. The summer of 2008 due to an awesome partner, I was able to take the summer to focus on business and start the line. I wanted my line to be an extension of my work as a visual artist. Where the human form was my blank canvas. Before I knew it had a ton of pieces went to an event and almost completely sold out.

If you could describe the design line in three words, what would they be?

Eclectic Fashionable Artistry…Why because my pieces are diverse unique fashion statements that I personally see as works of art.

When a woman is putting an outfit together, what would you say is the most indispensable jewelry piece that they can don?

This is hard for me to answer because I grew up not wearing jewelry and presently am still not pierced. At first I wanted to say a necklace but I think a good pair of earrings can go long way…short hair, long hair, turtle neck, V-neck and so on. You can always rock a pair of earrings.

What goes into the day-to-day grind of a design professional?

Research. Sketching out designs. Creating designs. Mailing out orders. Updating website. Staying connected and relevant through social media. Accounting. Checking supplies ordering supplies.

You obviously have natural talent for what you do. Did you get any special training as well?

I took classes perfect my technique. I went on to be certified in art clay which is a special material use to create my jewelry. I intend to get more training and certifications, as it will allow me to create the designs I have sketched out.

Do ideas and the inspiration for new designs come to you easily?

I have my high and low moments. At this moment I have tons of ideas and inspiration it more about cranking them out .

Any pearls of wisdom you’d like to pass on to design entrepreneurs?

Do the research. Invest in yourself take the classes and training to ensure you are creating a quality product. Access your competition. Be clear on who you customer is. Most importantly create a line that is unique and one that you love.

What do you have planned next for your design career?

Shoes and bags. Stay tuned.

The Greater Washington Urban League along with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities were one of the first outlets to feature the work of emerging artist Patsye Delatour. She was part of their prestigious Art Tempo exhibit.

The Corcoran College of Art and Design graduate was born and bred around art. Her style is best described as abstract. There’s a painting she calls “The Prince” that depicts a royal with a mohawk and tribal marks and a “primitive” necklace. Delatour’s style brings to mind hieroglyphics and ancient sketches, the sort that you might run across in a textbook about the study of ancient civilizations. There’s an almost Abyssinian-Greek-Medo/Persian aura to her art.

Born in Port-au-Prince, Delatour has since returned to her native city.

Kreyolicious: Do tell us: just who is Patsye Delatour?

It is such a deep question, and I have always been a thinker as I am an only child—not to be confused or misinterpreted with lonely. If I am to answer this question in the context of being an artist, I am one who channels different frequencies that then are placed onto different mediums to bring out positive messages to the viewer. These messages can be about spirituality, history, different life forms, guides, spirits, as well as introspection, mother nature, Earth, preserving nature and being one with everything and nothing.

I am a person who is always searching within as to better connect with others and life itself.

I believe in the light and have made a conscious decision to be used by the light to help manifest the creative pieces that I am asked to do. I take it as big responsibility for those whom are meant to connect, respond to the pieces that are created through me will resonate with them and acquire from them what they are meant to take in. When I see someone have an amazing connection with what is created through me, it reminds me of why it is I do what I do. It is a very gratifying feeling, for it is something that is greater then myself, and it just brings me full circle. It’s worth all the challenges, and troubles, when you can give to others.
 
Kreyolicious: Wooh. That’s some introduction. Thank you…You went to a fine arts school. What was the biggest thing you learned in terms of techniques?

One of the most valuable techniques that I learned at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington DC, came from one of my favorite instructors Annette Polan. I recall her saying: “Today I will teach you to see.” What she meant by that, was she was going to teach us how to truly understand what we are perceiving when we view an inanimate object or a live model-person. To truly create what you see, you have to be honest about what you do not see. Meaning, when you are drawing an eye for example there are certain creases that you see, because of the play between light and shadow. It is that play between those two things that permits you to perceive that line, or crease above the eye. To say that you see every detail of the eye when standing feet away from a model that is a lie, or a misconception, so simply draw or paint what you see, which is exactly that, the play between light and shadow.

In many ways, having been taught to see is truly a great metaphor for life. We can be fooled by perception, but we must simply acknowledge truth not found through assumption but through the taking away of layers and preconceived notions.  

Kreyolicious: What usually sparks the creation of a painting?

To better respond to this question it is important that I express that when I create, I am simply channeling an energy that permits me to express whatever it is that it needs to be shared on paper or on canvas.

Inspiration comes to me through a gut feeling, almost a nagging feeling that stems inside of me. I sometimes feel an energy or a spark from within, like a calling that I must respond to. It is a very strong feeling, and I know that in that very moment of stillness, I will be asked to travel outwardly. It will then be expressed through the line drawings that I have named Vibration Lines or through my paintings that have been created through me.

During this creation phase, I like to meditate, listen to music, burn incense to help transport me to a dimension and level of consciousness that goes beyond the material permitting me to be a clear vessel to be used by this positive energy.
Once I have acknowledged it is time to create, it moves very quickly and what I am meant to draw or paint is created at a very rapid pace.

Kreyolicious: To someone who is not a painter, it would seem that painting is easy. One only has to pick up a brush, look out a window and…boom. Is it as easy as it looks?

That is a tricky question for some it is that easy, but at the same time though one defines easy by their own experiences. I can only respond to this question based on my own experience. Before going to the Corcoran, what was easy for me was writing, writing poetry, short stories as I always had a very vivid imagination. I have always been able to easily express my thoughts, my imagination, my vision both verbally and in writing.

Communicating what I was observing in art school through drawing or painting at the very beginning was not easy. As I mentioned before, I thankfully was taught to see, through the honest breaking down of observation. Learning as well about how to apply paint, mix colors, how to understand the human form, break down the human form, respecting lines, playing with light and shadow, understanding the elements of design—amongst other techniques. These lessons permitted me to be able to truly draw, as it was not my natural tendency or nature.

One also has to remember that generally the simplest things are the hardest things. When one has perfected a particular technique, I would suppose the biggest compliment would be they make it look so easy.

“Green” by Pastsye Delatour.
 
Kreyolicious: You are based in Haiti. How are women painters viewed there?
Patsye Delatour: In my opinion, I would say women artists are well perceived. If one is talented, one is respected—male or female—matters not. I grew up seeing the artist Luce Turnier for example. Her work was always respected and I recall how popular and in demand she was in regards to her portraits let alone her depiction of coconut trees. I know personally several Haitian female artists both well-known and up-and-coming, and as I mentioned before, it’s their remarkable talents that speaks volumes.

At the same token, its always great to see women artists or art lovers pushing other women to excel and to succeed. You have Marie-Alice Theard’s book Presence Feminine Dans L’Art Haitien [Feminine Presence in Haitian Art] who has compiled different Haitian women painters, providing an opportunity for one to learn about these artists and see a bit of their work. You have great young talented minds, Beatrice Celestin also innovating and creating creative atmospheres not just for women, but for the arts. You have Valeire Noisette and her husband promoting up and coming artists through Kolektif509. So in some ways women are steering their visibility, they’re promoting themselves as well as supporting other women, Haitian art and creativity.

Kreyolicious: I’ve interviewed a few people for this site who are painters. A great many of them have mentioned that their parents backed them in their choice. Was that the case with your peeps?
Patsye Delatour: Thankfully so, my parents encouraged me to go to art school when they noticed this passion was dwelling inside of me. My parents instilled in me at a very young age, that following ones passion was one of life’s biggest gifts. There is a particular freedom in following ones passion because there is an underlining joy that is always very present, no matter the challenge.

Having grown up in a creative country, and my playground being my grandmother’s art gallery Rainbow Art Display, and my godmothers—part owner—of an artisan store Fanal. It’s of no surprise that this creative passion was always brewing inside of me. Also, I must mention that both my parents are very creative, and talented in their own rights. The apple did not fall far from the tree.

Kreyolicious: Do you think that when you’re a parent, you’ll have the same reasoning as them if your daughter or son makes the same artistic choice as you?
Patsye Delatour: Absolutely, yes. The reason I will say yes to my children or any child who were to approach me is because I know that by following their passion they will never tire of doing what they must to succeed. Because it’s a fire that can not be turned off, for it is eternal. What I would say to them is that it is a very challenging field, that there are strong ups and down. I would share with them that creativity is a reflection of life, for it is inspired from itself and from energies beyond our own comprehension. It forces one to delve within. You cannot hide from yourself. It is a very vulnerable place, for you are naked—as you are always expressing. However, it is truly worthwhile, for you get to taste life, live life through clear lenses always ready to learn and acquire more knowledge in a state of joy.

Kreyolicious: Have you been to an art event or exhibition that particularly stood out?

At a very early age, my mother would take me to different museums throughout Washington, DC where I would be surrounded by the masters. The same token she would take me to art shows in Haiti where I would be surrounded by Haitian art masters. I had the pleasure of knowing—til this day—many great Haitian artists—so it’s hard to pinpoint an exhibit.

I can say however that the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, where Haiti was featured and that my father Patrick Delatour was one of the curators of truly touched my heart. Haiti, it’s culture, art, music, cuisine was given an opportunity to shine and to take center stage. Surrounded by the museums and in between the Capital building and the Washington Monument. Those three days are one of my fondest memories, and in some ways has played an amazing role in my life’s trajectory.  

Kreyolicious: Are you a dreamer? It seems to come hand in hand with creativity.
Patsye Delatour: I am very much so a dreamer, but at the same time I am also a person who is very grounded and realistic. This can be challenging for they are both very strong components of my personality, and at the same time I am grateful for having both attributes.

Kreyolicious: Out of all your creations, which is the most special to you?
Patsye Delatour: I have a fond connection with most of my pieces. I remember creating a piece called “Mystical Man”. This piece took me three days to create. The reason is because it was a very emotional one for me as its energy and presence was very strong. I remember crying every time I would like at it, when I would step away from the piece to observe it at a distance. It was a very moving and powerful experience, many people who observe that piece have a strong connection to it as well.

 
Kreyolicious: A girl who has just graduated from high school comes up to you. She hopes to become a painter…someday. She’s seen some of your paintings and asks to pick your brain about her future, the craft of painting, and the business of art. What do you say?

First off, what an honor. Second, I would be as honest as I can based on my own experience’s. I would make sure to let her know that what I would share would be just that, my personal experience and that she would have to create her own. With that said, I would tell her that if she is truly inspired to create that she has a responsibility to herself and to those who she will one day share her work with to do so. I would also tell her, to take business management courses, as I wish I had done so and that they were offered to me at the Corcoran. Truly it is important that an artist knows how to represent herself, her work and knows how to market her work.

I would also tell her, that she needs to not be afraid to understand her rights as an artist, and to stick to her work ethics and principles. Many times people label artists through their misconceptions as irresponsible, unprofessional, and sometimes use words like “crazy”.

I would also express to her as Philippe Dodard expressed to me years ago: “You are to carry yourself as a cultural ambassador of your country, Haiti”. I have always prided myself in having that natural tendency to be professional and to carry myself as such. Being an artist is a very big responsibility for we preserve history, experiences, and some of us even help to communicate prophecies.

Did you enjoy this interview with painter and visual artist Patsye Delatour ? CLICK HERE to read other articles in the STRAIGHT OUTTA HAITI series.