You must know at least one person in your circle who’s an overachiever. No? Well, look to Gayel Pierre to fill that void. The founder of G’s Addiction, a clothing line, Gayel (also known as Cutiega) is also a fashion and image consultant for bands like Kreyol La and Akoustic. Her latest achievement is the creation of Living Hart, a collective for creatives of Haitian descent. The graduate of the prestigious Art Institute of Lauderdale with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising might surprise some with this initiative, but then again, they might root for her. Creatives of Haitian descent are scattered all over, and Living Hart is going to be the project to bring them all under one artistic roof. The project will launch on April 24th in Haiti, and from there expand into the United States.

Kreyolicious: So, you have yet another venture. How did you come up with the idea for it?
Living HArt came to me out of the blue. I was trying to think of something new, another form of entertainment and all of a sudden it came to me why not have a live show/ fair where everything is being done live and people can just walk in, browse, appreciate our youth’s talent and purchase their work.

Kreyolicious: You have your own design line, you do custom-design for artists, and now Living Hart. You’ve made so many of your ideas happen. What advice would you give to others who are having a lot of success with coming up with ideas, but can’t seem to do anything concrete with them?
It’s important to always try to innovate, keep on thinking and coming up with new ideas. However, sometimes it’s hard to materialize them—truth be told. I have had so many other great ideas that I was not able to make happen. So the important thing is to always push forward, and have tenacity because there will always be obstacles and you will always find people to discourage you. You just have to be patient, surround yourself with people who share your visions and network! Always network. As much as we’d like to think that we can do everything by ourselves, it’s not always true.

Kreyolicious: It’s surprising, but then again, it’s not surprising that you are drawn to visual art.
It may seem surprising because the public never got to know this side of me, but those who know me won’t find it surprising at all. In fact, I also studied interior design, therefore I am familiar with visuals and find them quite inspirational.

Kreyolicious: G’s Addiction will always be your baby. How do you keep your passion and drive for it, while coming up and managing all these other ventures?
My dream for G’s addiction is what drives me to push forward. I have a vision I have yet to [fully] accomplish. Therefore, I always focus on the objective no matter how hard things can get at times. In that sense, all my other ventures are all part of the big picture…my dream for G’s Addiction.

Kreyolicious: Life is all about growing. Can you think of anything that you weren’t too good at…say two, three years ago​ that you’ve mastered or have at least gotten twice as good at?
I have gotten better at everything I’m doing—whether it’s the jewelry, the designs. I have been growing ever since I started G’s Addiction, [so] I can’t think of just one thing! The list would go on forever. However, I think my most impressive growth [area] over the course of my journey, has been my personality. I have grown so much as a person, a businesswoman. This life has taught me a lot and I am grateful for every step I take.

Kreyolicious: What will people be surprised to see from you in the future in terms of new ventures?
People can expect so much more from G’s Addiction. Like I mentioned earlier, I am not done growing and innovating! Even I am still surprising myself with new ideas, [whether it be] new clothing line [ideas], new apparel and so on! I have so many exciting new projects coming…So stay tuned!

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW GAYEL “CUTIEGA” PIERRE. |CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW LIVING HART ON INSTAGRAM

Haiti’s Millennial creatives showcased their talent over the weekend in Port-au-Prince during the second edition of Living Hart. An initiative of fashion designer and philanthropist Gayel”Cutiega” Pierre, Living Hart had its first edition in May. This initial expo was so popular, the founder decided to hold one for the month of July at the venue Yanvalou, located in Pacot, a suburb of Port-au-Prince.

The Second Edition featured entertaining performances by Akoustik and K’Zino, two bands emerging out of Haiti and was hosted by musician Badikamal. DJ Nos was on hand to rock the crowd. Haiti’s Millennial creatives from every imaginable creative sector made their presence felt: photography to visual arts to the performing arts.

An attendee sits down as her portrait is drawn by one of Haiti’s creatives. [Photo Credit: Ganderson Lebref/Elma’s Flaco]

Scenes like this were the essence of Living Hart. An artist doing a live mural, as attendees watched. [Photo Credit: Ganderson Lebref/Elma’s Flaco]

Two attendees are all smiles. Living Hart t-shirt on deck.

Participants Ralph St. Fleur and Jetlo on the scene. [Photo Credit: Ganderson Lebref/Elma’s Flaco]

The woman of the hour herself…Ms. Gayel “Cutiega” Pierre. [Photo Credit: Ganderson Lebref/Elma’s Flaco]

Living Hart allows her to promote the talent of her fellow creatives, whose opportunities to showcase themselves are thought to be intermittent at best. Now that Living Hart Haiti has concluded, the creative entrepreneur has plans to do launches in a U.S. city—most likely Miami.

Fashion designer and lifestyle brand owner Gayel “Cutiega” Pierre created her first business while she was still taking undergrad courses at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. She brainstormed the concept for Living Hart, an expo that would bring Haiti’s creatives together to promote their work.

This year alone, the fashion-entrepreneur has had not one, but two editions of Living Hart. Hundreds gathered in Port-au-Prince for both editions, and they came from all walks of creative life in Haiti: painters, singers, stage actors, graphic artists, photographers, deejays, writers, among other fields. The colossal job of bringing all these creatives together belonged to the entrepreneur herself. So, how did she manage it? And what was the outcome. Let your curiosity get the best of you, and read on.

Kreyolicious: Due to tremendous demand, you did the first and second edition of Living Hart within just a few months of each other. Do you have any regrets?
Like you mentioned, [the] first and second edition of Living Hart were put together within just a few months not only because the public wanted another edition, but also because it was within our plan to do them within just a few months so it becomes something regular. We thankfully got lucky. The crowd showed its appreciation, and always looked forward to a next edition.

Above: One of many live paintings created during the second edition of Living Hart in Port-au-Prince.

Kreyolicious: When you compare the first and second edition, what did you notice in terms of talent and participation?
Obviously, the second edition was better organized because we had the opportunity of having the first edition [as a precedent to refer to]. Therefore, it was easier to fix little issues that we encountered in the past! In terms of participation, the second one also had a bigger audience. The artists, who by then had experimented [during] the first edition, were even more excited.

Kreyolicious: What was it like planning an event of this caliber this time around?
Less stressful than the first time but still incredibly challenging. we had to deal with more participants and plan for a bigger audience. Furthermore it was also challenging because we had our own expectations to surpass.

Kreyolicious: What advice would you like to give to those living in the USA who’d like to hold events in Haiti?
Arm yourselves with determination, patience and consistency. The public is different. the service is different and sometimes you might end up being on your own and unable to rely on other due to the fact that you’re a “foreigner” but as long as you keep on your head high it will all turn out great!

Kreyolicious: I once watched an Ava Duvernay interview and in it she said that Oprah told her that when bad things happened, when obstacles tumble in, to think of the obstacles and terrible moments as things that happened for her, not to her. It’s a rather interesting perspective. What do you think?
Personally, I am someone that loves when thing work out just like I plan them. The industry proves [to] me everyday that Oprah is right. Sometimes, things go wrong and not always according to our plan, but it is important that we think of them has opportunities and not obstacles so even though I love always being in control I do understand the importance of obstacles and partial setbacks.

[Main photo Credit: Elmas Flaco]

New Yorker Richard Louissaint founded a much-needed movement for Haitian-American creatives known as The Haitian Creatives series. A creative himself (surprise, surprise), Louissaint’s creative love and forever crush is photography. Let’s trace his journey, starting from his chilhood years onwards, and learn more about the Haitian Creative Series he’s so passionate about.

Kreyolicious: When you think about your childhood and teen years, can you think of incidents that proved that you were heading towards an artistic direction in life?
In all honesty, not really. i used to draw in middle school and even applied to an art program inhighschool but didn’t get in. So, that ended my aspirations in that realm. Not until college did I discover I was somewhat good at writing for the school paper.

Kreyolicious: Why did you start the Haitian Creatives movement?
It was all organic and came out me documenting Zing Experience a group started by Paul Beaubrun and his wife Cynthia Casasola. The movement was already there i just connected the dots and saw the degrees of separation in the New York creative scene and Paul just happened to know a lot of them.

Kreyolicious: What drew you to photography?
I just began documenting events and my friends during college for fun and then discovered the darkroom my last year of college. Then, it became a more serious hobby where I would come to Vibe Magazine, who I had a short, full-time stint with then freelanced) original Director of Photography George Pitts and get his opinion of prints I would make. Then, an apprenticeship with Haitian photographer Marc Baptiste exposed me to the world of black photographer doing commercial work for the first time.

Kreyolicious: Ever suffered a long period of creative block?
Prior to making it the Haitian Creatives Series officially a project in 2013, personal and professional problems had left me in a very long rut. I had a stopped shooting consistently— even personally—around 2010 and couldn’t get past it until I quit a job I hated. [I started] shooting video work to find another outlet for my creativity. I really didn’t get out of [the rut] until 2013. I have learned to best way to get through blocks and slow periods of work is to shoot, shoot and come up with projects to work on with others.

Kreyolicious: You’re based in New York. What bearing does that have on your creativity?
New York is still that cliche despite it being inhospitable financially for creatives, the poor, working and middle classes. There’s so much creative energy and inspiration everywhere if you look hard enough, just not in the places it used to be like museums, which are really not that affordable. The biggest change for me has been the discovery of collaborators which I nice to have. Us only-children types tend to work alone so much ’cause we are used to it.

Kreyolicious: What are some of the most inspiring, creativity-boosting books you’ve ever read?
As I was a writer first, they tend to be fiction books, in particular scifi and fantasy. N. K. Jemisin, who was became the first Black woman to win the Hugo Award for best novel, inspires me a lot. And of course here predecessor the late Octavia Butler. But aside from that, there is Create Dangerously:The Immigrant Artist at Work by Edwidge Danticat.

A photo shot Richard Louissaint!

Kreyolicious: What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a creative?
Honestly, if you discover you have a creative itch early, scratch it. You can work on other things and try things out. But everyone’s paths are different. You may decide to have a full time job and work on your creative ambitions. Or you can decide to suffer the artist’s life which can be very rewarding and also very draining emotionally and financially until you find a balance. Just make sure sure you choose.

Kreyolicious: What do you hope to accomplish in five years?
To finally finish this first short film I have been working on for two years with Jason Minnis, an accomplished musician. Turn the Haitian Creatives Series into a full-length film. Get better as a filmmaker and DP. And to be cool with the life I have chosen.

[Richard Louissaint’s headshot/main photo: Ariel Williams]

FOLLOW RICHARD LOUISSAINT’S HAITIAN CREATIVES SERIES. GO HERE! VISIT HIS PHOTOGRAPHY SITE HERE!

Welcome back! It’s your girl Kreyolicious interviewing Living Hart and G’s Addiction founder Gayel “Cutiega” Pierre. The entrepreneur-fashion designer created Living Hart with multi-objectives, among them to give a platform to Haiti’s creatives to promote themselves. This year alone, Living Hart has had two editions in Port-au-Prince. Many hope that there will be a Living Hart New York and a Living Hart Miami, so that Haitian-American creatives living outside of Haiti can also be part of the Living Hart celebration.

Above: Gayel “Cutiega” Pierre, the founder of Living Hart, an initiative that brings Haiti’s creatives together.

In Part 2 of the interview with the entrepreneur, we discuss the benefits of trying moments in one’s life and entrepreneurial journey, as well balancing dual passions, and the future of the brand.

Read on!

Kreyolicious: Over the course of your journey as an entrepreneur, have you come across something that at the time you felt was the worst thing ever, only to look back now and think of it as beneficial, even character-building, for you?
Several times! When I first moved back to Haiti, the different mindset and our way of doing business were probably the most challenging and frustrating things I had to deal with. But now, I look back at it thinking that it reinforced my values and strengthened my endurance and determination.

Kreyolicious: Have you read any good books lately that you’d like to recommend to others?
Got to admit that I’m not too much of a reader. I get my inspirations and lessons by admiring others and observing how things work and why they work that way.

Above: A hand-painting session during Living Hart’s expo.

Kreyolicious: Do you think you’re getting better at balancing your clothing line G’s Addiction with Living Hart?
Yes. I think so. I think it’s becoming clear that I have two distinct sides: G’s Addiction, as designer, clothing, and the G’s Addiction as event planner. They are connected through art and share my common philosophy, but are two separate ventures.

Above: The founder of Living Hart is also the entrepreneur behind the clothing and lifestyle brand G’s Addiction.

Kreyolicious: Where do you see your ventures three years from now, and what should we expect from you?
As far as my imagination can go. [Laughs] I’m always thinking of something new, and I’m always trying to find a way to satisfy my clients. Therefore, without giving out any spoilers, I just can tell you that G’s Addiction is about to get even more addictive—very soon.

[Subject’s photo: Elmas Flaco]

CLICK HERE TO READ PAST ARTICLES ABOUT CUTIEGA!

CLICK HERE TO KEEP UP WITH LIVING HART FOUNDER GAYEL “CUTIEGA” PIERRE’S JOURNEY!

Award-winning playwright and actress Dominique Morisseau may seem like one of those professionals whose success was handed to them on a silver-rimmed gold platter. The truth is that the University of Michigan BFA graduate has been at it for quite some time. She’s been honored for her creative labors with prestigious prizes like the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award honoree, and even two NAACP Image Awards, and not to mention the John F. Kennedy Prize for one of her plays. Film is in the future, for sure. After all, theatre and film are the dearest of cuzzos. If the intensity present in her plays Sunset Baby, Follow Me To Nellie’s, and Blood At The Root are some indication, then her future features for the big screen are bound to be more complex than the films we’re used to.

K. St. Fort: When you’re writing a play, what do you do when you get stuck, whether what direction the plot should take…or how the character should be developed?

I go back to my outline. Rarely will I start a play these days without some outline or story structure that I’ve written out. It helps me not get stuck in the play. But occasionally when I do write blindly (with no outline) and I get stuck, I stop and think about where I want the story to go. I may begin an outline from that point forward so that I can see the finish line. It’s hard to write without visualizing the finish line. Once I know where I’m trying to go, I can always find the words to get myself there. Knowing where I’m going is the hardest thing to figure out and the most necessary.

K. St. Fort: If you could recommend three books to the creatives out there, what would you recommend? And what effect have these books had on you?

I’d recommend four: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi, The Street by Ann Petry, Native Son by Richard Wright [and] Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat.

K. St. Fort: What effect have these books had on you?

Each of these books opened up my senses, made me laugh and cry, charged me to wrestle with my social and racial politics, and asked me to look deeper into my own soul. Loved them all.

K. St. Fort: What would you say to someone who wants to be a film director or a playwright?

Find a mentor who can help you measure your steps and who can help you strengthen your voice as an artist. We can’t do any of this alone, so find someone who you admire—several people, actually—and look at their work. Try to decipher what about it excites you. And then, seek their guidance so that you have resources to build your art. But first and foremost, exercise your craft whenever you can. Write. Write. Write. Direct, direct, direct. Whenever. However. Just do it.


K. St. Fort: Anyone observing your career can see that you’re on the brink of making the transition from stage to screen.

I’m expanding, for sure, and adding the screen into my repertoire. I deeply respect television and filmmaking these days. However, I’ll never be fully finished with the stage. Just expanding. Not replacing. I will love and practice theatre forever!

K. St. Fort: Where do you see yourself…say five years from now—career-wise?

Doing more of what I do now but better and more efficiently. I’m still growing as an artist. I plan on having a long career in Theatre, TV and Film. I want to write more about Detroit, Haiti, NYC, and other places that I’ve been or that resonate with me. As a filmmaker, I’m only just beginning. So in five years, I see myself with a completed film and perhaps my own TV series. That’s the plan. Let’s see what happens.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART ONE OF THE INTERVIEW WITH DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT DOMINIQUE MORISSEAU’S WEBSITE.

Gayel Pierre is at it again. The fashion entrepreneur behind G’s Addiction is having the fifth edition of her much-talked-about gathering of creative in Haiti. Pierre has been holding these fairs since last year, as a way to help Haiti-based artists and other creative promote their work, garner new fans, and get additional exposure. Haiti creatives have come to regard Living Hart as an event.

Above: A sketch artist eagerly draws the portrait of a Living Hart attendee. Photo Credit: Bro Photography 509.

The fifth edition will be held at Parc Construction, a venue in Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince. While Living Hart has been known primarily as a showcase for emerging artists, its musical component has had headliners like award-winning Haitian roots band Boukman Eksperyans.

The last edition was held in June. Whether Ms. Pierre will hold future editions in Canada or even in the USA remains to be seen.

Above: A singer performs at a previous edition of Living Hart. Photo Credit: Mr. Bens.

As was the case with its predecessors, Living Hart 5 will feature live, in-person demos of poets, musicians, craftsman, painters, chefs, graffiti artists, comedians, dancers, and more!

A participant at a previous edition. [Photo Credit: Bro Pro Photography]

[Main Photo Credit: Ti Andy007]

CLICK HERE to read more about Living Hart.

CLICK HERE to see photos of past editions of Living Hart.