Yael Talleyrand, an artist based in Port-au-Prince will no doubt be among the ones being celebrated the same way the artists from last century are being lauded at auctions and exhibitions.

In Part I of my interview with her, we talked about how she got her start, and we also discussed about where business meets art. Now, follow along as we talk about creative blocks, and her future as a visual artist.

Kreyolicious: When people think of visual art…they don’t think that just like writers can have creative blocks a painter can have creative block too. I know I didn’t even think about until recently when I started to interview visual artists. Do you experience blocks?

Of course. Usually it happens when I am asked to paint something specific. It’s like being forced to talk about something you have no opinion about. Also, if I am painting about something that confuses me or that I have mixed feelings about.

Kreyolicious: How do you usually deal with this?

Then I just switch pieces and work on something else. It is very rare that I will not want to paint at all.

Kreyolicious: Do you have any unfinished paintings?

I dont think of paintings in terms of finished or unfinished unless its a commission. A lot of time I thought I was done with a piece, and later on ended up needing to make drastic changes to it for it to convey what I wanted to say. Sometimes I start painting on impulse, based on something I am feeling very strongly at that particular moment and later on, as the feeling fades off, I lose motivation to finish the piece or stop feeling as if it is relevant. In that case I either start over or let the piece be and forget about it.

Kreyolicious: Are you particularly picky when it comes to choosing tools to paint? What are some of your must-haves?

Not as picky as some masters, but I love for my oils to be rich in pigments. I like for my gesso to be creamy and do not like to have to substitute it for house paint, like some artists do here due to the lack of materials — or soap for brush cleaner. I like sharp square paintbrushes, long and flexible palette knives, lots of blades, and I love having access to art stores not to feel limited in any way whatsoever in my choice of materials. I’ve found it however to be very confining to think like this and it creates blocks. I’ve been recently in some situation where I’ve had to create work with absolutely none of the materials I am used to, painting with a spoon and hibiscus tea as ink for instance.

Kreyolicious: Do you feel that there are misconceptions about female visual artists out there?

Women tend to be underestimated in all fields. Art included.

Kreyolicious: I was shocked to see Paul Gaugin and Van Gogh on a list of artists who died broke. But these are people who lived decades and centuries ago. I think that not only artists these days are more keen to making their artistic lives sustainable, but there are a whole lot more outlets and opportunities in our day. Does the business woman in you ever have to fight with the artist in you and vice versa?

I am emotionally attached to my work, thus making it very hard for me to see as the business it needs to be to allow me to live off of it. The reason why positions such as patrons, managers and advisers for artists exist is because it isn’t obvious for the individual creating to be able to handle all the different aspects surrounding their work by themselves. And I would lie if i said I didnt struggle with that every day, but I am getting closer and closer and having that balance.

Kreyolicious: What’s the best thing that’s happened to you so far?

As an artist? I guess being blessed with hundreds of creatively inclined people as my entourage and getting to constantly gravitate from art space to art space learning more and more from other artist. Other artist help me grow considerably.

Kreyolicious: Where do you hope to take your career?

The art world is magical, best is to keep creating and letting the destination be a surprise. I definitely want to do something relating to art education in Haiti, as well as owning a gallery or art store there. As for the rest I am leaving it up to the Universe.

Kreyolicious: What advice would you give the Yael of five years ago maybe…in terms of what’s coming ahead?

I really wish there was an actual way for me to go back five years and tell that Yael that it isn’t necessary to try to morph herself into something that is socially acceptable, an artist needs to learn to accept their true nature in order to produce the best and truest work they can. Back then I was very confused as to why I was so hard for me to be “normal”, or why I had no interest in so many things everyone seemed to die for; that confusion created a nightmare: it was very hard for me to accept what I felt were the right calling to follow, the right decision to make. But to be honest, I would probably not even say anything because going through that nightmare taught me so much—and am not sure I would’ve wanted to avoid it.

This concludes Part II of the interview with Yael Talleyrand. Did you miss out PART I? GO HERE.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OTHER ARTICLES IN THE STRAIGHT OUTTA HAITI SERIES

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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]

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!

Christina Julme says she founded her brand BèlNègès at a time when websites targeting young Haitian women in Haiti were nonexistent. Since the launch of the website three years ago, Julme has transformed her online hub into a household name among web and social media users in Port-au-Prince, and Haiti’s other cities. The content is mostly in Creole, and draws not only young women in Haiti, but Creole speakers around the globe. With articles with provoking titles like “Marriage Can’t Be The Biggest Dream You Have For Yourself”, “Don’t Sell It, You Won’t Get A Good Price For It”, “Stop Doing It For Other People”, Julme and her team have succeeded in making over minds and hearts in Haiti. She has held retreat-conferences that cover topics like self-esteem, entrepreneurship, and holistic health, and regularly teams up with social workers, mental health counselors to add weight to her message.

Kreyolicious: What are some of the things you’ve been up to since our last conversation?
For now, the team is working to bring the BN site (www.belneges.org) live. Since last year, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs officially recognized BèlNègès as an organization. It’s been our motivation to present our work and vision to all those on internet. We hope that the website is going to be ready before the end of the year. All of our loyal readers from the blog don’t need to worry, because we’ll still have the blog, and it’ll be an integral part of our blog. We’ll make the announcement when we officially launch.

Above: Christina Julme having some me-time during a BèlNègès event in Port-au-Prince.
Kreyolicious: Where is the BèlNègès movement at this point?
BN has changed on paper, but it hasn’t changed in terms of conception. But it did makeover the minds of those who have followed our project and movement. We’ve gone from being known for our work in the natural hair movement to being an organization that works with young girls and women to change their lives.

In the past two years, we’ve reached more than a thousand girls and young women off-line, and thousands through social media. Today, BN is an organization that’s here to stay. A lot of work still needs to be done with and for the girls and young women in Haiti. We’ve even reached women living in other places. Our goal is still the same: to redefine young Haitian women, while promoting beauty on the inside, and the outside.

Kreyolicious: Having a website is cool, but there can be challenges. What steps do you take to keep yourself motivated?
BèlNègès.com has been launched since 2013. It’s been more than a year since we’ve been working with other young writers who share our background and contribute articles. We work like a team, which means that we collaborate with those who have different capabilities, so that we can walk the road together. It’ll be the same when the blog transitions into a full-pledged website.

Above: A BèlNègès retreat orchestrated by Christina Julme, a movement for Millennials in Haiti held at a horse ranch in Kenscoff, a town near Port-au-Prince.

Kreyolicious: Do you feel that everything you set out to achieve with the BèlNègès brand has been achieved?
BèlNègès is a project that we launched, that’s already grown beyond us. And that’s the beauty in the work that we’re doing. As we grow as women, our perspectives, our values evolve, as does the values and perspectives of those who are growing with us. This makes us realize that we don’t stay in the same place mentally and physically. We haven’t achieved an iota of all the projects we have in mind. We just hope that when this generation is gone, we at least have established a base so that the next generation of girls and young women can take over. Because for someone to redefine who they are, and to improve their lives accordingly isn’t something that can be done in a hurry…or that can be done overnight.

Kreyolicious: You’ve written about skin bleaching in Haiti among young girls and women.
Since we [at BèlNègès] cater to a Haitian audience, we feel a responsibility to address topics that reflect our reality. This is why we publish articles in the language that most identify with, and in the language that’s going to prove a debate…especially among young women. Our motto and objective after all is beauty on the inside and the outside. This topic is just a glimpse of future content plans. We just want to remind people not to hesitate to share their thoughts and comments—even if they might have a different point of view. This way, we can have more worthwhile debates that can lead to the changes we’d like to see.

Above: BèlNègès retreat participants having an exchange.

Kreyolicious: Do you think social media has helped young women in Haiti see that there’s beauty in every body shape and size or do you think it’s reinforced the opposite?
We can’t lie to ourselves about this topic, because the truth is right in front of us. Since we’re living in an underprivileged environment, there’s are little means to bring positive messages that can reach out to the female masses. If we consider the issue of internet access, I have to admit that access is still a luxury for most. Also, those who can afford a personal computer, or a Smartphone are few. And then there’s the issue of illiteracy. But when we look more closely, we realize that while few may have access to it, it’s still a great tool. And it remains our most powerful tool, until we’re able to reach out to our audience through other mediums [TV]. [Meanwhile, social media is the main, and fastest tool that BèlNègès uses to reach out to young women. Even if we can’t reach out to all the women in Haiti, all our BèlNègès followers know they have their own hub on the internet.

Above: A BèlNègès tote bag, among the many other offerings from Christina Julme

Kreyolicious: Are there a lot of female website owners in Haiti?
For now, I don’t think there’s that many. I hope that will change soon. But I’m always open to collaboration with those who have the same vision as we do. This way, we can have our mission reach where our voices and our hands can’t.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT BELNEGES AND TRY OUT YOUR CREOLE…ER…KREYOL!