SOME OF THE ARTISTS THE FRIENDS REPRESENTS

Ismael Saincilus, passed away in 2000. Ismael was very much respected in the art world, both in and outside of Haiti. Considered the progenitor of the Artibonite style of painting, Ismael’s students include Michel-Ange Altidort, Alix Dorleus, Errol Louis, and Carlos Jn. Baptiste.

Ismer Saincilus is the son of Ismael Saincilus, he and his two brothers have been painting their entire lives and are making their mark in the art world.

Ismael Emmanuel is the son of renowned master Artibonite artist Ismael Saincilus.

Dauphin, an unschooled artist, was employed for some time at the Issa Gallery in Port au Prince.

Etienne Chavannes was born in 1939 in Cap-Haitian. He tends to paint religious celebrations, funerals, and sports events. In 1978, his works were exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum in New York City.

Edens Rosier is from the Artibonite Valley. Edens Rosier and his wife are both artists in the Petite Riviere region.

 Richard Antilhomme was born in the 1920s. He became a part of the Saint Soleil Movement in the late 70s, taking his love for gods and goddesses to a new level through his depictions. He died in 2002. 

 Alexandre Gregoire was born in 1922 and didn’t begin painting until 1968 at the encouragement of other famous painter friends, Prefete Duffuat and Pierre Joseph Valcin. He died in 2001.

Jean Baptist Jean Joseph, born in 1967 and raised in Croix-des-Bouquets. His mother had a vision that he had been chosen by Erzulie and Papa Loko, and so he began threading their images in to his artwork. His work can be found all over the world.

Jeune Dumerlus is an Artibonite painter who is becoming well known, and has created pieces depicting real-life events such as the revolution and the earthquake.

I. Louis Gumcy is an Artibonite artist who studied with the Ismael school.  He is
an artistic reporter of the details of life of the Artibonite communities.

 Virginie Grand-Pierre is one of the few active women painters in the Artibonite.

Jean-Louis DéLouis grew up in Petite Rivière under the influence of Ismaël. Although he worked under Ismaël for 15 years, he never had formal painting lessons. He began to paint carefully executed scenes from his imagination. His works are full of a sense of abundance and fancy.

Alix Dorleus paints all day long and will paint anywhere the spirit moves him. His best works are meticulously detailed depictions of daily life in the Artibonite Valley, and his style is marked by his use of crisp, bold color.  Alix Dorleus is from the Department de l'Artibonite of Haiti and was mentored by the region's famous artist Ismael Saincilus. Alix enjoys painting village life, and tropical flowers and birds.

Serge Francois uses his skill of detail to portray a celebratory community event. Francois is an Artibonite painter who also uses rich detail in all of his pieces.

Joseph Augustin grew up in the Artibonite and started painting as a child. His style shows clear influence of Saincilus, however it is characterized by child-like figures with sweet expressions and flattened perspective. Augustin is an Artibonite Department painter who was born in 1970, and sold his first piece at the age of 18. He paints detailed scenes of countrysides and community life.

Malherbe Tenay is an Artibonite Department artist who is well known for his detail. He has mostly stayed to the valley and finding his scarce pieces is pure gold. Tenay likes to paint pictures of ceremonies and lives and paints in the Petit Riviere area.

Gervais Emmanuel Ducasse is a highly collectible artist who was born in 1903 and died in 1988. He was well known for his depictions of historical events and the daily life of rural Haitians. 

Serge Francois uses his skill of detail to portray a celebratory community event.  Serge is an Artibonite painter who uses rich detail in his pieces.

Louisianne Saint Fleurant was born in 1924 and was one of the founders of the Saint Soleil artist’s movement, and she was also a founder of the Cinq Soleil school. Her paintings are maternal in nature, and often depict children. Some of her own children are also artists. She died in 2005.

Michele Manuel is a woman painter who was born in 1935, and was educated in both Puerto Rico and New York before returning to Haiti in the 1950s to start her painting career. Manual uses subdued hues to blend the ceremonial vibe. She is internationally known and has works exhibited all over the globe. 

Absolu Jean Dodet lives, paints and works hard at whatever he sets out to do, in Petit Riviere de l'Artibonite in Haiti.

 R. Errol Louis is an accomplished disciple of the Artibonite Master, Ismael Saincilus. His paintings are scarce.

DeJoces Lacoste works in Petite Riviere de l’Artibonite.

St. Pierre Toussaint was born in 1923. For most of his life he was a farmer and began painting only in 1972. He died in 1985, and his pieces have been on display in the Brooklyn Museum.

Roudy Azor was born in 1980 and typically shows his detailed sequin art pieces in Port-au-Prince.

 Albert Toussaint is an Artibonite artist who studied under master painter Ismael Saincilus. 

The Cap Haïtien School was widely popularized by the work of the Botex brothers, J.B. and Seymour. However, Brother Senêque Obin is largely accepted as the founder of this school around the mid-20th century. Works from the Cap Haïtien School often feature depictions of daily life in the city, and are characterized by firmness of style and bright colors.

The Saint-Soleil School, which is characterized by expressionistic, colorful forms with often detailed, varying textures that lie somewhere in between abstraction and representation. Founded by Prosper Pierrelouis, Levoy Exil, Louisianne Saint-Fleurant, Dieusieul Paul and Denis Smith, and greatly influenced by Haitian mythology, artists hoped to achieve a higher form of expression through this style.

Pascale Monnin is a popular contemporary artist from Port-au-Prince. Her style is unique and often involves a mixture of layers of collage and painting. Her work is heavily influenced by Haiti’s traditional religion and culture though she studied in Europe.

The Jacmel School, which reflects the steep mountains and bays of that coastal town was founded in part by Haitian master Préfète Duffaut. As a naïf painter, Duffaut‘s early paintings drew from the rural life he knew. His later paintings became more fantastic and are characterized by surreal and symbolic imagery and visionary messages. His work gained a good deal of popularity both in Haiti and internationally. Other painters from Jacmel include Destin Dormond and Alexandre Gregoire.