Description
Small Haitian Metal Milagro Crosses 4" x 6" Jean Claude Soulouque Whether born into one of the artisan families of Croix-des-Bouquets, or drawn from the Haitian countryside by the prospect of education & work, Beyond Borders' 70-plus sculptors know that their futures are secured by art, tradition, & fair trade. Beginning in the 1950s with Georges Liataud, the former railway blacksmith turned folk art pioneer, creativity & innovation have gone hand in hand with teaching & sharing. Liataud, observing the surplus of steel drums in his village, saw opportunity & resources. He cut the metal barrels, using only a hammer & a chisel, & began fashioning simple crosses to mark gravestones in the local cemetery. His work attracted the attention of DeWitt Peters, founder of the Center d'Art in Port-au-Prince, who brought him into the Center & encouraged him to explore his craft. Taking that advice, Liataud expanded his repertoire & began depicting cultural as well as religious images. Additionally, he experimented with dimensionality & form. Equally important, he began to share his knowledge, taking on Gabriel Bien-Aime & the Louisjuste brothers as apprentices. & those men, now regarded as great masters in their own right, taught the next generation, who in turn taught the next. So it is today, with several Beyond Borders artists having trained with these early master sculptors, now opening their own workshops, & sharing their techniques with the young & eager. As one artist put it, "I teach people how to work. When I hire them, I help them to earn a life." Small Cross With Heart, Silver Bronzed Metal, Handmade in Haiti, Wall Hanging Collection, Decorative Milagro Charms 4 X 6 Inches
