SINCE 1974

Simil was born Emilcar Similien in St. Marc, Haiti on August 28, 1944. He completed his primary school studies at Frere Herve, the Christian Brothers school in St. Marc, in 1958, and continued his education at the Lycee Toussaint Louverture in Port-au-Prince.
In 1965 he entered the Academie des Beaux Arts to study sculpture and painting. According to his long time friend and dealer, Michel Monnin, it was at this time that Simil began a deep dialogue with Professor Montaguelli who besides teaching him art, also imparted to him" a certain attitude toward art; constancy of effort and the research necessary to find beauty." In his fifth year at the Academy, Simil became an assistant professor, teaching courses in Art History. He also worked with Georges Hector at "Coumbite 67".
Around this time he created a seven foot marble sculpture of Christ which was placed at the sacred vodou site, Saut-d'eau, with a commemorative plaque.
Simil is an avant-garde intellectual who is interested in many things; Monnin writes of him "...(he) has a curiosity which pushes him to cutivate knowledge in every domain. The cinema, literature, foreign language and philosophy thrill him". Simil is also an accomplished musician; he plays the violin and the slide trombone.

His paintings are modern, stylistic jewels. The subject may be a "paquet congo' of Haitian vodou, a perfume decanter or an elegant woman. All are rendered with a technique that is exquisitely detailed and breathtaking to experience. His work is included in major collections worldwide. Unfortunately, the printed page, much less the digital one, cannot adequately convey the glory of a Simil painting; they are best experienced in person.