St. Pierre was born in 1923. For most of his life he was a farmer and began painting only in 1972, when, according to Ute Stebich in her biography of him in the 1978 catalog of her landmark show at the Brooklyn Museum, he was inspired to paint by watching his neighbor, the artist Michelle Manuel. According to Michelle, St. Pierre was constantly filching her children's art supplies until she bought him some of his own. He painted in and outside of a modernistic rough stone structure on the Kenscoff road. The studio was built for him by his patron, the renowned Haitian architect Albert Mongones; it was circular with glassless windows all around and a round opening at the very top to let in additional light. It was quite an avant-garde structure for the neighborhood which consisted mainly of peasant huts made of mud with thatched roofs. The studio was surrounded by his carefully cultivated fields of vegetables. He was an energetic and lively man, said to have been married to a hounsi, a dancer at vodou ceremonies. Once when I visited him, a loud clap of thunder boomed overhead. He winked and me and said with a big smile, "Cousin Zaca!", referring to the vodou god of agriculture.

St. Pierre was a true untrained naive expressionist who was, during his life, disdained by the art establishment in Haiti as decorative. In fact his dismissal by established galleries may have been attributed to the fact that St. Pierre sold his work directly to the public from his studio, bypassing the middlemen.

He has since become recognized as an important artist. A tryptych of his was included in the Brooklyn Museum show and his work is appreciated for it’s originality and joyful energy by discerning collectors world-wide. As is with much Haitian art St. Pierret is sold too cheaply.

. What can we do about that? St. Pierre is an icon; We need to raise his prices.

#STWT St. Pierre of Kenscoff
36x24" Oil on canvas
"Wazo" 1970's
$1200 stretched, not framed

*not a great picture but I'll bet the painting is wonderful in person.

Haitian Art...

is something special. That is because it was created in Haiti, an extraordinary and
unique place in the galaxy.

The art will infuse your space with positive energy, and at the same time, you will be helping Haitians, because the more art we sell, the more money we can give them.

If you cannot buy a painting right now, I suggest making a donation to
FONDAM, HAITI

They are doing wonderful work in Haiti. Give them $50 or $20

They will thank you.

Fondam, Haiti: teenagers learning to plant
photo © Bill Bollendorf 2010