Product Description
It's Cactus Metal Art Haiti
Handmade Haitian Folk Art, Musicians Under the Tree, Eco-Friendly Sculpture 23"x23"
The traditional Haitian method of creating metal sculptures from discarded oil drums has changed very little since the technique was first developed by Georges Liataud in the 1950's. To begin, the drums are burned out, cleaned up, sanded down and pounded flat. Next, the artist chalks his intended design onto the prepared metal and begins the heavy and tedious work of cutting and detailing, using only a hammer and chisel. Finally, the sculpture is sealed with a weather-proof finish, so that the sculpture may be displayed easily indoors or out.
Artist Bio
Edward Dieudonne
Angels and mermaids are figures of mystical fascination for Edward Dieudonne. He sits quietly alone, listening to music when their images come to him, and with a small piece of chalk and a sheet of flat metal, he begins to give them form. These dawnings of inspiration are, for Edward, the very best part of the creative process.
Though he imagines his sculptural pieces in reflective solitude, they are often executed with a great deal of amusement. One can almost hear him chuckling out loud as he takes up the hammer and chisel and pounds out an angel with a shopping bag or a mermaid having a deeply meaningful conversation with a seahorse. His animal sculptures too, must bring a wry smile. Who knows where the notion of putting the barnyard critters on the bus in a blowing gale came from. Maybe it’s Edward’s idea of riding the storm out!
Edward came from a large family, and now has 8 children of his own. He spends long days cutting metal in his workshop to provide for them. Additionally, he teaches friends and family members the craft so that they too, might carry on and prosper. He says, “I just want to do everything I can for my family and my children. That is my dream.”