Product Description
Metal Christmas Trees, Set of 3, Holiday Table Top Decor, Gift Giving, Tallest 11" (Christmas Trees)
- Great for Christmas Tree Ornament or Gift Topper!
- The artist first visualizes his design, often taking inspiration from his culture and natural surroundings.
- Next, he chalks his design onto the flattened metal and then, using only a hammer and chisel, gives i form and dimension.
- The result is a unique piece of folk art, perfect for home or garden use.
- All of the Haitian Metal Art can be used both indoors or out. The sculptures have a clear enamel coat when shipped to you~ To maintain this original look you will need to spray the sculpture with a clear enamel every year and a half~ We use our local hardware brand Ace Clear Enamel spray. When used outdoors weather will wear away the enamel coating over time~ Many people prefer the natural aging process which is a rust~ Or to maintain the original look give the sculpture a light spray front and back with the clear enamel~ These sculptures are made of a heavy gauge steel so will not rust away~ If your sculpture does rust or you have forgotten to spray it, do not worry, just lightly sand the rusted areas, then spray it with clear enamel front and back. Now you are good to go for another year!
It's Cactus Metal Art Haiti
Artist Bio
JONAS SOULOUQUE
Whether born into one of the artisan families of Croix-des-Bouquets, or drawn from the Haitian countryside by the prospect of education and work, It's Cactus 80-plus sculptors know that their futures are secured by art, tradition, and fair trade. Beginning in the 1950s with Georges Liataud, the former railway blacksmith turned folk art pioneer, creativity and innovation have gone hand in hand with teaching and sharing. Liataud, observing the surplus of steel drums in his village, saw opportunity and resources. He cut the metal barrels, using only a hammer and a chisel, and 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 and encouraged him to explore his craft. Taking that advice, Liataud expanded his repertoire and began depicting cultural as well as religious images. Additionally, he experimented with dimensionality and form. Equally important, he began to share his knowledge, taking on Gabriel Bien-Aime and the Louisjuste brothers as apprentices. And 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 It's Cactus artists having trained with these early master sculptors, now opening their own workshops, and sharing their techniques with the young and eager. As one artist put it, “I teach people how to work. When I hire them, I help them to earn a life.”
It's Cactus takes the artists through the next steps. By collaborating with them on design creation, placing orders, paying fair wages, and taking Haitian metal sculptures to the global market, great strides are made in helping the craftsmen of Croix-des-Bouquets help themselves. Guided by cultural respect and conscientious business practice, Beyond Borders and its Haitian artists work toward their mutual goals of uplifting lives.