Croix-des-Bouquets & Our Three Headed Skeleton

Yesterday, Dom and I coordinated a group trip to Croix-des-Bouquets. This is an area north of Port-au-Prince where the Haitian artisan's build their amazing metal artwork and sculpture out of old oil drums. It is a quick drive, and a must see in Port-au-Prince. What I truly enjoyed about this trip is that the artist shops all seemed to have their own little niche. Several of the artists had created their own independent style. You can find something for every style & size, intricate whimsical creatures like mermaids, tree of life, birds, crosses, mermaids, mirrors, voodoo inspired pieces, sculpture, etc.

True to form Dom and I bought a pile of gifts for the friends/family we are going to see this summer. Dom also picked out a piece from his favorite artisan, who creates a mix of original sculpture, masks, functional items, and truly has developed his own signature style. I enjoy the fact that his art does have some darker elements, as some of the metal art feels a little "cleaned up" for the consumers. Or as our friend Susan said, "People want to buy butterflies and rainbows, not the more eerie pieces." Dom has a special love for the skeleton pieces of this artist. So he was happy to have his own three headed skeleton playing the bongo drum hanging on the wall by the end of the day. I like that my husband is becoming a bit of an art bad ass. He has grabbed Haitian art by the horns, and has a better memory for artists names and facts than I do. This piece is eclectic & humorous and that is definitely a part of my Haiti experience that I want to remember for a long time to come.