Handcrafted Haitian Sculpture, Angel Diamond with Milagro, Upcycled 18"x12"

Artist- Seig-Non Gonzales
When asked to describe himself, Seig-Non Gonzalez Jr. responds, “I am someone very nice, sensible and respectable. I have an objective to do art.” In manner and in speech, he is completely straightforward, yet his sun face designs are fanciful, full of movement and almost Baroque in style. Art of a very playful nature, from a man of serious visage.

Seig-Non was born in March of 1988, the second of five children. He pursued his education in banking, but found his passion lay in metal sculpture. At the age of 23, he sees art as his path to the future. He says, “From the bottom of my heart, I wish for my designs to be seen and appreciated. It is for me a great honor and a joy to do this work.”

Fair trade isn't just a good idea - its the way we do business.

We offer a hand up, not a hand out to our artist partners in Haiti. Each sale of their metal sculptures represents a positive step toward a better life.

The center of Haitian metal sculpture is the village of Croix-des-Bouquets, where the clanging sound of hammers striking chisels is a constant music. To begin, the artist chalks his design onto the metal. Chisels, dies and a large hammer are used to cut and shape the piece, giving it form and texture. When the highly intricate and physically demanding work is complete and the artist is satisfied with his work, he signs his name boldly with a small chisel and applies a clear, weather-proof coating. The result is a wonderful, fair trade piece of handcrafted art.

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.

This metal sculpture is meant for display indoors or out, but if you choose to display yours outside, be aware that the protective, weather-proof coating will wear off over time. To keep your sculpture looking just like it did the day you bought it, take five minutes once a year to apply a spray-on clear enamel coating.

A few nails and a hammer are all you'll need to hang your sculpture. Look for a place where the design is joined or notched and put the first nail there. Use a second and possibly a third nail, if the piece is large, in other joined or notched design elements within the sculpture to straighten and secure it to the wall. The nails will "disappear" with the piece. Simple as that.