Handmade Haitian Metal Art, Beautiful Tree of Life with Birds, Eco-Friendly 12"x16"

Artist- Markenson Brutus
The second of 11 children, Markenson Brutus, like so many others, had to abandon his education to take a job and help to provide for his family. His decision to pursue a career in metal sculpture was encouraged by his cousins, Evenson Thenor and Nicolson Mathieu, with whom he apprenticed. He says, “ I have been working as an artist for 8 years now. Since I was young, I have always had art in me. Metal sculpture is a way to show my talent.”

As an apprentice, Markenson was guided not only in craftsmanship, but also learned how to promote his work through exhibitions and gallery sales. His designs are inspired in large part by the natural world. He comments, “I see designs in everything, but especially insects, sea creatures and birds. With God, all things are good.” Though he laments having to have left school himself, he sees his art as giving him the means to uplift the lives of those around him. Markenson dreams of being able to send children to school. “Without education, you will not reach as high as you can be. I pray that I can create more and sell more and I thank God for the determination and courage that He gave me. Without it, I would not exist.”

Courage and determination got a boost from Casey and It's Cactus after the earthquake. “You send money to us. If not, it would have been the end of the world for us in Croix-des-Bouquets. Thank you. Thank you very much for that.”

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.