Haiti Art & Crafts ~ Travel Pictures

Haitian Artist  Fritz with Oil Painting, Roi Christophe Hotel

Fritz M. paints in oils and acrylics.

Here he displays one of his pieces in the lobby area of the Roi Christophe Hotel in Cap-Haitien.

Fritz worked as a server in one of the Cap-Haitien hotels to support his wife and child, while hoping to be discovered as an artist.

When he has art supplies, he volunteers his time to teach youngsters how to paint and draw.

Haiti Tap Tap  Practical Art on Buses

These colourful local buses called taptaps are gaily painted with intricate images, and works of art in and of themselves.

Across the top of the windshield on every tap tap, there's banner about 6 inches wide printed with a religious message.

When the bus is full, new passengers, many barefoot or shod in plastic thongs and carrying bags or packages would climb up a ladder at the rear and sit on the roof.

Haiti Wood Carved Furniture Practical, Unique Art

This carved detail is on the front of a chest of drawers in a home (of a North American) in the village of Labadie.

The gentleman had hired local workers to build the homes (condos) and the furnishings.

Most furniture here is made by hand, by local carpenters. Often, the lumber has to first be hand-planed as well.

Similar carving techniques are used to make wooden bowls and platters, and some inlay work can be found as well.

Taina Wood Statue (replica) Typical Craft in Haiti, Dominican

Here is a photo of the hand carved replica of a typical Taina style craft figurine.

The Taina were Hispaniola's indigenous people.

This statue stands about 6 inches high; I bought in Sosua DR.

If you take a cruise that stops in Labadie, likely you'll find similar crafts and paintings offered for sale at the cruise ship market set up on the peninsula.

If you travel to the Dominican Republic, you'll find many of these items for sale in local markets.

Haiti Banana Leaf Gift Card Typical Craft

This card was hand made in Cap-Haitien, on Haiti's north coast. These can be bought at local markets and make great souvenirs while supporting local artists and economy.

The dark accents on these 3"X5" gift cards are made from dried banana leaves.

I bought a similar style card (see below) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ethiopia Card Similar Craft to Haiti, Shows African Roots

I bought this handmade card at the gift shop in the National Hotel in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia.

It is almost identical in size and style to the Haitian one, with the same dried banana leaf details.

I was struck by the similarlity.

Woman's Face Leather Mask is Typical Haiti craft

I bought this mask, along with a carved wood tray, on the beach in Cormier Plage, west of Cap-Haitien on the road to Labadie.

I was out for a walk on the beach just after 7 a.m. when a young, tall, thin woman came out from under a row of palm trees with her child, a girl of about 5, and shyly approached me with her crafts.

The mask measures about 6 inches X 8 inches.

Haiti Art -  Oil painting

This typical and distinctively Haitian painting is widely found.

I bought this one, too, in Sosua, Dominican Republic.

The Cap-Haitien artists market was closed when I was visited, and I really wanted this type of painting as a souvenir.

Haiti Metal Art - Painted Lizard Craft

This gaily painted lizard is a typical example of how Haitians will turn found materials into arts and crafts.

It measures about 12 inches from head to tail.

At Cormier Plage, several black tin metal art wall hangings decorated the walls in my room.

Haiti Inlaid, Carved Wood Tray Also Typical of Haitian Crafts

It was just before 7 a.m. on the beach at Cormier Plage when I noticed the woman in the shade of the palms, along with the young girl I took to be her daughter.

This tray (about 16 inches long and 8 inches wide) was one of the crafts she was selling; the leather mask above was another.

Inlaid wood bowls are available in the Dominican Republic, at this popular pottery craft stop.