http://www.HaitiArtShop.com

If you have ever ridden in a car on Bourdon Road from downtown Port-au-Prince to Petionville, you have certainly noticed the art stands that line the road just after you pass the turnoff to Delmas 60 and Delmas 48. The stands, almost on the edge of a cliff, are always brimming with colorful paintings, wooden statuettes, but most notably, impressive metal sculptures.

We met Francois Andre, the owner of the first stand to go up along the road back in 1973. He’s seen many changes over the years, and remembers clearly when cruise ships used to drop tourists off, many of whom would make it up to the hills above Port-au-Prince and generously buy from his shop.

Since then, he’s been there through many presidents, government upheaval, and civil unrest, and more recently the earthquake destroyed his home in the back, along with most of the artwork. The tourists have now been replaced by NGO workers and members of the U.N. forces. Despite the lack of business, Andre has held on and doesn’t hesitate to say that “we manage anyway.”

HaitiXchange will soon launch HaitiARtShop.com where people will easily be able to shop for inexpensive Haitian crafts from Andre’s shop. We will eventually expand and provide a wide variety of crafts from all over Haiti. Go to HaitiARtShop.com to signup and be notified of the imminent grand opening.

http://www.HaitiArtShop.com

Fanm Kreyol - 02 August 2012 09:30 AM

Cool!!

Glad you like it. I'm getting a lot of good feedback from this. A lot of people have gone to http://www.HaitiArtShop.com and have signed up to be notified of the launch. Now I'm working feverishly to get the store up and hope to eventually stuff from craftspeople all over Haiti. It's going to be very interesting.

Hey nice story!

You should do a Haitix documentary.

You know CoolP, great artistic talent that needs to produce goods that are valued by society for form and function as well as artistic value.

Look at the high-end patio furniture market as an example.

Furniture made of solid steel and welded into functional artistic purposes.

Not that lightweight cast aluminum junk sold at Home Depot etc but heavy weight, solid steel stuff that is powder coated.

The same for ornate fencing that is welded.

Its basic materials that require artistic hands to produce high profit related items.

India ia HUGE exporter of such things but mostly at the lower price/quality range.

Regardless, India is a long ways from the USA.

Strictly artistic pieces have their place, but it's generally in the trinket market.

We have two sets of patio furniture that we bought several years ago and made by: O.W. Lee.

http://www.owlee.com/san-cristobal.aspx

That's what a Haitian could design and mfg'r, and these sets sell for $4000 for 5 - 6 piece sets.

The same goes for solid steel fencing.

Basic Materials making high end/profit items.

Haiti would be a great country to being production of "wrought iron" since it is no longer made in the USA or most of the world.

The expereince in working with metal is there, the artistic ability is there, what they need is raw materials and power to operate the needed equipment.

If Haiti could produce real "wrought iron", they would have a thriving industry that caters to the ultra-high end of the world market.

Here's another interior/exterior design company that works in welded metal:

http://www.artedemexico.com/index.html

We have quite a few of their pieces and Haitian artisans could certainly produce similar things.

Again, prices/margins are high and the materials are basic.

Talented artisans and proper equipment is what is needed.

These are artistic form/function items that generate alot more revenue than the trinket market even though Haitian trinkets can require more man hours to produce.

I'm interested.

I'd love to give as gifts things produced in Haiti.

With christmas around the corner......give Haitian art......stimulate the Haitian economy.

gunner - 02 August 2012 03:24 PM

Here's another interior/exterior design company that works in welded metal:

http://www.artedemexico.com/index.html

We have quite a few of their pieces and Haitian artisans could certainly produce similar things.

Again, prices/margins are high and the materials are basic.

Talented artisans and proper equipment is what is needed.

These are artistic form/function items that generate alot more revenue than the trinket market even though Haitian trinkets can require more man hours to produce.

open up a shop in Caracol

Benz - 02 August 2012 04:18 PM

gunner - 02 August 2012 03:24 PM

Here's another interior/exterior design company that works in welded metal:

http://www.artedemexico.com/index.html

We have quite a few of their pieces and Haitian artisans could certainly produce similar things.

Again, prices/margins are high and the materials are basic.

Talented artisans and proper equipment is what is needed.

These are artistic form/function items that generate alot more revenue than the trinket market even though Haitian trinkets can require more man hours to produce.

open up a shop in Caracol

Artisans aren't that "mobile".

They're a quirky breed, that like to stay put in their quaint locations.

But you have a very good point.

It would be a matter of moving the best out of their nests to produce such goods.

But welded metal, pig iron, wrought iron, are not exactly "Green Friendly" industries.

I do not honestly think that the powers running Caracol would be interested.

It wouldn't be "Green" enough for them.

Mixing premade chemical into a paint can is one thing, but producing wrought iron is whole another situation.

Teaming up with Bigio's would be a much more practical solution.

The Port au Prince area is the best locale.

You honestly have me thinking, but having just rid myself of all property in Haiti, I'm not quite ready to step back in.

My wife would be ...

gunner - 02 August 2012 04:32 PM

Benz - 02 August 2012 04:18 PM

gunner - 02 August 2012 03:24 PM

Here's another interior/exterior design company that works in welded metal:

http://www.artedemexico.com/index.html

We have quite a few of their pieces and Haitian artisans could certainly produce similar things.

Again, prices/margins are high and the materials are basic.

Talented artisans and proper equipment is what is needed.

These are artistic form/function items that generate alot more revenue than the trinket market even though Haitian trinkets can require more man hours to produce.

open up a shop in Caracol

Artisans aren't that "mobile".

They're a quirky breed, that like to stay put in their quaint locations.

But you have a very good point.

It would be a matter of moving the best out of their nests to produce such goods.

But welded metal, pig iron, wrought iron, are not exactly "Green Friendly" industries.

I do not honestly think that the powers running Caracol would be interested.

It wouldn't be "Green" enough for them.

Mixing premade chemical into a paint can is one thing, but producing wrought iron is whole another situation.

Teaming up with Bigio's would be a much more practical solution.

The Port au Prince area is the best locale.

You honestly have me thinking, but having just rid myself of all property in Haiti, I'm not quite ready to step back in.

My wife would be ...

They might talk about the "green energy" nonsense but the power plant there uses fuel oil not solar, wind-or nat. gas.

I know a guy who put in an application there has not heard back from them yet.

But as the man in the video points out the best things for him is direct sales.

Benz - 03 August 2012 04:55 AM

gunner - 02 August 2012 04:32 PM

Benz - 02 August 2012 04:18 PM

gunner - 02 August 2012 03:24 PM

Here's another interior/exterior design company that works in welded metal:

http://www.artedemexico.com/index.html

We have quite a few of their pieces and Haitian artisans could certainly produce similar things.

Again, prices/margins are high and the materials are basic.

Talented artisans and proper equipment is what is needed.

These are artistic form/function items that generate alot more revenue than the trinket market even though Haitian trinkets can require more man hours to produce.

open up a shop in Caracol

Artisans aren't that "mobile".

They're a quirky breed, that like to stay put in their quaint locations.

But you have a very good point.

It would be a matter of moving the best out of their nests to produce such goods.

But welded metal, pig iron, wrought iron, are not exactly "Green Friendly" industries.

I do not honestly think that the powers running Caracol would be interested.

It wouldn't be "Green" enough for them.

Mixing premade chemical into a paint can is one thing, but producing wrought iron is whole another situation.

Teaming up with Bigio's would be a much more practical solution.

The Port au Prince area is the best locale.

You honestly have me thinking, but having just rid myself of all property in Haiti, I'm not quite ready to step back in.

My wife would be ...

They might talk about the "green energy" nonsense but the power plant there uses fuel oil not solar, wind-or nat. gas.

I know a guy who put in an application there has not heard back from them yet.

But as the man in the video points out the best things for him is direct sales.

Funny isn't it?

They talk, talk, talk, about "Green Energy" but never use the stuff themselves.

Caracol could be used for the welding of mild steel into high end patio furniture however.

You still have the powder coating operation but that's all green at this point.

Getting artisans to move up there and live where? is a big issue for that location.

Haiti needs to move thier talent from the trinket market into the form/function market of welded forms.

At the very end of the video he states that it takes two days to make the Haitix sign.

With some basic raw steel, he could weld an entire set of solid steel patio furniture in that same time.

Wholesale it for $800 USD's at a minimum.

He would need a welders torch, diesel generator, and supplies.

I'm not sure if there's a powder coating operation in Haiti or not but that would be needed as well.

He wouldn't have to wait for the return of tourists but rather begin exporting his product.

Ditto for many of the products sold by the company: Arte De Mexico.

The talent is there. The desire is there. A little training and small financing and this guy would be in a much better position.

That's what the University of HenrY Christophe should be focused on.

Technical trades, and not some esoteric Social Studies BS.

gunner - 03 August 2012 12:05 PM

That's what the University of HenrY Christophe should be focused on.

Technical trades, and not some esoteric Social Studies BS.

GUNNER...you stealing my ideas??? It's all good.

Call it Haiti Technical Institute HTI.