Ronel Pierre, a Haitian artist, seems to have gotten things a little backwards. He first exhibited his work before the age of 13 and enjoyed a modestly successful career for years. Now, near the age of 30, the up-to-now self-taught painter has begun to take art classes at a Houston college. His work is currently on display at Las Manos Magicas in an exhibit called ยVisions for a New Haiti.ย Colorful, bright and vibrant, Pierreยs images cannot accurately be called folk art, according to gallery owner Madeleine Crozat-Williams. ยHis work is more sophisticated than that,ย she says. ยHe doesnยt paint pure realism, although you will see images of people or landscapes. But those images are from his imagination. For example, in his painting Erzulie Freda, you see a woman, but as you look closer you see symbols in her hair.ย The show will double as a fund-raiser for the orphanage where Pierre and his sister grew up, just outside Port-au-Prince. 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. Through August 21. 4819 Blossom. For information, call 713-802-2530 or visit www.lasmanosmagicas.com. Free.
Wednesdays-Saturdays. Starts: July 15. Continues through Aug. 21, 2010
This article appears in Jul 15-21, 2010.