Jacmel, Haiti: Gainesville’s Sister City
The Sister City Program of Gainesville once again welcomed a delegation of Artists from Jacmel, Haiti in November 2015! As always, we had a creative time with our friends who always find new ways to show us the real meaning of "Artists" as they create their way across our city! It's great to see them all again!
I'm honored and proud to have visited our Sister City, Jacmel Haiti in February 2013 as part of an official delegation of artists from Gainesville! The artists at the Fosaj school made me feel right at home and treated me as an honored guest. Our visit coincided with their cultural high time... Kanaval!
It was great to see my friends in action during this cultural collaboration. The energy was high and the rum and creativity flowed throughout the streets of Jacmel! While Kanaval was a thing of beauty, natural beauty was on display at Bassin Bleu! Our impromptu jam on the rock at Bassin Bleu will forever be my favorite memory of Jacmel and Haiti.
Thanks to all my friends in Jacmel, Haiti who made this a most memorable visit, and thanks for visiting my school here in Gainesville. Our students, faculty and community were inspired by your creativity and friendship! I look forward to your next visit during Haiti week here in Gainesville in early November!
For more information about Gainesville's Sister City project with Jacmel, visit http://www.fromgainesvillewithlove.org and https://www.facebook.com/fromgainesvillewithlove
“The Haiti Project” live Performance Painting at Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall, April 4, 2012
Scenes from “The Haiti Project”. A performance created by Santa Fe theater professor Gregg Jones. The multimedia production is a tribute to the people and art of Haiti that combines dance, music, art, poetry, puppetry, mask theater, video and still photography. During the opening night, I created a live painting of the performance that was offered in a silent auction. to benefit and be given back to Haitian artists in Jacmel.
Read more about the performance here: https://www.gainesville.com/news/20120404/the-haiti-project-pays-tribute-to-the-people-spirit-and-art-of-a-nation
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I'm also proud to be working with Projects for Haiti, Inc. as a guest speaker at the Gainesville Connected workshop for teachers this November! Listen to this TED talk by Bertrhude Albert & Priscilla Zelaya. They are inspirational ladies who have a real plan to help the Haitian people help themselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJdb2-7oQKA
