If we introduce children to art today, we will avoid certain vices tomorrow

Leonce Love’s art helps raise funds for a creative space for children in Haiti

I am Leonce Love, a young emerging artist and teacher at Timoun Art School. My art is based on Voodoo  and nature. I grew up around artists.

In 2008, I began working with renowned artists through the organization "ATIS Rezistans," which focuses on empowering young people through art and education. There, I created sculptures from recycled materials with André Eugene, and also made necklaces from tires flaps.

Voodoo is my tradition and it played a key role in the Haitian Revolution and the creation of the first free Black republic. It is a cultural heritage for humanity, a practice of memory and connection. The most important thing to understand is that Haitian culture and art are not mere decorations; Vodou, history, and creativity intertwine to tell a story of survival, spirituality, and the aspiration for change. Vodou is not just a religion, but a fundamental source of inspiration, permeating painting and practices. Haitian art expresses the soul of a resilient people who overcame slavery and continue to face adversity, making each work a testament to perseverance.

In 2009, artists organized a biennial event called the Ghetto Biennale. This exhibition consists of exchanges between works by foreign artists and Haitian artists. This adventure led me to land on the soil of Denmark  in 2015, the home of the famous painter Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, the precursor of the Danish Golden Age, when he was only 18 years old. It is one of the most beautiful experiences I have had in my career as a painter. I worked with other students in Copenhagen, and after returning to Haiti, I decided to create an art school for kids in my community, Timoun Artschool.

The facility provides an environment where children can dedicate themselves to painting or sculpture. Every Saturday, I organize art workshops where children practice computer skills with instructors. Through my personal funds and support from abroad, I help the parents of these children pay their school fees. If we introduce children to art today, we will avoid certain vices tomorrow.

It’s not easy but I makes every effort of community to help the children of Grand Rue to have a future, including feeding them after each lesson.  Through Facebook, i finds customers whose art supply donations & and some help to help us to grow up

I sell my own art help to continue my efforts.