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Winzor Gouin

Winzor Gouin has achieved acclaim and great success with his chosen
profession as an artist. Born in 1970 in the Port-au-Prince suburb of
Petion-Ville, he began his training with the encouragement of his mother,
who introduced him to Hubert Bernard. Bernard took him on as an
apprentice. It was an eye-opening experience for the teenager. Winzor
remembers, “In the beginning, it was not easy because you hammer in using
a chisel in your hand and you are between the anvil and the hammer. It is
very dangerous work, but the main thing is to learn it. I knew it was
necessary because I saw in advance that I could earn my life through it.
I spent a great number of time learning in Hubert Bernard’s shop.”

A dedicated student of both metal craft and academics, Winzor continued to
go to school while training in the workshop. He realized early on that
learning English would help him to build his reputation and ply his trade
on an international level. And so it did. When he began working with
Casey Riddell of Beyond Borders, he was ahead of the game, both in terms
of his skill and because of the ease of communication. Says Casey, “He is
great to work with because he is so creative and we can brainstorm on
designs together. I can place an order and know that he’s got a clear
idea of what we want. It’s a luxury to be able to communicate on this
level with him.”

In turn, Winzor appreciates the opportunities that Beyond Borders has
given him. “In the past time, I would exhibit my work with other artists
in a shop, but with the coming of Casey, there is great improvement in the
dealing of metal sculpture. She works very hard to improve the artists’
situations and help them survive. Every time we get orders, we can help
ourselves to earn our life.”

In 2008, Winzor received sponsorship from Beyond Borders to participate in
the Santa Fe International Art Market. He recalls, “It was a great
experience for me. I had a dream to leave Haiti and show my work in a
foreign country one day. I always work hard and I want to be a famous
artist. This makes a good step in that way. I met so many people and they
liked my work. It was a very exciting time that I feel so grateful to be
able to do it.”