Product Description
Celtic Knot Symbol, Family Art, Tree of Life Decor, Small 11", Handmade from Recycled Steel Barrels, Spring Garden Gift
By Artist Wilson Etienne
The “ Celtic Tree of Life” is a particularly poignant symbol in Haiti. Trees are a precious, though rapidly disappearing resource, where less than 1.5% of natural growth remains, due to deforestation. The culprits: poor land management practices and grinding poverty. Between land being cleared for subsistence farming - which constitutes two-thirds of Haitian labor activity - and wood being harvested to provide 70% of the nation’s fuel, the tropical forests of Haiti are virtually gone. The upshot is topsoil erosion amounting to 36 million tons annually, accelerated land degradation, silting lakes and waterways, increased greenhouse gases, and deaths numbering in the thousands due to mudslides when heavy weather strikes.
It's Cactus Metal Art Haiti
Artist Bio
Wilson Etienne
“Nine out of my family of ten people are artists,” says Etienne Wilson. “And I am one of the nine. I was born in 1986 and by 1995, I was working in this occupation of metal sculpture, burning out the barrels and flattening them with my hammer. I got my first order in 2003.” Now creating beautiful works where butterflies flitter and dragonflies buzz in dreamy circles, he is in his element, his brilliant smile a testament to the joy of creative expression.
For a time, Etienne worked in construction to make ends meet. However, two respected artists in Croix-des-Bouquets convinced him that his future lay in metal sculpture. “They said that my opportunity was here as an artist. The village of Croix-des-Bouquets is the mother town. It was a difficult decision to commit to this art, but thanks to Casey Riddell, I know that this work will be seen and known around the world."