“Joy,” by Isabelle Jean-Louis

Local artist Isabelle Jean-Louis emigrated from Haiti to Boston to attend Wentworth Institute of Technology, but her heart (and her art) has remained tied to the island. By day Jean-Louis works as an architectural designer and by night she crafts intimate portraits of people from her past and present using charcoal, collage, mixed media and occasionally watercolor.

“I would always find myself wanting to express things that are happening back home,” said Jean-Louis. “But not in the lens that we always see; not in the lens of bad news.”

Two separate portraits of young boys showcase the spectrum of her work and the emotional experience of life in Haiti. In “Despair” the boy sits crouched on the ground, gazing upward with a sorrowful, resigned expression. The piece is done in charcoal in black and white with just a few plant leaves surrounding the figure.

Conversely, “Joy” showcases a small boy’s head and shoulders with his hands raised as though clapping. His head is tilted back with a huge smile on his face, and he’s surrounded by colorful leaves and flowers.

At times the portraits represent specific stories from Jean-Louis’ life. She recalls seeing an unhoused boy every day while going to school as a child and sharing some of her lunch with him. When she left the country, the boy continued the tradition with her mother and would often ask how Jean-Louis was doing in Boston. Jean-Louis drew a portrait of the boy in his honor.

Earlier this year Jean-Louis participated in the People’s Artists Competition, a national challenge run by ArtForum magazine in collaboration with actor Johnny Depp that awards one outstanding visual artist $25,000, an exhibition and an appearance in the magazine. Though she wasn’t the winner, the competition built her confidence as an artist.

“It was a big step for me because I don’t think I’ve ever shared my work with the public,” Jean-Louis said. “It was really meaningful in the sense of having people who didn’t even know me supporting me and sharing the work. I’m glad the art resonated with people.”

She’s continuing to work on two-dimensional portraits, but would also like to start a film series when she next visits home. It will be another way to engage audiences about Haiti’s history and people.

“Haiti is a part of my identity,” said Jean-Louis. “There’s more than just hardships. There’s beautiful, there’s family, there’s faith. I want to contribute to images that reflect the fuller humanity.”

ON THE WEB

Jean-Louis shares some of her work on TikTok at tiktok.com/@ergotechnis