” Painting, writing or taking pictures are the doorways to my soul’s freedom. Art is what breaks the bonds that chain me to this physical world, the wings that carry me to the other end of the rainbow where I find the missing link that connects me to eternity. Photography started it, followed by the drawings I make every time I see a blank piece of paper and a pen or a pencil. Going deeper, wandering into the unknown, I discovered the poet, the romantic the sensitive being that sleeps inside of me. I woke him up.
The magic trick was complete when painting emerged through the fortunate encounter of Haitian master Tiga. The chains were broken and total liberation was finally reached. Freedom at last. I paint by letting the colors dictate the direction of the work, I disappear and the artist takes over, contact is made with the other side and I am no longer in charge. Only when I emerge from my slumber state that I put the final touch to the piece, applying, as best as I can, the techniques learned from master Tiga. Within my soul live three distinct entities that form the one. The painter, the photographer, and the poet, they all live there in perfect harmony. Using a brush, a sponge, a piece of cardboard, the artist is in charge and makes the final decision on which media he wants to use to create. Inspired, possessed, talented, call it as you may. I am just the conduit, I only let it flow.”
Kristo Nicolas
Christian Nicolas grew up in a home where reverence for photography, literature, and the arts was evident. Molded by two parents who were professionally involved in photography, Christian was drawn behind the lens. Under the guidance of his parents and uncles, Christian tested, learned, and entered the world of picture taking. By the age of 12, he was already experimenting with special effects using his parents’ darkroom to create abstract work. Christian held his father in high regard, and his father’s commitment to teaching and writing helped define Christian’s life. These early influences shaped Christian’s personal interests and deepened his appreciation for the arts in general. Inspired by French poets Verlaine, Ronsard, Baudelaire and others, Christian began writing poetry at the age of 14. He moved to the United States at 19 to carry on his academic studies. His fondness for the family’s passion enticed him to switch from his studies and earn a degree in Art Photography instead. He then worked in that field diligently for five years.
With great enthusiasm, he devoted most of his free time to writing, drawing, and the study of mysticism. These activities were his passion until he met Haitian master Jean Claude Garoute-also known as Tiga. With a natural flair for illustration and a keen eye for the esthetic, a dormant talent awakened as Christian began to paint with Tiga’s guidance. Producing not only utilizing acrylics, Christian found new possibilities in the appliance of the “Soleil Brule-” technique created, documented and taught by Tiga. KRISTO was born. Totally immersing himself in this new approach and allowing spontaneity to have free rein, the artist emerged. He reveals how it changed his life. “This completes the circle. I have found the missing link that I have been searching for so long. Painting takes me to another world, where freedom is not a vain word, but a liberating reality.”
Motivated by his new found outlook, Kristo began to bring attention to the reality engulfing Haiti and its inhabitants by writing a series of poems – a compilation of nine texts in French and Kreyol called “Haïti: Un Cri de Désespoir (Haiti: A Cry of Despair).” Kristo’s first CD was released in October, 2005. Following a series of exhibits from 2005 to 2009, Kristo co-authored, in February 2009, the Book “Here…There and Beyond,” a 320 pages collection of the work of 16 Haitian artists of Florida, their biography, statements and views on their work, as well as critics by independent art connoisseurs. In addition to co-authoring the book and editing most of the texts and the photographs it contains, Kristo planned and curated a series of exhibits related to the promotion of the book and the artists showcased in it. This series of events was advertised by the media in newspapers such as The Miami Herald, La Prensa Del Sur, The Miami Sunpost, The Haitian Art Society, USA Today.com, and the March 2009 issue of the prestigious Doral Lifestyle & Business magazine.
In May 2009, Kristo authored and published the book Beyond Words – Beyond Colors, a book that encompasses Kristo’s poetry, art photography, and paintings. Kristo is currently the Owner / Manager of Kristo Art, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Kristo is represented by Agora Gallery of New York from July 2009 to July 2010. and Artists Haven of Sunrise Florida. Samples of his work can also be viewed at gallery Festival Arts of Petion-ville Haiti.