Biography
Julner Rémy was born January 19, 1982 in the city of Cap Haitian in the
north of Haiti. He was the 4th of 6 children born to vegetable farmers.
After the death of both of his parents by the age of 7, his Uncle took
him and one of his brothers to live at an orphanage. Eventually he came to
live and work at Wings of Hope in Fermathe, Haiti.
It was while he was there in 1998 that a volunteer, Jennifer Leaman, saw
his drawings and with those, his talent. She offered to support him in taking
private art classes to develop his skills.
His first teacher was Valcin II. With him he studied mostly abstract art
at his gallerie in Petion Ville. After that he studied with Cetoute Lesly,
Monette and than famed Haitian artist Ralph Allen. Through the teachings
of Ralph Allen, Julner was able to see reality in the paint and become the
artist he is today. With these teachers he developed skills in landscape,
still life, and portrait paintings. Julner has also started studying icon
painting under the guidance and instruction of Leanne Spacek. In 2004 he
was given the opportunity to become the art teacher at another home in the
St. Joseph's family, Trinity House, located in Jacmel, Haiti.
Julner Remy has been teaching art to the children of Trinity House and the
Jacmel community for 4 years. His classes range in skill level from beginner
drawing to more advanced acrylic painting.
When you see one of Julner's paintings, you are touched by the realism of
the work. He puts much time and care into each of his paintings and each
is like an open window in which one can look at Haitian life. From his market
scenes, carnival scenes, landscapes and abstract paintings, one is drawn
into the reality of life in Haiti.
Julner also paints icons, and watercolor, but acrylic is his preferred medium.
According to Julner, in all realist art work there are two questions, what,
and how. The what is what draws us to the painting and the subject, the
how is the way the artist paints, his style and his technique. These two
are intertwined, the how determines how we react to the what of each work.
Julner's style comes from the indigenous movement in Haitian art. He makes
conscious choices in the colors he uses. Julner is careful to heed what
Guimard called "The safe things", those who give an apparent life to what
will be nothing other than plastic masses, literal translations and interpretations
of images onto the canvas.
He moves away from making copies of images to making each of his canvases
a reconstruction and personal interpretation of his world. This makes the
words of Guimard become an example for all realist painters.
Julner Remy dreams of his work being seen by a larger audience, and he would
like to one day have his own art gallery. He would also like to further
his arts education and develop his skills under the direction of other artists
in Haiti and abroad. Julner sees art as being an important part of his life
and would like to be able to support himself though his paintings.
