Yves-Marie Desir: A Haitian Soul, An Artistic Revolution

Florcy Morisset
Feb 17
3 min read

Updated: Mar 9

At Vivant Art Gallery, we celebrate the stories behind the canvas, the heartbeat of every painting, and the legacy that art carries across generations. Today, we are honored to highlight the journey of Yves-Marie Desir, a Haitian-American artist, collector, dancer, and revolutionary whose work is more than just art—it is a movement, a history, and a future.

Art as Therapy, Art as Resistance

For Yves-Marie, art has always been more than aesthetics—it is a language of survival, a means of self-expression, and a tool for empowerment. Raised in a Haitian household in America and having lived in Haiti, St. Croix, Florida, Philadelphia, and beyond, she carries with her the essence of the diaspora—a fusion of cultures, resilience, and an undeniable creative spirit.

“I am the eccentric one in my family," she says. "I am an original."

Her work is deeply tactile—beaded jewelry, textiles, sequined Vodou flags, and layered paintings that speak to her love for color, texture, and storytelling. Each piece she creates or collects is an extension of her soul, a vibrant thread woven into the larger fabric of Haitian artistic heritage.

If She Were a Painting…

If Yves-Marie could embody a painting, she would be a sequined Haitian Vodou flag—bold, layered, rich in red, yellow, green, and orange. She gravitates towards paysage (landscape) scenes, butterflies, flowers, and paintings that tell a story. She is drawn to movement, to rhythm, to pieces that echo the soul of her culture.

Her deep connection to Haitian art is inseparable from its history—a history of resilience, rebellion, and reverence. Whether through painting, dance, or sculpture, she sees art as the visual poetry of the people, a tangible representation of Haiti’s heartbeat, struggle, and triumph.

The Drum That Started It All

Every artist has an origin story. For Yves-Marie, her first art piece wasn’t a painting—it was a drum.

Gifted to her by her father at 17, this hand-carved Haitian drum with goat-skin stretched over its frame was her first love. It became a symbol of her roots, her rhythm, and her resistance. From that moment, her artistic journey expanded into jewelry-making, beading, vision-boarding, and curating Haitian art.

A Collector with a Cause: Crayons for Haiti

Yves-Marie’s passion for art is not just personal—it is a mission. As the founder of Crayons for Haiti, Inc., she uses art as a tool to educate, empower, and liberate Black youth. Through storytelling, cultural programming, and entrepreneurship, she is helping shape the next generation of artists and leaders.

Her Economic Dignity Project supports Haitian artists by providing economic opportunities for their work, ensuring that their craft sustains them in the face of Haiti’s political and economic struggles. Every painting, every sequined flag, every sculpture sold is not just a transaction—it is a lifeline, a pathway to hope and stability for an artist in Haiti.

A Partnership Rooted in Purpose

Vivant Art Gallery is honored to partner with Yves-Marie in exhibiting and selling 10 unique, one-of-a-kind Haitian art pieces that tell the rich, unfiltered story of Haitian culture, heritage, and artistry. Each piece is carefully curated by Yves-Marie herself, carrying the soul of the island and the hands that created them.