As an artist, Emmanuel Dostaly is inspired and energized by the people and sights of his native land of Haiti, and his paintings depict the country’s life and customs. Born in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, he started painting in watercolor on his own. He later attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Port-au-Prince from 1969 to 1973, where he studied with such masters as Amerigo Monagutelli, Raoul Dupoux, and Alain Achille Scordillis. He is still, however, considered a self-trained artist. In 1971, he participated in his first group exhibition, held in Port-au-Prince. The following year, he became active in an artists’ cooperative located in Laboule, near the Port-au-Prince suburb of Petion-Ville. There, he had the opportunity to exhibit his work on a regular basis and to exchange ideas with many other artists.

1 of 3