A group of interns from Urgent Inc.’s FACE program toured a gallery of paintings by South Florida-based artist JaFleu, along with their instructor Michelle Hollinger.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAMAL “VISUALIST” CLARK

By VIVIAN CHIRINO

Special to South Florida Times

“Each painting is a conversation piece, making him a great artist.”

JaFleu is a young, creative and passionate artist that loves to express himself with a multitude of colors using his mind to paint a blank canvas.

On Thursday, July 6, my Urgent, Inc. summer institute classmates and I saw his creations in Fort Lauderdale in a very private art gallery.

JaFleu is a native of Haiti and didn’t get into art until a few years ago when he quit his job to pursue his passion. The self-taught artist has many intricate and astounding pieces that will grab your attention, beginning with a draft, made mainly with pencil and watercolor; and moving on to re-creating the same piece on a blank canvas using acrylic paint.

Each painting is a conversation piece, making him a great artist.

“I want my pieces to be a topic of controversy whether they like it or they don’t, as long as once you look at one of my paintings it will spark a conversation of controversy,” JaFleu said.

JaFleu is one of many artists that paint on interesting topics of conversation, including what is happening worldwide. He represents young people and speaks for them, including me.

Seeing the art pieces in person was an amazing experience and being able to talk to the artist really made my perspective of the paintings even more real. Being able to ask the artist what his inspiration was and what the process is for creating each and every piece in the art gallery is something everyone should experience.

I had a chance to see a really great piece called “She bee dancing;” which JaFleu said he was inspired to paint because of a girl he’d see dancing daily at the park. It was very beautifully made.

He is deeply immersed in black and women’s empowerment, which were the inspiration for many of his pieces.

The experience of going to see JaFleu’s artwork is one that I will always remember.

Vivian Chirino is a junior at Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) School who is a journalism intern in Urgent Inc.’s FACE program. Very athletic, Chirino is a member of her school’s basketball and swim teams. She wants to pursue a career in sports journalism.