Destin Schiller: Local Metal Artist

Born on 30 August, 1955, Port-au-Prince

After completing his primary and secondary education at the Lucee Jacque Premier in Port-au-Prince, Schiller went on to teachers college. He worked as a mathematics teacher at a primary school in the Haitian capital, until loosing his job, due to cuts in the education budget in 1980.

In 1980, he moved to the Croix-des-Bouques, a small town north of Port-au-Prince, where he learned the art of "forgerons" (voodoo blacksmith art) from well known metal artists such as George Liautaud, Gabriel Bien Aime and others. Returning from Croix-des-Bougues in 1982, Schiller worked on his own in Port-au-Prince exhibiting his work in galleries and stores.

Schiller first came to the Turks and Caicos Islands in 1992, trying (like so many of his compatriots) to get away from the political and economic turmoil in his native Haiti. It was then that he made his first contacts to the Bamboo Gallery. He finally moved to the Turks and Caicos Islands permanently in early 1995.

Schiller makes his metal art from recycled oil drums, as well as pieces of car wrecks. He has a large international following and is considered one of the best forgeron artists today.

His art is exhibited in TCI exclusively by the Bamboo Gallery.