You know the Carla Bruni song, right? C’est le tréma qui m’ensorcelle dans le prénom de Raphaël…

Well, meet Raphael Sagage.

His art—a reflection of the beauty in the world, an intermingling of the natural colors and movements around us.  A graduate from Ecole Nationale des Arts or ENARTS (Port-au-Prince, Haiti), Raphael has received several awards, including the United Nations Best Artist Award, in New York.

First, read my interview with the artist here. Later, go ahead and visit his website or Facebook page.

MJ: How did you become an artist?

Raphael: I was born an artist. My mother, who saw potential in me early on, gave me my first paint brush at the age of 7. The rest, as they say, is history… Of course I learned the aesthetic of art by studying other great artists of our time.

MJ: What are some of your influences?

Raphael: Nature—its colors, its textures… There are so many combinations to explore.

MJ: What mediums do you work from?

Raphael: Oil/ acrylic/ clay/ paper… I can incorporate other objects to get the texture I am looking for.

MJ: What are you working on?

Raphael: Completing a Jazz series; a series on Eve and the female form; and at any giving time commissioned work.

MJ: What are your favorite pieces of work that you have done and why?

Raphael: Divajo, Genesis – because they are priceless.

MJ: What did you like and dislike about your art education?

Raphael: Wish it had been broader as a youngster; I enjoyed stuffing others techniques and manipulation of interpretation.

MJ: What would you say is the most important lesson you have learned in your life as an artist, and how do you apply it to your art?

Raphael: Trust God, let him guide you. He guides my movements on the canvas.