Craig Gerrard-François Centrié

Craig Gerrard-François Centrié was born in Haiti and raised in Western New York. He stated: “My training in art has generally been a result of a search for a deeper understanding of the heritage, contemporary symbols, and religious philosophies of the Caribbean. For me, the only thing important in art is concept, line, and color.”

Centrié attended Buffalo State College, where he received a B.A. in Anthropology, and from SUNY at Buffalo he earned a Master of Arts in American Studies and Puerto Rican Studies, and a doctorate from the Department of Social & Philosophical Foundations. He studied under internationally known artists such as Roland Dorcelly of Haiti, Abdias do Nascimento of Brazil, and Ana Maria Hidalgo of Chile.  His vibrant paintings capture Haiti and its people by depicting history, myth and the environment, events of daily life, and religious experiences. His work often reflects “themes from the mythology and religious tenets of Haiti and the Haitian primitive style. In keeping with Voudoun religious principles, the paintings place a premium on mystical concepts rather than on realism.”

Centrié, along with fellow immigrant artists based in Western New York, was featured in the 2017 Community: Immigrant and Refugee Artists in WNY exhibition at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. This timely exhibit presented works of Buffalo-area immigrants and refugees from places around the world from China to Cuba, Poland to Peru, and Bosnia-Herzegovina to Haiti.