Rising Stars: Meet Vanessa ST VAL

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa ST VAL.

Hi Vanessa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I would become an artist, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. I had no artistic background, no formal training, and no painters in my family. In fact, when I began painting, even my parents asked me, “Where did this come from?” To this day, I still find that question fascinating.
I started painting in June 2023. At first, it was simply a personal outlet, a quiet space where I could process emotions, reflect on my experiences, and reconnect with myself. I wasn’t trying to become an artist or build a career. I was simply following something that felt natural, without realizing where it would lead me.
What surprised me most was that I couldn’t stop painting. One canvas became another, then another. I painted every day, experimenting with colors, textures, and techniques while gradually discovering my own visual language. Because I am entirely self-taught, every mistake became a lesson, and every completed painting gave me the confidence to explore further.
As my work evolved, so did my artistic vision. I began creating different series exploring memory, identity, orgasm, women’s empowerment, resilience, spirituality, cultural heritage, and the broader human experience. Over time, I developed my own visual vocabulary by combining acrylic painting with sculptural relief, parchment paper, coffee, poetry, recurring spiral forms, and symbolic elements that invite viewers to look beyond the surface.
Today, I have created more than one hundred paintings across multiple series, each representing a different chapter of my artistic journey. I still consider myself a student of art because every painting teaches me something new. Looking back, I realize that I didn’t find painting, it found me. I am simply grateful that I had the courage to follow where it led.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but I believe every challenge has shaped my journey as an artist.
One of the biggest challenges was starting from scratch. I had no formal artistic training, and no roadmap to follow. I had to trust my instincts, embrace uncertainty, and accept that making mistakes was an essential part of learning. Every painting became both a lesson and an opportunity to grow.
Another challenge was learning to believe in my own artistic voice. When you begin something later in life, it’s easy to question whether you truly belong. I had doubts. I did not trust in my ability. Over time, I realized that my unconventional path was not a weakness, it became one of my greatest strengths. It allowed me to approach art with curiosity, freedom, and without preconceived rules.
Like many artists, I have also had to learn that creating the work is only one part of the journey. Sharing it with the world, developing exhibitions, connecting with audiences, and building opportunities require a different set of skills. Those experiences have pushed me to grow not only as an artist but also as a communicator and cultural advocate.
Looking back, I wouldn’t erase any of those challenges. They taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of staying true to my vision. Every obstacle has become part of the story behind the work I create today.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Haitian contemporary artist whose work explores memory, identity, resilience, cultural heritage, and the invisible dimensions of the human experience. My work is deeply rooted in Haiti, yet it explores universal questions about humanity, transformation, and belonging. Rather than documenting events, I seek to reveal the emotions, memories, and invisible forces that shape our lives. I do not paint to provide answers; I create spaces where multiple interpretations can coexist.
I work across several series, each examining a different aspect of the human experience. Some explore social and political realities, while others focus on spirituality, women’s empowerment, cultural heritage, intimacy, or personal transformation. Together, they reflect my belief that art can preserve memory, broaden perspectives, challenge stereotypes, and inspire hope. Through symbolism, color, expressive forms, and poetry, I invite viewers to pause, reflect, and connect with experiences that are deeply rooted in Haiti while resonating with universal human emotions. At first glance, a viewer may simply see a scene. Looking more closely, they discover objects, gestures, colors, textures, and symbols that reveal hidden layers of meaning.
My artistic practice has gradually evolved beyond traditional painting. I combine acrylic with sculptural relief, parchment paper, coffee, textured modeling materials, and poetry. These elements are never decorative; they are integral to the visual language of each piece, inviting viewers to experience every work both visually and emotionally. Each painting is accompanied by a short poetic reflection. Rather than explaining the artwork or directing its interpretation, these texts share the emotions and atmosphere that inspired its creation, inviting viewers to slow down, feel, and discover their own meaning.
Recurring spiral forms appear throughout my work, creating a visual and conceptual thread that connects my different series into a larger whole. To me, the spiral symbolizes movement, transformation, continuity, and the invisible cycles that shape human life. My signature is also an integral part of each artwork. Rather than being added after the creative process, it is often woven into the composition itself, becoming another visual element that contributes to the overall narrative.
One of my current projects, Lumières du Mystère, reflects this artistic vision. The series seeks to rehabilitate spiritual figures that have long been distorted, stigmatized, or misunderstood. By revisiting these representations, I hope to contribute to a richer and more balanced collective imagination that recognizes their historical, cultural, and symbolic significance. My intention is not to promote religious beliefs, but to reveal the stories, memories, professions, gestures, and lives that, through Haiti’s collective memory, became associated with the Loas. Through this work, I seek to move beyond stereotypes, restore historical and human depth, and encourage a more nuanced understanding of Haiti’s cultural heritage. Although my work is deeply rooted in Haiti, the questions I explore belong to all of us. I hope viewers recognize something of themselves in every painting, regardless of their culture or background.
What sets my work apart is that I did not come to art through traditional academic training. My artistic language developed intuitively, shaped by observation, curiosity, lived experience, and a deep desire to understand the world around me. Rather than offering conclusions, I hope my paintings invite reflection and allow viewers to bring their own experiences, emotions, and interpretations.
What I am most proud of is having built a body of work that feels authentic to who I am. In just a few years, I have created more than one hundred paintings across multiple series, each representing a stage in my artistic journey. More than anything, I hope my work encourages people to look beyond appearances, question familiar narratives, and recognize the connections that unite us across cultures and generations.

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Curiosity has been the most important quality in my journey. It has allowed me to begin without knowing where the path would lead and to keep learning every day. As a self-taught artist, I never saw not having formal training as a limitation. Instead, it gave me the freedom to experiment, question, make mistakes, and gradually develop my own artistic language.
I also believe perseverance has been essential. Every painting presents new challenges, and every series pushes me to explore unfamiliar ideas, techniques, and materials. Rather than seeking perfection, I focus on continuous growth. I think that mindset has helped me evolve more than any single skill or technique.
Above all, I try to remain open, to new perspectives, new cultures, and new ways of seeing the world. I believe that curiosity, combined with humility and a willingness to keep learning, is what allows creativity to continue evolving throughout a lifetime.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stval2023_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stval2023art
• Other: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanessa_ST_VAL