Johanne Benoît is a Haitian-American artist whose work highlights the values of family kinship, strength in unity, and respect for the wisdom of elders she holds dear. Benoît’s bold use of line, color and pattern depict scenes ripe with emotional intensity and explore dynamic family interactions and themes of sisterhood through a cultural lens which celebrates honest and open expression.
Born in New York City in 1972, Benoît showed early artistic talent even as she harbored plans of a career in medicine. With ample support and inspiration from her family, she followed her passion, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Florida International University. She was awarded a Sage Graduate Fellowship from Cornell University where she subsequently graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree. Her work has been displayed at the United Nations where she was invited to represent Haïti and the United States as part of the Progress of the World’s Women’s exhibition in conjunction with the International Museum of Women. Benoît has held various exhibitions at venues across the U.S. including New York, Pennsylvania, California, Florida and Wisconsin where she currently lives with her husband David Montney.