Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings

Each winter, a girl visits Haiti, her mother’s homeland, and spends time with her Auntie Luce, a painter. She remembers being seven, when Auntie Luce painted her portrait and told stories about Haiti, their family, and people she had painted. The girl learns that her mother left Haiti because of hardship, while Auntie Luce remained because she also sees the country’s joy and beauty. Looking at her portrait, the girl finds a new sense of belonging and connection to history. The story links family stories, art, and a Haitian American child’s relationship to place.