Rocky Cotard, born in Mirebalais, Haiti, and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, is an illustrator and fine artist who finds color in everything. His work unveils the seams that bind us, sharing both the difficult and beautiful aspects of his cultural history, paving the way for others to confront their own. He returns to Haiti, his source of inspiration, as often as possible to reconnect with his roots. His body of work depicts the perspective of the Haitian Diaspora, challenging the narrow representation often portrayed in the media.
Cotard earned his BFA in Illustration with a minor in Fine Arts from Lesley University and has worked as a freelance artist, collaborating on books such as The Revolution That Gave Birth to Haiti. In 2022, he won the Mural Masters competition in Cambridge and was invited to showcase a solo exhibition at the Ishibashi Gallery at the Middlesex School. In 2023, Cotard led a community engagement event at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, followed by a panel discussion on his creative background. One of his pieces from the Don’t Call Me Sugar installation is currently displayed in the president’s office at Simmons University. His notable collaborators include Partners In Health, Simmons University, and the Rhode Island School of Design. Cotard continues to work in his Rhode Island home studio, creating art that speaks to his experiences and heritage.
