GERARD CALISTE
Houston, TX
2024-2025 Grant Audio Recording of Select Poems & Creative Writing
Grant 2015, 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2023-2024
Scholarship 2021-2022
Gerard Caliste is a mixed media artist and poet who has been a practicing creative for over 25 years. With this grant, he will record a collection of his poetry to accompany his visual artwork, creating an immersive experience. He explains, “These recorded poems will serve as a companion to my paintings, adding an additional layer of depth, emotion, and storytelling to each piece. Through this project, I aim to bridge the gap between visual art and poetry, creating a multi-sensory experience for viewers and listeners alike.” He views each painting as a story waiting to be told and a poem waiting to be read.
This grant will support professional and high quality audio recording sessions, editing, mixing, and mastering the audio, and production of physical album copies. The development of his work from purely visual to a multi-sensory experience is a natural evolution in Caliste’s eyes. “As I delve deeper into this fusion of visual art and poetry, each stroke of paint and every word penned becomes a harmonious dialogue, inviting viewers into a world where emotions and imagery intertwine,” he says. “Each piece becomes a portal, inviting the audience to step into a realm where art is not just seen but felt, heard, and experienced.” He sees this project not only enriching his own art practice, but also having a positive impact on the community.
Gerard Caliste is dedicated to teaching art to middle school students in Houston. He first joined the YAYA Guild in 1994.