If you ever saw wire sculpture before and wondered where you can learn more about it, Waldemar Brodhurst is “dea man”. He is a local artist that produces some of the most beautiful wire art on the island, all with recycled materials. Waldemar learned his craft as a child from an artist in Puerto Rico. He started off creating miniature wire pieces, then took his game to the next level by creating larger life-like pieces.
From Puerto Rico, Waldemar traveled back and forth to St. Croix and in 2012, he decided to move back home. At the time, the cost of living was very expensive. He could barely afford to live on the island. He took small jobs to make ends meet, but then noticed local shops selling art produced by local artists. He decided to start creating his sculptures and placed them in shops around the island. In fact, his first batch sold out very quickly! This is how his journey as a professional artist began. His sculptures are based on the history, culture, and personal experiences of St. Croix.
When asked which is his favorite piece, his response was “The black woman.” because it shows a black woman’s strength and endurance to deal with life.
Waldemar’s mission is to teach young people how to create art out of recycled materials. If anyone is interested in sponsoring one of his wire sculptures workshops classes for youth in public housing, please email him at waldy.brodhurst@gmail.com
He is an example of someone giving back to the community — especially to the youth of Frederiksted. The next time you are in Frederiksted, and you see one of his beautiful sculptures, know that it was created by this very special artist, Waldemar Brodhurst.