Joël Gauthier (Gautier) was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on June 23, 1955. He studied at Lycée Alexandre Pétion until 4th grade. He studied design under the supervision of Emmanuel Pierre-Charles and later with David Rouzier. Gauthier always had a preference for manual work. He started painting in 1972. He likes to paint various subjects such as jungle scenes populated by a wide variety of animals; paintings of women in the style of the late noted artist Jean-René Jérôme or gingerbreads. His work has been widely exhibited in the United States, France, Mexico, and the Caribbean. His art was also exhibited in the permanent collection of the Haitian Institute and the Organization of American States, both in Washington, D.C.His early pieces were signed “ J. Gautier”. Currently, he signs them “ Joel Gauthier”. Therefore, he is referred to in books as both Joel Gautier and Joel Gauthier.