Jeanne Josée Ani Deckert was conceived in Santiago, Chile, born in France on June 9, 1928, and died on June 28, 2024, on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. She is survived by her godchild, Olivia Bouchon-Duquenois, and her spouse, Rosary E. Harper.
Her childhood was shaped in part by World War II when she and her mother left Paris during the occupation for the South of France to Juan-les-Pins.
Josée earned a degree from L’École Nationale Des Arts Décoratifs de Paris in sculpture and soon was hired at the Musée de L’Homme to make molds and replicas of priceless ancient artifacts.
Later, she taught French to young villagers in Burkina Faso for two years, and for six years taught photography and ceramics for the US Army in camps throughout France.
She continued teaching photography and ceramics in a private atelier in Paris until she moved to St. Thomas in 1970, where she taught French to Peace Corp volunteers and, in time, taught art at Sts. Peter and Paul and Antilles schools.
The theater faculty of UVI bestowed upon her the title “Artist in Residence” for all the invaluable contributions she made to the theatre program. Her skillful painting of scenery made the settings come alive. She designed approximately forty posters for performances staged during 1970-2005, some of which still hang in the entranceway to UVI’s Little Theatre.
Josée’s works can be found in private collections in the Caribbean and the US. She exhibited locally at the Reichhold Center for the Arts, Fort Christian, CARIFESTA, and the First Biennale of Central America.
Josée was very pleased to become a naturalized American citizen; she loved the open attitude of Americans. She was a material girl with an affinity for the physical world. She understood the winds over the Mediterranean and the salt ponds on the East End of St. Thomas. She had a special relationship with her large, flourishing avocado tree grown from a seed.
She was also an intellectual, read endlessly, and loved to argue avidly about politics, religion and current events. She had boundless curiosity, often exploring aspects of history, grammar and culture that piqued her interest.
Her artwork is distinctive and recognizable for its unique treatment of Caribbean light, air and water, her main sources of inspiration. A local farmer dubbed her “The Skyscraper” for her frequent and vivid depictions of the Caribbean skies.
Josée’s wishes during those war years were to one day live on an island, to eat chicken whenever she liked and to watch movies. She had the good fortune to fulfill those wishes for 58 years with her companion and great love, Rosary (Lapin).
