Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Gather Ye Rosebuds



I've been on a bit of a photography spree of late.  As a birthday treat, I spent a day in the French Quarter photographing all the things.  I really wanted to capture a lot of the amazing residential portion of the French Quarter, but as temperatures inched up toward 90, I definitely started to lose my drive.

I agreed to meet a friend at the St Roch Market for lunch so it seemed like a perfect time for a break.  Walking toward Elysian Fields and beyond, I realized where I really should have been taking photos all day.  The houses are fantastic.  The colors are brilliant and the cottages are classic New Orleans.

I will definitely have to head back to New Orleans for another day of photography.  Hopefully, another day when I am less likely to melt.  

I spent a few hours in the Garden District a few week back.  The houses there are overwhelmingly elegant and grand.  I find I prefer the more modest shotgun cottage in all their gaudy Creole glory.

With my new embarrassingly large largess of photographs, I thought it would be fun to play with some more mixing.  

My initial thought was to take the idea of Gathering Ye Rosebuds to the nth degree and make my young girls actual rosebuds, but as the image evolved, I decided to leave my young misses with their lovely faces intact.

I tinkered with the color scheme from bright to dark.  I even tried a version without any young ladies but finally settled on my favorite.

                       GATHER ye rosebuds while ye may,

                     Old Time is still a-flying:

                   And this same flower that smiles to-day

                     To-morrow will be dying.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Wheel of Life & Mixed Media Play




Sometimes it just feels good to put aside my usual process and work at something completely different.  

I thoroughly enjoyed my recent days of leisurely photography and thought it would be fun to experiment with techniques and images again.

Life is an endless cycle of seasons and changes.  
The Maiden.  The Mother.  The Crone.

Life is a wheel.  We are born.  We die.  We are re-born. 
Again and again and again, at least, until the universe folds in on itself once more.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

The Journey most Traveled by

I was feeling very inspired by my upcoming #ChezFab group show, "Brothers We Love".  

I started with a piece about two brothers that are very dear to my heart:  my two sons, JJ and Xander. The two squabble and fight.  They are caught in this endless cycle of competition.  Occasionally, though, a stillness comes over them, a brief moment of their deeper love and affection for one another shines through.  

Catching that elusive moment is a victory to be greatly prized.

So, I took a LOT of photos in the past few weeks as I trotted around Louisiana's historical sites with my sister and mother.  I thought it would be fun to try something a little different with my art and went in an unusual direction, for me.


I started with that rare moment between brothers and layered five different photos on around and under.  

I followed up with another piece, using family photographs of both boys at different ages over the years.  In order to know where we are going, we need to remember who we are and where we have been.


Both of these pieces will be on view at the Chez Fab viewing on May 9th.  

Now, if only the rain would let up so that I can make my way to an art market at some point in this  very water logged month!

I am hoping the sun stays out this afternoon so that I can make the N the Art Space Spring Fest tonight from 5 pm to 9 pm.  If you're in the area, stop by!  I'll have snacks and drinks and an entire canopy full of surrealistic goodness!

Friday, April 17, 2015

Welcome back to the Freak Show


I had so much fun with Mermaid Girl, the Bearded Lady, Lobster Boy and my Inseparable twins so I decided to add a few more to the Side Show family.

Who would be a more perfect addition than someone very tall and someone very small?  It's a talent that young Alice comes by almost honestly!

My time for art work has been a little scarce the last couple of weeks.  I spent a delightful weekend in New Orleans with my mother, my brilliant younger sister and her husband.   We explored all the classic tourist attractions of New Orleans, from a tour of Lafayette Cemetery and the Garden District to a cruise on a steamship, and the delights of the French Quarter.

As much as I've come to love Baton Rouge, I will always miss New Orleans. 

My mother stayed on for another week and we explored the charms of the Baton Rouge area, from Houmas House to the Laura Plantation to the Rural Life Museum of LSU.  

Now that she is gone, the house seems almost quiet, despite my four children and too many cats.  

Due to the endless spring rain, I missed out on a few markets this month but I am really hoping it will be clear enough tomorrow night for the N the Art Spot Spring Fest.  I will have a canopy full of surrealistic fun if you can dodge the raindrops and come by!

And I've managed to find some time to work on some new art pieces.  Say hello to Alice and Alice.  After all, there is always time to stop by the Freak Show and visit with all my friends!