The Big Reveal: the secret is out!

I have been a vendor for the Highland Jazz & Blues festival for about 7 years. Over the last few years I have volunteered my time to assist with the Highland Jazz & Blues Festival in Shreveport. It is my passion. It is the only event that I could have barely made booth rental fee and still not be upset. It is the closest festival in the Shreveport/Bossier area that has that New Orleans flare or vibe. It is always the highlight of my year. With that being said, my greatest joy has been the privilege to design the art work for the 2016 poster. I couldn’t share the image I created until the festival reveals the musical line up for this year. The unveiling of the poster and line up release was last night at Twisted Root. I am so thankful for all the people in Shreveport/Bossier that have supported me through years. Many of them came out last night to share in my joy of the poster being shown for the first time. The response was overwhelming. I got wonderful feedback on the image. The Shreveport community is totally excited about our lineup this year. Soul Rebels Brass Band is our headlines. We have 6 other acts will all help to make this year epic. I’m so very grateful and humbled to have been given this opportunity to share with Shreveport/Bossier through my art the way I see the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival. Save the date, September 17, 2016!!! Year 13 will be big!!!!

Staycation in Shreveport, Louisiana

Everyone needs time to recharge his or her batteries. We all get tired and run down. Sometimes, we just don’t have the opportunity or time to travel to a location to do so. Don’t count out the power of a “staycation!” This past weekend, my husband and I did just that. Some may say what on earth would you find to do a whole weekend in Shreveport. Let me tell you what we did. We checked into the El Dorado Casino Hotel. We kicked off our Friday staycation with a trip to the Highland Farmers Market. This market is usually located in the parking lot of St. Vincent Mall. This past Friday it was indoors. Had to buy something from my home girl, Panderina Soumas. Like she says, “it’s all in the history. “ After we shopped the market, we dined at Grimaldi’s pizza. That is some good pizza if you have never been. After, relaxing a bit in the room, we visited the local bar downtown, Josh Lounge. We got the pleasure of listing to Alter Ego. That is always a treat! Saturday morning began with a walk over to Bon Temps coffee shop. Give me a Salted Carmel Latte, please! We then walked over to the opening day of the Shreveport Downtown Farmer’s Market. Lots of goodies to try and buy there! Marci Hicks of Jobean Cards had her adult coloring books there. Off to the Grand Opening of Suite nine1six. This cute boutique, owned by Desiree Mingo is in the Highland Neighborhood on Line Ave. Score for Highland! After leaving the Grand Opening, it was time for a bit to eat. With the heat, we didn’t want anything to heavy. We visited the Gucci Brookshire and had the seafood department steam us some shrimp (spicy). This NOLA girl has found a way to substitute her craving for boiled shrimp at a reasonable price. Steamed shrimp done spicy tastes just like boiled shrimp! I’m so hooked. Nap time rolled around quick with all our Saturday activity! After our nap, we prepared for a party at the Penthouse at the downtown club the Style Bar. It was my first time there. The food was off the chain. They know how to fry shrimp! Of course we couldn’t end our night without popping in to check out Chase Boytim’s new club Aura Ultra Lounge! Very nicely done, Chase!Style Bar and Aura are right next to each other on Texas Ave in Shreveport! Sunday morning, lamenting our check out, we headed to breakfast at the Sportsman Paradise restaurant in the El Dorado casino. The omelets are great!! They also sell pralines that are comparable to the New Orleans style ones. That was Saturday’s late night snack!! We visited the Southern Gypsy Cottage store in Bossier City. Very cute, Tracy Prator! Then we zoomed over for my girl, Jada Durden’s premier of her newest soy candle scent designed by Zombee Candles. Jada keeps us connected to the “must attends” around our Port City! The premier was held at The Roux. It is located guess where, the Highland neighborhood on Olive Street! Kate Hesson created this spot for artist to sell and display their work. Kate is our wonderful candle maker that owns Zombee Candles. We had one more stop on our “staycation” before we returned to our home; Cross Lake. Sitting on the lake feeling the cool breeze, watching the water, transported me to a point in time when I would have been sitting on Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans. That was one of our favorite past times in the Crescent City. We returned home feeling very relaxed. I felt rejuvenated. I had not visited my studio nor touched any paint in almost 3 months in a need to decompress from my last project. The “staycation” was so good to me, later that evening I picked up a brush and started on my first piece in 3 months! So, you don’t always have to drive or fly somewhere. Folks that say there isn’t anything to do in Shreveport, do not like food, music, nature or art. If you fall into that category, well, yes, there isn’t anything for you to do in Shreveport!!

Living The Dream

Whew! I have had a busy busy last two years!! I feel very blessed and fortunate to have had many opportunities to share my gift with the world through exhibits, my home gallery and an art residency. In March of 2015, the Benoit Gallery in Lafayette, Louisiana allowed me to exhibit “My Life on Canvas” in their wonderful gallery. Thank you Bryant & Joie Benoit! In May of 2015, I was honored to be a part of an exhibit I was juried into: The Baby Doll Exhibit. It was displayed at the McKenna Museum of African-American Museum in New Orleans. Love you my SMA sister, Kim Vaz-Deville! Thanks to the encouragement of my friend, Lynn Liard, we did a joint show at the Norsworthy Gallery in August of 2015. It was entitled, Vaudoux and Southern Folk Lore: Tempting Love & Fate. Somewhere in there I was selected a “collectable artist” by several critics from around the US. I was paired with a family that loves my work and will collect my work over the next 3 years. What a wonderful honor! Boom! Then Nick Cave walked into my life in August 2015! I was selected by the International Artist Nick Cave to be an Artist in Residence for his next project in Shreveport. This would command almost a year of my life. The project was intense; it made me examine my purpose, my craft, myself. It was truly a fantastic experience. As that project was nearing its completion, I still had to splatter paint. Two years pre-Nick Cave I was slated for my exhibition at Bossier Arts Council in April of 2016. I also painted a violin for the Shreveport Symphony Annual fund raiser. Yay, me! That got my work in front of a different audience. I totally enjoyed that experience. Thanks, Leigh Chambers!! Dah DA! Now it’s time for my joint exhibition with Ginger Elliott Briggs. It is called Joie de Vivre: A Louisiana Journey. Of course you know the underlining title is “My Life On Canvas” as all my work relates to my life experiences in some way or another. If you attended any of my public exhibitions or plan to attend this one, I thank you! If you have collected my work, I double thank you!! If you have not attended any of my past exhibitions, I encourage you to come out and visit with me tomorrow. As well as take home that one piece that talks to you!! This will be my last public exhibition for a while. I could do none of it without Darrel La Beau’s assistance and support. The support that I get my parents & kids has been immeasurable. I also have great friends that constantly encourage me to follow my dreams. It takes a lot to prepare and put together art exhibits. I love every minute of it, but feel I need to change it up a bit. Perhaps, in a year or two, I will have a large exhibition again. You may still see me a part of small show in town to which I submit a piece or two. And of course Highland Open Studio Tours happen every 2nd Sunday of the month. While I don’t participate every month, you can always check the scheduled to what fabulous Highland artist is on the scheduled! You can also follow the progress on various paintings by “liking” my page: Painter/Artist Karen T. La Beau! So, it’s a date? See you tomorrow at the Bossier East Bank Gallery reception! It is 630 Barksdale Boulevard, Bossier City, LA 71111. Don’t forget we will have that southern food prepared by Chef Panderina Soumas and Mary Ann Jones-House. Reception is from 2 to 4!Can’t wait to visit with you and get your thoughts on the pieces!!! P.S. My walls at home are full. Take a piece or two home with ya! OXOX! Louisiana Artist, Karen T. La Beau

I'm been a busy bee!

Wow, it’s been 3 years since I have blogged on this site. I tried WordPress. Put, I don’t love it as much as this site. So, I decided now is a good time to get back into the swing of things. I have lots of updates to give you on my growth and development as a professional artist over the last three years. Since my blog was set up to be a history tracker of my progress, I have added my current CV. Exhibitions • Norsworthy Gallery Exhibit 2015 • McKenna Museum of African-American Art (NOLA)-Baby Doll Exhibit March 2015 • Benoit Gallery (Lafayette, LA)-My Life on Canvas March 2015 • Barnwell Center-Mardi Gras Exhibit 2010 • Lilah’s-Mixed Media Exhibit 2010 • Lilah’s-Mardi Gras Exhibit 2010 • Lilah’s-Solo Exhibit 2011 • Bossier Art Counsel-Nude Art Exhibit 2011 • Minicine-Xmas Underground 2012 • HOSTS (Highland Open Studio Tours Sundays) 2st Sunday of every month Charity Exhibitions • Renzi Art Center for Children Exhibit 2012, 2014 • Holy Angels for Children Exhibit 2012, 2013, 2014 • Artini 2012, 2013 • Run for the Nun 2013 • Jack & Jill (New Orleans) 2014, 2016 Festivals • Highland Blues & Jazz-Shreveport, LA 2008-2015 • Peach Festival –Ruston, LA. 2009 • Gumbo Gala-Shreveport, LA. 2011 • Makers Fair-Shreveport, LA. 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 • Cougar Jam-New Orleans, LA. 2012 • Minden Fasching- Minden, LA 2012 Museums/Gallery • The Little Shanty, Shreveport, LA 2010-2011 • McKenna Museum March, New Orleans, LA 2015 to May 2015 • Ginkgo Leaf Gallery; Marshall, TX Honors • Honored for being a woman artist in North Louisiana-Multicultural Center Shreveport, LA. 2012 • Selected as “Collectable” artist by nationally known critics • Selected as “Roster” artist with the Shreveport Regional Arts Council • Voted One of the top three favorite local visual artist for NWLA Articles • Shreveport Times 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 • “Louisiana” Magazine 2015 • Forum 2015