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