Looking High and Low For My Creative Juices

I have been beating my self up because I have not locked myself away in my workroom. I have plenty of paintings to get out of my head on to the canvas. I also have plenty of corks for new jewelry designs. However, nothing has made it out of my head into reality in a long time. The funny thing about being an artist is you can’t work on command. Either you feel it or you don’t. This makes is very difficult as deadlines are nipping at one’s heals. However, the other day, a friend of mine (Nicola Medley Ballard) and I sat on my new deck, I realized the problem. My husband and I have been changing our boring backyard to our own personal oasis. I have been funneling my creative juices into this project. The good thing is most of it is done. Of course, pictures will be coming soon! I predicted I will be shutting myself away working like a mad women in the studio very soon!! Especially, since the Shreveport Farmer’s Market begins this Saturday!!! Speaking of the Farmer’s Market, if you visit me with five colored synthetic corks, you get $5.00 off a $20.00 purchase! Side note, I will have plenty of Farmer’s Market prints and Herby-k prints!! See you this Saturday, June 2!! In case you don’t know the hours are 7 to 12.

A mother's love

As I awoke this morning, my thoughts reflected on my mom. I started thinking about one of the birthday cakes she made for me and my sister. Everything my mom did for her kids was done with her whole heart and soul. God could not have blessed me with a better mother.

Our ballerina cake was a four tier cake. Mom spent three days on this cake. The finished product was outstanding. Thoughts of my twelve year old birthday inspired my mother and daughter painting. I have myself in the painting sneaking my finger in the cake, while mom put the finishing touches on the cake. I must say, the finger in the cake didn’t happen. My mom didn’t play that! But, I wanted to do my mother and daughter painting to add to “my life on canvas” collection.

Gone To A Good Home

The original “Quintessential Creole Lady” original has found the best home it could get! She is now residing with the wonderful lady that inspired the painting! Thanks, Dianne!!

Purple Skies

I have titled this piece Purple Skies. It is a tribute to the High School that my husband attended. The school was founded in 1951.

St. Augustine is known for its fabulous marching band. The band is called the, “Marching 100.” My husband was a part of the “Marching 100” when he attended the school. His father as well as many of his cousins attended the school as well.

-Just another page of history

A Day On The Lake

This painting is a page from My Delgado days. On any given day, my friends and I would gather on the lake front to eat crawfish.

In this painting at the table is my friend Sabrina, Rhonda, Rene, Darrel, myself and Darrel’s then eight year old sister. I have also painted the cars that Darrel and I drove back then. I have very great memories of my lakefront day trips!

Soul Train!!!!

A good friend, Pedra Randolph, of mine is always shooting me ideas that I should put on canvas. When Don Cornelius passed away recently, she said I should do a Soul Train painting. When I was growing up, me and everyone I knew would hurry up their chores on a Saturday morning. If you planned to watch Soul Train at 11am, the chores had to be about finished before the television was turned on.

My friend’s idea was to show a girl, ironing while watching TV. My mind began putting the piece together. If you don’t my now, the majority of my paintings are things really personal in my life.

So, here it is. I recalled how my bedroom looked when I was 16. I have my Encyclopedia on the shelf, my wall color and my TV. The statue on the chest is a ceramic cheerleader that my dad and I made. I was probably 5 years old. Next to it is a perfume decanter that was owned my my grandmother. Behind the cheerleader is a Purple Rain poster. I also featured my record player and a Michael Jackson poster. The performer on the Soul Train scene on the TV. is Sheila E at the drum. The cherry on the top for this painting is the girl wearing Chic jeans. All girls had to have a pair of Chic jeans back then. Perhaps, this isn’t just a tribute to Soul Train, but a tribute the 1980’s!

Thanks for the idea, P!

Another piece of my history: Trio

My mother and father both have played an important part in my creativity expression. Completion of my latest piece simply title, “Trio,” reminds me of dad. My father is an excellent photographer. He taught me how to shoot pictures as well as the lost art of processing and developing the film.
During my High School years, my dad was actively working as a photographer. He took wedding pictures, team sports and some of the marching unit for St. Mary’s Academy (my High School). Dad was great at posing his subjects. He had a real eye for this.

As dad was clearing out old photos recently, he came across some he took of two of my best friends and my sister. Since my return to painting, things strike me different. When I looked at the pictures dad sent, I saw all three pictures coming together as one in a painting.

I finally got it on canvas. Featured in the painting are Rachel Oliver (color guard), Rene (Washington) Waddell (drum major) and Linda Williams (drill team). They are standing in front of what was the “Senior” building at St. Mary’s Academy. This is another bitter sweet part of my history. The building stands no longer (thanks to Hurricane Katrina). The school has since been rebuilt. But the Senior building that I knew is no more. Hope my friends like the painting!!