Baton Rouge and Hanukkah

I spent two wonderful Hannukah evenings in Baton Rouge with artist Jacqueline Dee Parker and her husband cellist/sculptor Dennis Parker.  Along with the two delicious meals cooked by both of them and the family, each evening included a tour of Dennis' studio/workshop where he makes sculptures from old cellos, violas, violins and found objects and Jacquie's art studio where she creates collages, paintings and poetry. Both artists used old and cast off items as the basis of their work and both create visually striking objects from them. It is interesting to see the contrast of their two studios, one cluttered and one very organized and orderly.  

Both Dennis and Jacquie are quite prolific and always working on multiple projects.  It is wonderful to see the artwork in their studios each time I visit.  

The artwork in Dennis' studio was quite different than what I had seen before. Large dramatic sculptures of birds in motion have joined the quirky music boxes and elegant tables and lamps.  Jacquie had new works in progress in her studio as well but they were not quite ready to be unveiled. Below are some recent works from a series with more detail and softer neutral colors.  Her new works are bold and vibrant with small elements and details running through the blocks of flat bright color. 

Rites of Passage

Open Gates Tender Hours

More examples of Jacquie's work can be found at http://www.jacquelinedeeparker.com/. 

Dennis made a stunning custom menorah for Matt and me.  We have two of Jacquie's collages hanging in our house.

Dennis Parker in his workshop.

Sculptures and materials on every surface.

One of Dennis' purses made out of violin parts and ephemera.

June, July, August, September, October, November, December

I realized today that I started this blog about 6 months ago.  After multiple trips to and through Louisiana, I am getting a clearer idea of what the final work for this project will be like.

I have been struggling with the parameters of different aspects of the project such as how many portraits do I need to create a feel of the state and properly represent the people here?  Should I count a couple or family as one portrait or multiples if I use 2 portraits per Parish as my structure for collecting images and recordings?  Do I title the portraits with first and last name and city or just first name and Parish, very specific vs slightly more anonymous? Should portraits of architecture, land and animals be included in the idea of portraits?  How do I create a realistic image and impression of this large area of land and variety of personalities from parish to parish? Answers to the questions that I have are slowly developing as I meet more people and travel around the different regions of Louisiana.

I had some wonderful days in N. Louisiana collecting recordings of people and ambient sounds from the lakes. I encountered the very friendly brahman cattle below and the wonderful creativity of the anonymous artist who created the Christmas car above. I started to collect photographs and recordings of residents in this area impromptu. Previously I had made appointments with people and had at least briefly met or corresponded with them.  

I am constantly amazed by the friendliness and generosity of the people of Louisiana.  Some people are too shy to let me take their photo or they will let me take their photo and not record them or vice versa.  I will accept what they are comfortable sharing and do my best to represent them with honesty and respect.

Going South Along the Levee and Papa Noel

From Baton Rouge south to Houma taking two different roads and at different times of the day.  

On the first trip, my friend Karen Marrero and I drove south on highway 44 to see the building of the bonfires along the levee for Papa Noel.   We started the day with breakfast at the Cajun Village - open faced beignet and cafe au lait. We drove along the Mississippi along highway 44.  We drove past Hymel's Restaurant. We have plans to go back to Hymel's next time. 

We visited a few churches along the way.  Unfortunately, it was raining so we were not able to talk to any of the builders of the bonfires but were able to take a few photos.  On the return trip we drove back towards Baton Rouge on 18 past some of the big plantation houses, stopping only at Laura Plantation because of the rain. 

On the levee, St. James Parish

St. Mary's Chapel on 44

Stained glass inside of St. Michael's at Vacherie

Chapel at St. Michael's

The Sunshine Bridge being painted and partially covered in December 2014

A little background from Wikipedia about the Sunshine Bridge: 

During the "Bridge to Nowhere" controversy over the Alaskan Gravina Island Bridge which emerged in the 2008 United States Presidential Election, the Sunshine Bridge again entered parlance as having been itself a Bridge to Nowhere, recalling the fact that it had been named by Governor Jimmie Davis.^[2] At time of construction it was the only bridge across the Mississippi between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but for some time after its construction while awaiting funds to connect it to LA 70 and other roads, the south end of the bridge emptied into a swamp. During that time the term Sunshine Bridge entered satirical usage. The bridge had been "built under the administration of" Governor Davis, who had twice picked and sung his way into the Governor's Mansion with hits like "You Are My Sunshine" and whose horse, which he rode into the Governor's office at his second inaugural, was named Sunshine.

There is now another bridge over the Mississippi between the Sunshine Bridge and New Orleans, the Gramercy or Veterans Memorial Bridge. 

Going Through Ruston, Vienna, Dubach, Lisbon, Weldon, Summerfield and Homer on a Winter Afternoon

Yesterday I spent the afternoon driving through parts of Lincoln and Claiborne Parishes.  Below are a few places that I was able to photograph before the light disappeared in the late afternoon.  I would like to go back to this area to photograph.  There was an interesting mixture of old churches, bars and liquor stores along these roads as well as beautiful homes and fields. In Summerfield, I spoke to two people who were painting and helping to renovate Palmer's store which was built in 1916.  It looks like an interesting project.  I hope to be able to find out more about the store and the family later.

In Weldon.

Moon's and the two churches above in the Summerfield area.

Maritzky's Clothing Store, now home to the Chamber of Commerce and the Ford Museum in Homer.

National Wildlife Refuges and Parks in Louisiana

The state of Louisiana has:

19 State Parks • 2 State Forests • 2 State Historic Sites
22 State Wildlife Management Areas • 3 State Wildlife Refuges • 1 National Forest
2 National Historic Parks • 2 National Wildlife Areas • 9 National Wildlife Refuges

For a complete list go to the state parks website. So far, I have driven through part of Kisatchie National Forest and the Black Bayou Lake Wildlife Refuge. There is so much to see here in Louisiana.  Broad, gorgeous expanses of land.  

Today I plan to go to the Upper Oauchita National Wildlife Refuge and the Lake D'Arbonne State Park. Both of these areas are home to migrating ducks and geese and a myriad of other animals as well as contributing to the reforestation projects in Louisiana.

Photo above of the Upper Oauchita National Wildlife Refuge by Steve Haase.

Winter is the Season for Camellias

Camellias are blooming everywhere in Louisiana.  The Camellia Preserve on Avery Island is a great place to see them, approximately 450 varieties of them. 

See this article from the 2011 New York Times by Kate Murphy.   Photography by Sara Essex Bradley for the New York Times.

Bonfires in South Louisiana

I am making plans to drive along the River Road in South Louisiana next week. Destination Lutcher and other places between Gonzales and Houma that build bonfires for Christmas eve to guide Papa Noël  to their communities. 

Would love to be there Christmas eve when the bonfires that look like boats, trees, trains and New Orleans Saints helmets will be set ablaze.  Maybe next year.

Bonfire photo by Hugh Lambert who has written a wonderful description of Cajun Christmas traditions. 

Hattiesburg and The Arts Council

I took a detour from my trips in Louisiana to Hattiesburg, MS where the first exhibit of the Louisiana Portrait Project will be in the spring of 2016.  The Hattiesburg Arts Council is housed in the Hattiesburg Cultural Center, an old library with beautiful gallery spaces on the second and third floors.  

Hattiesburg is a wonderful city and among other interesting things the home of the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival.  The city of Hattiesburg is a wonderful supporter of the arts.  HAC director Rebekah Stark Johnson and her staff Alehandro Wooten and Abigail Lenz Allen run multiple gallery spaces and teach classes. 

I had the pleasure of walking around downtown Hattiesburg and visiting different art spaces, restaurants and shops.  I recommend Southbound Bagel and Coffee for bagel sandwiches and giant cups of espresso.

Southbound Bagel and Coffee

Rebekah Stark Johnson in a classroom in a rehabbed building in downtown Hattiesburg.

The work of a beginning drawing student in Alehandro Wooten's class.

Back home to Monroe, LA to be greeted by Christmas lights all over town.  Tree and fountain at the Monroe Convention Center.

Lafayette and Garrie Landry

I had a wonderful visit with botanist Garrie Landry who is the curator of the UL Lafayette Herbarium. The Herbarium at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is one of multiple Herbariums in the state of Louisiana.  

Garrie showed me two interesting cases of plant specimens and told me stories about his participation in a couple of Wildlife and Fisheries and parish police cases.  Both times he was able to help the authorities with their cases by identifying and dating plant specimens.  

Garrie is one of the participants in the LPP.  I am working on a drawing of him holding one of his bird skins.  I love it that his office looks as messy as my studio.  Every possible surface covered with objects, books, notes and aquariums of plants.  

Cabinet with folders of plant specimens.

Plant specimen.

Background Reading

Among the books that I am reading to help me understand how Louisiana developed as a state is 

Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America  by John M. Barry.  I have met a couple of people whose families where influenced by this flood.  It displaced people in different ways, sometimes creating a situation for couples to meet and people to move across the state.

http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Tide-Mississippi-Changed-America-ebook/dp/B000S1LVUE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

Another book that I am reading is No Other World, a fictional book about the beginning of the Metoyer family and plantation near Natchitoches, LA.

http://www.amazon.com/No-Other-World-Norman-German/dp/1463569688/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1

Both books are about land, politics and culture and fascinating insights into the world of Louisiana.

LPP on Etsy

With much consideration I have decided to open a shop on Etsy to help fund my travel expenses for the Louisiana Portrait Project. The items in the shop will only be offered on Etsy and the proceeds will fund basic expenses for traveling across Louisiana for the next year to collect images and recordings for my project. 

I will continue to add to the image library with each trip and to send photo postcards from different post offices in Louisiana starting with Transylvania, Tallulah, Grand Coteau, Vivian, Plain Dealing, Shongaloo, Lisbon, Farmerville, Vienna, Lisbon and Grambling in December. 

Check it out!

LPP on Etsy

On the Road Again - Next Trip Through Northern Louisiana

Each of my next four trips to Louisiana will take me to a different region of the state. My next trip will take me across northern Louisiana from Ida and Rodessa in the northeast corner to the Delhi and Tallulah in the northwest.  I am looking forward to meeting new and wonderful people in this area and hoping for great weather!  

I will be sending photo postcards from 10 different post offices on these next four trips.  Look for information in my next post about the postcards and other artwork in my Etsy shop which will help fund my basic traveling expenses for these trips.