I consider myself a contemporary artist. I am currently residing and creating in the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana. I was born in 1994 and raised in St. Charles Parish, where I was fortunate to be part of the Talented Art program from Elementary school until my graduation from Destrehan High School in 2012. Following my passion, I pursued a BFA degree at LSU in Baton Rouge, specializing in studio art with a focus on painting and drawing and graduating in 2017. My art teachers and Professors have all proved to be strong influences on me.
Supporting the arts, particularly public art and street art, holds a special place in my heart, and I have collaborated with numerous organizations, including New Orleans's Downtown Development District. In 2021, I joined forces with them to create two murals on Royal Street as part of their vacant storefront program. In 2023, I was a part of NOLA Artist Incubator's 2023 Art in the Park cohort and collaborated with the Paul Mailliard business and arts initiative in my home parish, as well as selling art in the first ever 'Artist Village' at Gretna Fest, aiming to infuse more artistic energy into all of the communities I feel connected to. In 2024, I painted a Piano for New Orlean's sector of the 'Sing for Hope' non-profit.
Live Painting events have also been a thrilling part of my artistic journey in and around New Orleans, with one notable highlight being the international 'Art Battle.' I proudly identify as an 'emerging artist,' from being a practiced painter and muralist to a self-published poet. I also run an online art shop and take on commissioned painting projects. My current focus is on crafting whimsical acrylic paintings in my cozy Bayou St. John home studio, and you can also find my work available here, through Where y'Art Works and at Revival Art House in Ponchatoula, among a few other pop-up markets and businesses.
My most recent and ever-evolving series is a celebration of the enchanting streetscapes, architecture, gardens, and countless distinctive elements that define New Orleans, Louisiana, and the South as a whole. This series delves into the heart of everything, from iconic shotgun houses and serene cemeteries to the ornate porches, majestic mausoleums, and sacred religious statues that grace our city. I also draw inspiration from other unique NOLA features, including Mardi Gras floats, the vibrant hues of houses, and the native flora that adds a touch of magic to our surroundings. In this series, I play with color, saturating it to new heights, especially embracing my favorite blues and greens. I also love to abstract and merge different New Orleans and Louisiana locations, all in a quest to capture the true essence and soul of the extraordinary place(s) we proudly call home.
Questions & Answers
Describe your art in three words.
vibrant, whimsical, moody
Describe yourself in one word.
passionate
What do you love the most about creating art in your community? What particular part of your immediate environment, in your neighborhood specifically influences your work?
Creating art in my New Orleans community along the bayou has shown me the profound significance of public art and street art which continue to significantly influence my work. Public and street art not only beautify our surroundings but also serve as a communal expression of our shared identity, fostering a sense of unity and pride among residents and visitors alike. Living in close proximity to lush plant life, growing up in and around the River Parishes, New Orleans, the tranquil City Park, Lake Pontchartrain, and countless other environments that are ever-changing, disappearing, and fleeting, has also influenced my art immensely. The moody and enchanting vibes of these natural environments, contrasting with our unique architecture have seeped their way into my work and inspirations, juxtaposing one another and adding to that mystical quality. The rustling of leaves in the breeze, the play of light and shadow on the bayou's surface, and the ever-changing palette of colors provided by the flora, paint choices of shotgun homes, and infusing bright colors into somber cemetery scenes, have become integral parts of my creative process. These elements not only evoke a strong sense of place but also convey a profound connection to the rhythms of nature, architecture and other elements, street art, and more, brought to the environment by human touch. As I paint, I aim to capture this and allow others to experience the same enchantment that has fueled my artistic passion throughout my life. In a city where every corner seems to whisper tales of history and tradition, these art forms become a bridge between the past and the present. They inject life into our streets, transforming them into vibrant canvases that tell the stories of our neighborhood, our people, and our enduring culture.
Describe your creative process. Are there any rituals or rites of passage you exercise before you begin a new piece?
I have a gestural, but representative style. My process always remains loose, messy, and freeing. I use brushes, palette knives, my bare hands/ fingers, whatever gets the paint on the surface with the most fun/ expression. I like incorporating sketching on top of painting, on top of sketching, creating lots of layering and washes, under and on top of my works. I also like to incorporate reclaimed or scrap wood into frames or painting surfaces, that may otherwise have not had as lovely a purpose.
Where do you draw inspiration?
I draw inspiration from mostly places or moments in time; I don't have to look very far, living and working in New Orleans/Louisiana. To me, this is such a magical, mystical, place.
Who are your artistic influences or gurus?
One artistic inspiration for me would be Claude Monet, a master of Impressionism. His sensitive capturing of the fleeting moments of nature and light is awe-inspiring, and his dedication to plein air painting and his pursuit of the ever-changing play of colors and atmospheres in his gardens and landscapes, showcasing the importance of patience and observation. I am also in love with his color palette.
Vincent van Gogh stands as one of my greatest inspirations and gurus of art as well. I think I relate to impressionism and post impressionism for many of these reasons. I am also fascinated by his tumultuous life and prolific body of work, his ability to infuse raw emotion and vivid, swirling colors into his paintings has forever altered the way I perceive and express my own creative vision. His dedication to his art is a timeless reminder that art is not merely a product but a profound journey of expression/self-expression.
Furthermore, the vibrant colors and scenes of everyday life painted by the Fauvists also appeal to me. I am inspired by individuality and those who convey the essence of their subjects in unique ways.
I am also presently inspired by Terrence Osbourne, in our New Orlean’s community of artists. This should go without saying. I greatly admire his color palette, general subject matter, and the business mindset I imagine he must possess.
Where can we find you when you are not creating art?
When I am not creating, you can find me reading under a tree in city park, hiking, and traveling to different cities/ countries, trying new things, camping, exploring, staying at my parent's property in Mississippi, seeing live music, hanging out with my friends, drinking and eating the whole city of New Orleans, cooking, mixing up cocktails, attending festivals, supporting other artists, or working on home projects with my partner, not to mention my full-time office job.
What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year?
My favorite time of the day would have to be either early sunrise when the world (or my world) is awakening, or dusk, when everything is cooling off, dying down for the next day; I live for the weekends, and my favorite time of year will always be fall/ autumn, and the cool breeze/ simultaneous warm feeling it brings.
What is something people don’t know about you? A fun fact.
Those who do know me might know this, but I have a twin sister who is also an artist/art teacher. This is a very interesting fact to some. Our bond is definitely a unique one, and she is the only person who has been with me all of my life. I feel that this influences both of our art and the themes of duality seen in each of our styles.
