Born and raised in Acadiana by musicians, creativity has always been a part of my world.
I have drawn and painted since I can remember.
My work has always been colorful and feminine, possibly due to being the oldest of five girls.
I have had minimal classical training and rarely have a plan in mind when creating.
Painting has become my medicine, meditation, a devotion to myself.
It's my ticket to the flow state where I get lost in the process and must constantly surrender to the outcome.
It's the most free I can be.
Questions & Answers
Describe your art in three words.
Colorful Flowing Spontaneous
Describe yourself in one word.
Multifaceted
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?
I love how South Louisiana natives feel home so strongly..
what home sounds, tastes, looks like.
I am always inspired by my Cajun heritage, especially their resilience and joie de vivre.
I feel proud to have been born and raised here and to create with so many artists.
Describe your creative process. Are there any rituals or rites of passage you exercise before you begin a new piece?
Having the right music to mirror whatever mood I'm in is a must.
I like to know that I have a long enough window of time to start and finish a piece, if possible.
Painting has become a practice of expressing the moment.. so I have to surrender to whatever that ends up looking like.
Where do you draw inspiration?
Music. Nature. Feeling. Colors. Shapes.
Who are your artistic influences or gurus?
I've always admired Alex Grey.. it blows my mind that he practically paints like a computer.
I was studying anatomy and energetics in college when I discovered his work, so the fact that he could express both of those
through art changed me.
In New Orleans, art and music go hand in hand. What type of music, band or song lyric best describes your work?
I think I was painting in the late 90's when I heard
" And God is whoever you're performing for."
by Built to Spill, and I just froze.
I was at the height of my spiritual search in my early twenties, and that solidified for me that I felt most alive and at home
when I was creating, so I guess that's what draws me in day after day..
that crystalline flow state we are all trying to bottle up :
the present moment!
Where can we find you when you are not creating art?
If I get my way, dancing in front of a live band..
lately I've been a home dweller / entrepreneur / art teacher / soccer mom.
What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year?
I've always been a night owl.
I love the feeling of a Saturday morning .. longest day with the most freedom and potential.
April/May : festival season/my birthday.
What is something people don’t know about you? A fun fact.
My first name is Mary. I'm so not a Mary.
