Josie Azuma

Artist + Josie Azuma

I’m a classically trained painter and self-taught abstract artist living in New Orleans, Louisiana. I started painting abstract works in 2019 after it hit me one day—I’ve been painting the wrong things my entire life. I felt confined by the world of realism and frozen; more often than not, unable to finish a piece of art. When I started experimenting with abstraction, my art work came alive; I was able to express myself—my thoughts, ideas, and feelings— in each brush stroke, collage piece, line drawn. I went on a journey to discover my artistic identity through a year plus of experimentation. I came out the other side with a skill set and process that I am proud of. I love working in layers, each layer adding intrigue and meaning that are often subtly hidden in the final piece. I consider myself a mixed media artist, mostly working in acrylics and collage. 

I am inspired by music, the colors and culture of New Orleans, textiles, interiors, and nature. You’ll often find that my titles are either names of songs or lyrics to songs, which help bring my feelings alive while I’m painting. I leave my works open for interpretation; what was once my creation will be acquired and new meaning assigned by its new owner. However, sometimes the titles of my pieces will be little hints into the underlying meaning and mood if you can figure it out.

My journey here has not been straightforward. I've been a creator my whole life, and started out as a painting major at The University of Alabama in 2004. A tedious Chuck Close project scared me into changing my major to Political Science. I loved painting but had no discipline at the time, and hadn’t really found my own style. I graduated with multiple credits in Fine Art and a minor in Art History. In 2008, I moved to New Orleans and attended law school, while painting on the side. I practiced law for over four years before I quit and started a wedding planning and design business, with intentions of building my art career alongside.

In 2016 my husband and I were surprised with twins, and my art career was once again placed on hold, through what turned out to be a very difficult pregnancy and few years thereafter. In 2019, I started painting again consistently and therapeutically, with a mission to figure out what kind of art made me happy and inspired. I had never given up on the idea of being a professional artist, and over time, I came to realize I was putting it off because it was the hardest route to take—figuring out who I was as a painter and putting everything out there is one of the most challenging things I’ve done.

I’m a big believer in art education, studio art classes, and group critiques, and I have continued my art education at The New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, with classes in abstract art, color and design, and collage. 

NEW ORLEANS 

Meet the Artists

Local art is the lifeblood of our culture and communities. We source work from hundreds of painters, muralists, sculptors, metal workers, printmakers, illustrators, photographers, and textile artists, every one of whom is part of your local community.

'You Know What the Ocean Is?' Fine Art Print
Heather Bird Harris Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Heather Bird Harris
Encounter
Malak Morgan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Malak Morgan
"April"
Brett Henderson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Brett Henderson
La ville se reveille (The city awakens)
Darlene Langendonk Art Impressions
Painting
NORTH SHORE
Darlene Langendonk
Blue Roots 1
Emma Fick Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emma Fick
Serenity
Anne McLeod Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anne McLeod
Ego - Print
Shelby Little Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Shelby Little
Clouds Uplifting
Daryl D. Johnson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Daryl D. Johnson
I Wish I Knew
Catherine Walker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Catherine Walker
Bubbles at Brunch - Fine Art PRINT
Kristy Oustalet Duke Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kristy Oustalet Duke
Flowers from my Daughter - Print
Nancy Rowe Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Rowe
Past Life
Jessie Chappuis Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jessie Chappuis
Ritual
Virginia Candler Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Virginia Candler
"Trapped"
RANNIE HOWARD Painting
LOS ANGELES/KENNER
RANNIE HOWARD
Reflections 3
Antonio Ferachi Painting
PLAQUEMINE
Antonio Ferachi
Waiter/Waitress
Alexandra Kilburn Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Alexandra Kilburn
Rhythm
Ben Hamburger Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ben Hamburger
Inner Landscape
Francis Wong Good Time Francis Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Francis Wong
Dr. John
Toné Lowe Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Toné Lowe
Harley Baby
Rise Delmar Ochsner Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rise Delmar Ochsner
"Birds of a Feather: Cockatoo"
Stephanie Reed Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Stephanie Reed
Plated Oyster
Sarah Nelson Sarah Nelson Fine Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sarah Nelson
Temperance (XIV)
Margaux Hymel Art by Gaux Gaux
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Margaux Hymel
The Steppers (Step x Step)
Ceaux . Ceaux Artwork
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ceaux .
Delight
Natalie Acquistapace Painting
FOLSOM
Natalie Acquistapace
Infinite Sadness
Jeremy Paten Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jeremy Paten
ADORNED III
Lori Sperier Mixed Media / Painting
COVINGTON
Lori Sperier
My people were fair and had sky in their hair
Johnny King Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Johnny King
Marsh Island
Jata Craighill Painting
GULF COAST
Jata Craighill
The Promise
Mary Scinto Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Mary Scinto
Kermit Ruffins : BBQ swinger
Gabriel Flowers New Orleans Paint and Design
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Gabriel Flowers
Temperatures Rising #17
claire gowdy Painting
BATON ROUGE, LA
claire gowdy
Awaken I
Matt Litchliter Mixed Media / Painting
NORTHSHORE
Matt Litchliter
Emotional Fury #2
Donald Fontenot Painting
MANDEVILLE
Donald Fontenot
Otis
Lucille Anderson Lucille Blues
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lucille Anderson
Ceramic Vanity Tray
Emily Lovejoy Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emily Lovejoy
Bring Back Louisiana
Vergie Banks Painting
LAFAYETTE
Vergie Banks
PIGGY BACK
Roz LeCompte Painting
BROUSSARD
Roz LeCompte
Le Bon Temp Roule
Nurhan Gokturk Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nurhan Gokturk
Portals to Anywhere
Katie Yaquinto Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Katie Yaquinto
Oak Tree (Red)
Connor McManus Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Connor McManus
Swamp Creatures
Morgan Allain Painting
LAKE CHARLES
Morgan Allain
Meditation #6
Kristen Albrecht Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kristen Albrecht
Indigo 8
Alanna Ali Painting
BATON ROUGE
Alanna Ali
Get the Shot! (Nutria)
Michael Slage Painting
HOUMA
Michael Slage
Ghost Ship
Charles Hoffacker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Charles Hoffacker
I’ll Have Raspberries, Please.
Cathie Stuckey Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Cathie Stuckey
Banana flower 2
Katie Kut Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Katie Kut
Bayou Diminuendo
Emory Nolan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emory Nolan
A Magical St. Charles Day
Camille Barnes Visionary Design LLC
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Camille Barnes
Tylor and His Dog Lemon
Paige DeVries Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Paige DeVries
Wet Bread
Thomas Deaton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Thomas Deaton
Let’s Have Brunch When This is All Over
Nancy Lassen Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Lassen
Kindred Spirits
Ron Smith Painting
SHREVEPORT
Ron Smith
Don't Lose Sight
Kris Muntan Painting
NORTHSHORE
Kris Muntan
Red Cloud 12.01
George Dolgy Painting
NEW ORLEANS
George Dolgy
Soft Serve at the Billy Goat Hole
Saegan Swanson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Saegan Swanson
RedBean the Crawfish for Bring Back Louisiana
Adam Sambola Painting
SLIDELL
Adam Sambola
Saint of Lost Causes
Sean Randall Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sean Randall
Gator Hunters
Cassidy Breaux Painting
Cassidy Breaux
Tree of Life (3)
Caroline Youngblood Painting
MONROE
Caroline Youngblood
The Homecoming
Cheryl Anne Grace Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Cheryl Anne Grace
Nelumbo
Danielle Keys Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Danielle Keys
Magnolia Madame II
Rayne Bories Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rayne Bories
The Neighborhood
Ella Albrecht Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ella Albrecht
Day Dreaming
Debbie Boyd Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Debbie Boyd
Backboard for "NOLA has Wiiings"
BE3K . Painting
NEW ORLEANS
BE3K .
Festival des Acadiens
Devin De Wulf Folk / Outsider Art / Painting / Photography
NEW ORLEANS
Devin De Wulf
A New Idea
Carolyn Busenlener Painting
PEARLINGTON
Carolyn Busenlener
seen
Jessica Strahan JHand Paints
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jessica Strahan
Find Yourself There
Maggie Jones Boudreaux Painting
RUSTON
Maggie Jones Boudreaux
Bring Back Louisiana
Leah Morace Painting
ALEXANDRIA
Leah Morace
Terrance Strikes a Pose on Lafitte Street
Drew Cooke Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Drew Cooke
Wildlife
Mary Singleton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Mary Singleton
Bring Back Louisiana
Vitus Shell Mixed Media / Painting
MONROE
Vitus Shell
When the River Can't Wait to Reach the Ocean
Kat Ryalls Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kat Ryalls
Golden Hour
Anne Blenker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anne Blenker
Place in The Middle
Emily Pullin Painting
RUSTON
Emily Pullin
Dragonfly Sky
Matty Whitcomb Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Matty Whitcomb
Rain
Tony Nozero Painting
BYWATER
Tony Nozero
You Denied My Existence - James Baldwin
Jason Van Pelt Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jason Van Pelt
French Quarter Stroll
Lyla Clayre Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lyla Clayre
Orchestra
Tony Hollums Painting
MARIGNY
Tony Hollums
TRANS/GAZA/SYSTEMIC/WOKE
David Lang Painting
NEW ORLEANS
David Lang
May 2024 Garden Blooms
Stephen Rooney Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Stephen Rooney
Rhapsody 2
Sadako Lewis Painting
DIAMONDHEAD
Sadako Lewis
"Jacob's Ladder (Marie Laveau Visits Her Tomb)"
John Turner Painting
NEW ORLEANS
John Turner
Louis Michot & Corey Ledet Throw Down
Max Bernardi Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Max Bernardi
Edison
Brent Houzenga Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Brent Houzenga
Orgullo
MILAGROS Collective Painting
NEW ORLEANS
MILAGROS Collective
La Mer
Charissa Owens Painting
ALEXANDRIA
Charissa Owens
A Minute To Himself
Emre Karaoglu Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emre Karaoglu
Song Trails
Nicole Ockmond Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nicole Ockmond
Untitled 002
Gabrielle Tolliver Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Gabrielle Tolliver
Blown
Sean Clark Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sean Clark
"Misty" homage to Ella Fitzgerald
George McClements Painting
NEW ORLEANS
George McClements
Nightwork
Spencer Schulz Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Spencer Schulz
Land Before Time II
Leroy Miranda Jr. Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Leroy Miranda Jr.
Bakery Village House Portrait
Hayley Roussel Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Hayley Roussel
Heron in the Mist Original Painting
Lorin Vieira Painting
BATON ROUGE
Lorin Vieira
A Snowbird's Winter
Michael Eble Painting
LAFAYETTE
Michael Eble
Cathedral
Ayodele Owolabi Painting
JEFFERSON
Ayodele Owolabi
"Snake Charmer"
Isabel Perez Gomez Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Isabel Perez Gomez
New Orleans Restaurant's
Connie Kittok Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Connie Kittok
Masked Bricks
Queen Hope Parker Queen Hope Poetic Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Queen Hope Parker
Days Like This II
Cierra English Painting
BATON ROUGE
Cierra English
Angels of the savannah
Amzie Adams Painting
MARIGNY
Amzie Adams
persimmons on a blue tile
Jacques Soulas Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jacques Soulas
Bird Watching
Ember Soberman Painting / Mixed Media
NEW ORLEANS
Ember Soberman
Transfiguration in Blue
Kate R. Hanrahan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kate R. Hanrahan
The Golden Boat
Lee Morais Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lee Morais
Wild Ferns, No 1
Rebecca Birtel Madura Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rebecca Birtel Madura
;