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.

Emotional Fury #2
Donald Fontenot Painting
MANDEVILLE
Donald Fontenot
Sweetness Overload
Camille Barnes Visionary Design LLC
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Camille Barnes
Ego - Print
Shelby Little Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Shelby Little
Reflections 3
Antonio Ferachi Painting
PLAQUEMINE
Antonio Ferachi
The Promise
Mary Scinto Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Mary Scinto
Oyster-rama
Patrick Henry Victory Arts
Painting
SLIDELL
Patrick Henry
PIGGY BACK
Roz LeCompte Painting
BROUSSARD
Roz LeCompte
My people were fair and had sky in their hair
Johnny King Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Johnny King
Saint Joseph Altar
Cheryl Anne Grace Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Cheryl Anne Grace
Edison
Brent Houzenga Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Brent Houzenga
seen
Jessica Strahan JHand Paints
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jessica Strahan
La Boulangerie
John Turner Painting
NEW ORLEANS
John Turner
"India"
Ceaux . Ceaux Artwork
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ceaux .
Leisa Gail Strafuss
Stephen Rooney Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Stephen Rooney
Meditation #6
Kristen Albrecht Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kristen Albrecht
persimmons on a blue tile
Jacques Soulas Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jacques Soulas
Bubbles at Brunch - Fine Art PRINT
Kristy Oustalet Duke Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kristy Oustalet Duke
Soft Serve at the Billy Goat Hole
Saegan Swanson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Saegan Swanson
BARN #1
Ron Smith Painting
SHREVEPORT
Ron Smith
Let’s Have Brunch When This is All Over
Nancy Lassen Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Lassen
Red Eye
Sean Clark Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sean Clark
Terrance Strikes a Pose on Lafitte Street
Drew Cooke Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Drew Cooke
Jazz Festing
Connie Kittok Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Connie Kittok
Ceramic Vanity Tray
Emily Lovejoy Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emily Lovejoy
Tylor and His Dog Lemon
Paige DeVries Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Paige DeVries
Bayou Diminuendo
Emory Nolan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emory Nolan
Fluff
Maddie Stratton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Maddie Stratton
Festival des Acadiens
Devin De Wulf Folk / Outsider Art / Painting / Photography
NEW ORLEANS
Devin De Wulf
"Carnival Season"
Isabel Perez Gomez Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Isabel Perez Gomez
Orgullo
MILAGROS Collective Painting
NEW ORLEANS
MILAGROS Collective
Delight
Natalie Acquistapace Painting
FOLSOM
Natalie Acquistapace
Day Dreamer
Maggie Jones Boudreaux Painting
RUSTON
Maggie Jones Boudreaux
Bring Back Louisiana
Vergie Banks Painting
LAFAYETTE
Vergie Banks
The Golden Boat
Lee Morais Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lee Morais
Temperance (XIV)
Margaux Hymel Art by Gaux Gaux
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Margaux Hymel
Ascending Trees
Louise Guidry Encaustic / Monotype / Painting / Printmaking
NEW ORLEANS
Louise Guidry
Saint of Lost Causes
Sean Randall Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sean Randall
Sign
Ben Hamburger Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ben Hamburger
Magnolia Madame
Rayne Bories Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rayne Bories
Mid City
Alanna Ali Painting
BATON ROUGE
Alanna Ali
Angels of the savannah
Amzie Adams Painting
MARIGNY
Amzie Adams
Scene from 'Alligator' (1980)
Thomas Deaton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Thomas Deaton
"Louisiana Midnight Snack"
Caroline Youngblood Painting
MONROE
Caroline Youngblood
Kermit Ruffins : BBQ swinger
Gabriel Flores New Orleans Paint and Design
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Gabriel Flores
Oak Tree (Red)
Connor McManus Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Connor McManus
Floral Study #2
Katie Yaquinto Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Katie Yaquinto
Nightwork
Spencer Schulz Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Spencer Schulz
Dr. John
Toné Lowe Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Toné Lowe
Serenity Series. Lillies.
Anya Lincoln Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anya Lincoln
Le Bon Temp Roule
Nurhan Gokturk Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nurhan Gokturk
When the River Can't Wait to Reach the Ocean
Kat Ryalls Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kat Ryalls
Land Before Time II
Leroy Miranda Jr. Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Leroy Miranda Jr.
RedBean the Crawfish for Bring Back Louisiana
Adam Sambola Painting
SLIDELL
Adam Sambola
Place in The Middle
Emily Pullin Painting
RUSTON
Emily Pullin
Red Cloud 12.01
George Dolgy Painting
NEW ORLEANS
George Dolgy
La ville se reveille (The city awakens)
Darlene Langendonk Art Impressions
Painting
NORTH SHORE
Darlene Langendonk
Ritual
Virginia Candler Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Virginia Candler
"Red Sky at Night" homage to David Gilmour
George McClements Painting
NEW ORLEANS
George McClements
Waiter/Waitress
Alexandra Kilburn Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Alexandra Kilburn
Awaken I
Matt Litchliter Mixed Media / Painting
NORTHSHORE
Matt Litchliter
Wild Ferns, No 1
Rebecca Birtel Madura Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rebecca Birtel Madura
Temperatures Rising #17
claire gowdy Painting
BATON ROUGE, LA
claire gowdy
"Birds of a Feather: Cockatoo"
Stephanie Reed Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Stephanie Reed
A Snowbird's Winter
Michael Eble Painting
LAFAYETTE
Michael Eble
Flowers from my Daughter - Print
Nancy Rowe Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Rowe
Wildlife
Mary Singleton Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Mary Singleton
Clouds Uplifting
Daryl D. Johnson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Daryl D. Johnson
I’ll Have Raspberries, Please.
Cathie Stuckey Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Cathie Stuckey
I Wish I Knew
Catherine Walker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Catherine Walker
'You Know What the Ocean Is?' Fine Art Print
Heather Bird Harris Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Heather Bird Harris
St. Patricks Day
Charles Hoffacker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Charles Hoffacker
Past Life
Jessie Chappuis Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jessie Chappuis
Bring Back Louisiana
Leah Morace Painting
ALEXANDRIA
Leah Morace
Ascension Original Framed Painting
Nancy Wolfe Kimberly Gator Girl Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nancy Wolfe Kimberly
Bird Watching
Ember Soberman Painting / Mixed Media
NEW ORLEANS
Ember Soberman
New Orleans NOT NOLA
Danielle Keys Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Danielle Keys
"Mariel"
Brett Henderson Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Brett Henderson
Festival Series
Ayodele Owolabi Painting
JEFFERSON
Ayodele Owolabi
Swamp Creatures
Morgan Allain Painting
LAKE CHARLES
Morgan Allain
Clifton Chenier
Lucille Anderson Lucille Blues
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lucille Anderson
Harley Baby
Rise Delmar Ochsner Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Rise Delmar Ochsner
Rhapsody 2
Sadako Lewis Painting
DIAMONDHEAD
Sadako Lewis
Encounter
Malak Morgan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Malak Morgan
Freezy Pop Time
Max Bernardi Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Max Bernardi
Get the Shot! (Nutria)
Michael Slage Painting
HOUMA
Michael Slage
Bring Back Louisiana
Vitus Shell Mixed Media / Painting
MONROE
Vitus Shell
Golden Hour
Anne Blenker Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anne Blenker
Orchestra
Tony Hollums Painting
MARIGNY
Tony Hollums
Heron among the Irises
Lorin Vieira Painting
BATON ROUGE
Lorin Vieira
LYRS
Gabrielle Tolliver Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Gabrielle Tolliver
Serenity
Anne McLeod Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Anne McLeod
Grey Green Ladder
Julie Silvers Julie Silvers Art
Painting
OLD METAIRIE
Julie Silvers
Banana flower 2
Katie Kut Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Katie Kut
Summer Time Memories
Cassidy Breaux Painting
Cassidy Breaux
Song Trails
Nicole Ockmond Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Nicole Ockmond
Infinite Sadness
Jeremy Paten Mixed Media / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Jeremy Paten
Transfiguration in Blue
Kate R. Hanrahan Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Kate R. Hanrahan
Plated Oyster
Sarah Nelson Sarah Nelson Fine Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Sarah Nelson
CROWNED
Lori Sperier Mixed Media / Painting
COVINGTON
Lori Sperier
The Neighborhood
Ella Albrecht Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Ella Albrecht
Head to Toe
Kris Muntan Painting
NORTHSHORE
Kris Muntan
A New Idea
Carolyn Busenlener Painting
PEARLINGTON
Carolyn Busenlener
Untitled Abstract No. 3 - Archival Print
Rachel Rice-Baham Painting / Mixed Media
DENHAM SPRINGS
Rachel Rice-Baham
Backboard for "NOLA has Wiiings"
BE3K . Painting
NEW ORLEANS
BE3K .
Marsh Island
Jata Craighill Painting
GULF COAST
Jata Craighill
Blue Roots 1
Emma Fick Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Emma Fick
Days Like This II
Cierra English Painting
BATON ROUGE
Cierra English
Flower Child
Queen Hope Parker Queen Hope Poetic Art
Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Queen Hope Parker
French Quarter Stroll
Lyla Clayre Illustration / Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Lyla Clayre
Mary in the Courtyard with Jasmine and Irises
Hayley Roussel Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Hayley Roussel
Lovely Surprise
Debbie Boyd Painting
NEW ORLEANS
Debbie Boyd
La Mer
Charissa Owens Painting
ALEXANDRIA
Charissa Owens
;