July 2016 – Gator Girl Art

Dirty Linen Night

Posted on July 28, 2016July 28, 2016 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all!

Lulu White has been selected to be in the gallery at 1901 Royal Street for Dirty Linen Night.

Dirty Linen Night is a “… less fashion-conscious alternative to the city’s biggest art party, White Linen Night, which takes place a week earlier in the warehouse arts district.” (NOLA.com)

I am super excited to be in the gallery on Dirty Linen Night. Last year, 10,000 people attended.

I have an idea to paint this prostitute of Storyville leaning against the window frame, inside a reclaimed window frame. I am using a window screen, because the wood is lighter.

This is the beginning.

This is two steps backwards. I painted areas of black, gold and yellow ochre on the background. I wanted depth and a little intrigue, but not distraction. I added puddles of rubbing alcohol to disperse the paint and lend mystery.

I used this technique on Shotgun Angel for the starry sky. Because this painting is on birch plywood, it ran onto the woman, especially her face. When I wiped the alcohol off of her face, it pulled all of the paint off, down to the original black gesso. (Sorry, no photo)I am repairing and repainting. The repair is a layer of white gesso. Then light sanding to make it smooth.

Wood is a more difficult substrate to paint on. The paint sits on top of the wood, so I can’t be wild with the strokes.

Speaking of Dirty Linen, there is this…

Walt Handelsman‘s cartoon.

People often tell me that I sound so happy. This will balance that a little. David Duke is running for Senate from Louisiana. Lord help us.

Here in New Orleans, it is the last days of summer. Teachers in the parish where my daughter and sweet darlin’ teach go back to work on Wednesday.

Hate to see summer end.

Already reminiscent,

Gator Girl

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Zèle NOLA

Posted on July 21, 2016 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all!

I am going to be in another location (as in adding another location) August 15th.

Zèle NOLA is a local vendor art market. There are presently 40 artists..

stencil.default

My youngest daughter and her girlfriend told me it would be a perfect place for me to market my smaller items. Art that people won’t mind carrying around, putting in their carry-on… the art acquired at festivals.

I went down to Zèle NOLA to check it out. I liked the woman who owns it and her staff. I know some of the other artists. Mostly, it is a place I would shop. There is a variety of art… bow ties, glass, candles, cards, jewelry, paintings…

The address is 2841 Magazine Street. It is uptown of Washington Avenue.

I couldn’t be more exited. I have that feeling where it feels right.

I am renting an 8 x 8 foot slat wall.

I will post some photos when I am set up as a reminder to stop by.

fervently and zelously yours,

Gator Girl

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NOT FOR SALE

Posted on July 14, 2016July 14, 2016 by gatorgirlart

Hi all y’all,

I have declared that I would never visit another plantation.

The plantations I have been to in the past are so sad and have a kind of heavy, clingy feeling to them.

I had to eat my words. I had a fabulous trip to the Whitney Plantation last week. When you come to New Orleans I recommend this tour. It is an honest portrayal of slavery on this plantation. I think it is the truth that makes the air feel breathable there.

This is what happened. This is what it was like for the people in slavery. Somehow, unexplainably, the Whitney Plantation shows the history on the plantation in a way that is bearable and beautiful. The spirits of the people are there and also their names and their personal histories.

Our tour guide grew up 10 miles from the plantation. Because of her last name, it is very likely that her relatives were slaves there. She was entertaining, well spoken, and I could feel how important this history was to her.

mother and child statue

One of many statues of the different children enslaved on Whitney Plantation

I put my Storyville series on hold for a week or so. I decided to paint a young woman who was a slave in Louisiana. I don’t have any information other than her photo. I wish I knew her name. While I was painting her in blacks, browns, buff and white, looking like the early 1900’s, I was smashed with the feeling of present day slavery. Like a ton of bricks.

I started asking everyone who came around too many questions. I couldn’t calm my brain. Did I just want to paint a girl in slavery from the 1900’s because I knew she was free now?

I stayed up late painting. Very late for me, past midnight. I added colors. I thought I added colors in her hair to show depth. I added colors to her dress because I knew I was going to cover her dress with material. The original plan was to glue sack cloth on her dress outline.

The next morning, I saw a slave from the last century in colors. So it is both. Old and continuing slavery.

We can’t deny it.

We shouldn’t deny it if we want the air breathable.