Rebirth float: Steve Gleason

Someone recently requested that I post some photos of my Saints floats- and I have been struggling to find the photos I feel sure I took of them. I likely mislaid the SD Card that has them on there, and I will find it ANY DAY NOW. We have to tell ourselves these things... Meanwhile, here are a couple I found on my phone of the Rebirth float. You can tell that I had not finished them yet based on the unfinished collars. So sad that I don't have one of Drew Brees, who also appears on the float in that iconic photo with all three holding their arms up, the words "No White Flags" written across them. I will post photos of a couple of the other floats soon.

"Makin' Groceries...": Post #5

Here are the final two panels for my Breaux Mart mural, "Makin' Groceries in Early New Orleans". One features a creole couple strolling by the dry goods market. If one of them bears a strange resemblance to Obama, that is no mistake! A neighbor requested I include him in the scene so that he can see him every time he steps outside his door so he can feel like "he really is still here with us". The one with Cafe du Monde combines an image of Rose Nicaud with the famous coffee stand she laid the ground work for. In New Orleans, slave owners traditionally gave their forced laborers Sundays off. Rose Nicaud saw how busy the market place was on this day, and decided to sell fresh, hot coffee to the shoppers. This enabled her to buy her freedom and make that her full-time employment.

Private Courtyard Mural

I still have a a little more work on this 10' x 60+' mural, but I feel good enough about it to post a few photos of it. It is in the private courtyard of a wonderful gentleman who rides in the Krewe of Rex, and was commissioned as a gift by his lovely wife. It features him riding with a friend the float he rides on annually, as well as the one he first rode on, which is the reknowned Le Boef Gras. It also features all ten of the grandchildren in the mural- twice! The mural spans across two walls, each approximately 30'. The first section encompasses all of one 30' length, and allows them to enjoy some Louisiana scenery outside their kitchen window. The other wall is divided by a tree about 2/3 across. The largest section reminds them of the joyful times they enjoy as a family during Mardi Gras. The last section features the grandkids sitting as they would for a family portrait on and around a picnic table.

Phoenix Float

This is a classic look for a float- covered in flames to ignite the imagination as it rolls by in the dark of night. There can be a number of thematical reasons for a float to be "ungulfed in flames"- but this is part of a Winged Mythological Beast theme that Universal employed for its Mardi Gras parade in Orlando last year. This look never goes out of style- even if I'm a year late in posting this!