Princesses Run Amock!

You know, it's not as easy to draw those Disney princesses with their little turned-up noses as you would think. McMillian's First Steps Early Learning Center asked me to do four of them dancing with their princes larger than life for their annual pageant fund-raiser. Not my favorite project ever, but I did my best. But- it kept me working in my home studio over Bella's Easter break, and so... there's a bright side to everything! They were painted cut-outs on 1/4" lauan, framed with hinged easel backs attached. The biggest challenge was in sketching out the poses so they were not identical and yet you could still see the faces of both characters.

"Floating Palace" Set

Perry Martin, that crazy Cajun director, who recently decided to open his own petit theatre down on Bayou LaFourche called The Bayou Playhouse, asked me to come and spruce up his set for Glen Pitre's "Floating Palace". Some of you may recall that Glen Pitre wrote and directed "Belizaire the Cajun" about 25 years ago. I fell in love with that little film and it picqued my curiosity about Cajun culture even while I was a teenager growing up in Mobile, Alabama.

I don't have a photo of the whole set as of yet (typical), but I do have a couple photos of the drops I painted in my home studio. One represents the side of a riverboat/showboat from the 1920's. The other is of a pastoral bayou scene, which is probably not far from the way much of

the bayou's banks would have looked back then.

"Skirmish in Kickapoo Springs"

Here is the finished product of the McMain High School mural project! It was a very intense experience trying to keep the high school students focused on a long-term project with Spring in the air! I think they did a terrific job and I hoped they learned a lot about doing such a large-scale image while staying true to historical accuracy...

We merged a couple of pre-existing images of Buffalo Soldiers and altered certain details to depict a Ninth Cavalry raid on a band of Indians who had kidnapped a rancher four days prior. I felt that by choosing a specific event in the history of the Buffalo Soldiers might take them out of the realm of legend and into real life heroes. I provided them with other reference photos of the gear, uniforms and weapons they would have used at that period in time. We anticipate doing another one next year at Warren-Easton High School if we are fortunate enough to secure the grant-funding for it.

Buffalo Soldier Mural Project

I have been extremely busy preparing for and finally beginning work with the students at Eleanor McMain High School on the mural project in conjunction with our local Buffalo Soldier chapter. It has been one of the most challenging and rewarding projects of my career thus far! Please take a look at a few progress photos.

Compliments on My Work!

Just wanted to share my lovely compliment from Terry Kenney, Assistant Director of Design & Exhibitry for the Audubon Institute:

I never had a chance to tell you today, but everyone who has seen yourhandiwork has been highy complimentary of it.... the skeleton re-painting,and fossil casting, and dig site... I've had several people tell me over thecourse of the last few days how amazing they think it all looks. So, onceagain, thanks for the great work; it will really enhance the exhibit.

thanks, t.

Dino Dig #3

Gawd, I hate my job, I hate my life, I... KIDDING! Here are a few progress photos of my faux-riffic painting for the Dino Dig play area. I sprayed everything with a spar urethane afterwards to hopefully withstand the wear of the sand which will soon be laid on top, not to mention the little feet and hands which will be soon be climbing and digging over it as well!

Dino Dig #2

It's never a dull day at the Zoo, but this day is particularly challenging for Mignon and I! I had spent the past week casting our "faux" fossils from molds taken of real fossils by Marcus Eriksen. On this day we were artistically arranging them in wet concrete for the "Dino Dig" play area of Audubon's upcoming dinosaur exhibit.

We had to arrange boards going across the 12' x 12' digsite in order to sink certain fossils in the center. I had a lot of fun pulling off this balancing act! I must brag that I never slipped and fell in once! the wet cement with gravel mixture dried our hands out terribly, and I rubbed the skin off the tips of two fingers. Next time I'll try and use gloves...