After a 3 year wait, the art retreat to New Orleans was up and running. The theme, originally scheduled for 2021, was Dante's Inferno, or more accurately Dante's Infernal Journal. To that end we were asked to create a journal style piece of art, something that opened like a book, creating a cover and an inside.
Extracurricular activities fill many days and nights, so a week in New Orleans is fun and unlike any other place I know. During one of our first breakfast outings, the chef asked us where we were from and why we were there. After learning about our teacher and art medium, he was very interested and mentioned that New Orleans is like a giant assemblage, with the streets, buildings, and people very layered in their style and art. And so began our week and my attention to the layers of this crazy city.
Street art is everywhere, even the downspouts are plastered with stickers and grafitti.
the card holder for this shop is a mousetrap
angels on a hearse
Preservation Hall is always a stop and the band was also playing at Tipitinas, a two story bar and music hall. The Spotted Cat is another required stop, we were dropped off at the finish of our carriage ride - of course.
Our group gathered together with costumes, to walk in our own Second Line Parade. We always gather in the hotel lobby, to admire and take photographs.
Dante's Inferno is a journey through hell, with 9 layers, one of which is gluttony. Here we have some glutinous pigs. All very friendly.
and my costume
One of our tours was the St. Louis Cemetery no. 1, where Marie Laveau is buried, the renowned VooDoo Queen.
In my next post I will share some of the art work and the crazy Krewe du Vieux parade photographs. The return home to my little country house seems so far flung from the crazy life of the French Quarter. As a tourist for this event that numbers 10 years, I have lots of fond memories and truly wonderful friends from many different locations.
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