"Cafe V-A Night in the Yard"

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The 7 Mile Yard Sale Recap

This Saturday (St. Patty's Day), T-roy and I ventured out to Grand Coteau for the annual 7 mile Yard Sale. We had a blast! Loads of people, lots of conversation and fun goodies from attic's, closet's etc. Our booth included mostly art with a few vintage finds we were hoping to sell.  I also stumbled upon another venue to check out. Its called The Thrifty Flamingo. While most items are thrift items, owner Susan De Valcourt enjoys painting funky little signs for Art Lovers. I traded some of my work with Susan for one of her peices, "Be Significant". I'm not organized enough today show you a photo of the piece but will post it later this week. Check out photos of our booth below....

Troy's Nieces had there own Art and Craft table right in front of our group!!

My loyal posse!!

Heading over to the public library in Abbeville in a few minutes for a book signing at 6pm. Stop by if you're around. Will be doing a short presentation!!

Peace and Love,

The Art Trail Lady

The Avett Bros

Happy Friday Art Trailers...

I'm coming off of a huge high this morning after seeing The Avett Brothers in concert last night....they were AMAZING!! If you haven't heard of them, you should definitely check them out at http://www.theavettbrothers.com/us/home. My photo of them is very small but hopefully their silhouettes can give you a roundabout idea of them. :)

I loved the theater feel of the small venue they played (the River Center Theater) and the lack of production was wonderful. These boys were there to play and play hard.

What I love most about them is their simple authenticity in their songwriting...such beautiful poets and harmonizers! Their music has a very rootsy feel with a little bit of rock and just enough blue grass to get the teeny boppers screaming! Just magnificent!

As a friend of ours put it, the concert was all about LOVE. Love for one another, romantic love, and love for just about everything. T-roy and I felt nothing but pure LOVE leaving the show. It was a purely magical experience...Thank you Avett Brothers for what you do!! These guys are true examples of following their ART!

Peace and Love,

The Art Trail Lady

Lighting the Way

Sharing a sneak peak into my journal with you today....learning that illustrating helps clarify the message in so many ways.

Peace and Love,

The Art Trail Lady

Follow Your ARt!!

The Artist's Creed

I have been participating in a wonderful women's group where the focus is on exploring our inner truth. Part of our work in this group is exploring creativity. Our extraordinary leader, Fran, sent us home with something called The Artist's Creed by Jan Phillips. I'd like to share it with you today.

The Artist's Creed

I believe I am worth the time it takes to create whatever I feel called to create.

I believe that my work is worthy of its own space, which is worthy of the name Sacred.

I believe that, when I enter this space, I have the right to work in silence, uninterrupted, for as long as I choose.

I believe that the moment I open myself to the gifts of the Muse, I open myself to the Source of All Creation and become One with the Mother of Life Itself.

I believe that my work is joyful, useful, and constantly changing, flowing through me like a river with no beginning and no end.

I believe that what it is I am called to do will make itself known when I have made myself ready.

I believe that the time I spend creating my art is as precious as the time I spend giving to others.

I believe that what truly matters in the making of art is not what the final piece looks like, not what it is worth or not worth, but what newness gets added to the universe in the process of the piece itself becoming.

I believe that I am not alone in my attempts to create, and that once I begin the work, settle into the strangeness, the words will take shape, the form find life, and the spirit take flight.

I believe that as the Muse gives to me, so does she deserve from me: faith, mindfulness, and enduring commitment.

I believe I am worth the time it takes to create whatever I feel called to create.

-Jan Phillips

Thank you Jan for this beautiful creed!!

Have a great weekend!!

Follow Your Art!

Love,

The Art Trail Lady

Book Signing This Weekend!

I'm sure with this beautiful weather you all are getting as excited as I am for Lafayette's Second Saturday Artwalk this weekend!! If you're in the area, stop by Acadiana Center for the Arts on Vermillion and Jefferson for The Acadiana Art Trail book signing in the CocaCola Gallery. Spring is a perfect time to Trail Acadiana!! Hope to see you all there!

Here is the info on the book:

http://www.corvuspress.com/the-acadiana-art-trail/

The Acadiana Art Trail: The essential guide to finding local art in Cajun Country.

by Kelli Foret
photos by Lauren Hensgens 

There are few ways to deeply understand a culture better than immersing yourself in local art. That's how Author Kelli Foret sees it.

"Everywhere I go I look for local art galleries," Foret said. "It gives me an understanding of locals on an emotional level. I wrote The Acadiana Art Trail to help people do just that in this amazing place we call Acadiana."

The book guides you through five south-central Louisiana parishes, through winding country roads, down crowded back streets and across never-ending rice fields to local-art-filled galleries large and small. You'll marvel at the chainsaw-scuplted wooden forms by Kelli Guidry. You'll get swept up in the warm moods of Melissa Bonin's painting. You'll witness the architectural inspiration of Maureen Dugas photography. The region is literally filled with inspiration unlocked by the talents of hundreds of artists — and these galleries are where you'll find it.

The Art Trail covers over 30 galleries and fills 70 color pages with vivid photos by Lafayette native Lauren Hensgens. The galleries are organized into "trails," or one-day road trips, so you can more easily absorb the range of expressions Acadiana has to offer. To help you further, the author offers two pages of travel advice specific to the area and a range of local websites to help you plan around festivals and other events.

Follow Your Art~

Peace and Love,

The Art Trail Lady

Everything is Art

The longer I live and the older I get the more I become amazed with the way people go about doing things....From the way they dress and fix their hair to the way they move and experience sounds, sights and the taste of life.

We are all artists.

We may not do our art for a living but we all create daily in small subtle ways.

A few things come to mind that seem like simple daily living yet watching someone else perform these simple tasks reminds me how beautiful and unique each  one of us are. We each contribute to the beautiful work of "creating" each day.

-Dressing
-The way we connect with people
-Quick witted humor
-Journaling
-The way my niece finds the perfect hippie band to wear on her forehead
-The mechanics who fix our truck
-Del's sewing
-My mom's painted dishwasher

And on and on....How do you paint your canvas each day? How do you contribute to that soul- pleasing word....CREATING?

Have a beautiful Monday Art Trailers!!!

Follow Your Art!

Love,

The Art Trail Lady

Magnet Art!

Happy Monday Art Trailers!!

Hope you all had a great weekend!!

I wanted to share with you today some new pieces from my studio....I'm working on filling a request for Casa Azul Gifts in Grand Coteau, LA. Grand Coteau is the home of The Academy of Sacred Heart and Sacred Heart Church where many people visit to attend retreats and tour the historic property and town. Casa Azul requested small easy to pack items that represented the town well.

So...here is my first attempt. Some good ole folk art magnets!!

This project was a first for me since religious art is not something I usually venture into but I had fun exploring the religious and spiritual side of painting. T-roy helped me out by using a drimmel tool to carve out some detail into some of the pieces then I'd fill in with paint...a nice Sunday afternoon project. Many more to paint this week so I'd better get moving....

Peace and Love!

Follow Your Art,

The Art Trail Lady

Tell me...How Does Your Garden Grow?

The art of gardening and people who do it continue to amaze me. There is such an air of peacefulness and feeling grounded around playing in the dirt. Just thinking of the bright hues of red, green and yellow get my taste buds flowing...kind of like painting!

Last weekend I decided it was that time. It was time to plant regardless of whether or not the last cold front had hit South Louisiana darn it! I was determined and it paid off. Today I had my first sprout pop!! Yes! Success! I didn't kill everything! :-)

Here are the herbs I'm propagating....and the tiny sprouts that sprouted this morning.

Container gardens are always easiest for me because they're mobile and don't involve some of the ground work I'm not equipped to handle. Here I used old wooden cases from local flea markets and some chicken wire to keep the cats out. The large wash tub is T-roy's MawMaw Cajin's and if I'm not mistaken he's taken a bath or two in that thing as a youngen. Recycled pots, decorated milk and cola jugs are also perfect for small plants.

This year, my planting list included tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers, asparagus, strawberries and herbs, and I can hardly wait for them to produce. The nourishment of fresh, homegrown fruit and veggies pleases me so!!

Yay to the art of gardening! The beautiful art of the earth!!

Please share photos of your gardens Art Trailers!! I'd love to see them!! What does your planting list include??

Follow Your Art,

Love the Art Trail Lady!

10 Reasons I Love Adele

Congrats to Adele on her overwhelming response to her music during the Grammy's last night! She was definitely my fav and here's why..

Top 10 Reasons I love Adele:

1. She writes or co-writes her own music! Anyone involved in this creation process gets props from me!

2. She sells who she is rather than sex and silly costumes-ahem-Lady Gaga and Katie Perry.

3. How can so much soul come from such a proper British lady? I have no idea but I love it!

4. Adele is not your typical perfect 10 popstar in terms of "what sells", yet she works it all the same, love this!

5. Adele is flat out glamorous. I love her old school glam style!!

6. How is the heck does she hit those notes!?!

7. Her genuine gratitude...

8. Her hand gestures while singing :)

9. Her accent!

10. Adele seems to be a great role model for young women-no rehab, no beatings by men, etc.

What's your Grammy feedback???

What's New at Casa Azul

On Thursday I made a quick stop in Grand Coteau, LA to touch base with my friend Patrice at Casa Azul. For those of you are unfamiliar with this place, Casa Azul is a local gift shop carrying many local handmade or original items. A must stop place for visitors and anymore who loves anything local.

I always like to get updates about new artist or happenings at the venues on the Acadiana Art Trail, especially from shops like Casa Azul.

One new artist showing here is Pam Shensky from New Iberia, LA. Check out her one of a kind cross below...Also new at Casa Azul is Olan Thibodeaux's cypress candle holders and handmade rub boards (artist unknown). Casa Azul also carries local books, music and film not to mention poetry readings, live music, La Table Francaise and folklore. I could spend hours browsing through the goodies here. Find some time during festival season to check what's new at Casa Azul in Grand Coteau!! Happy trailing!

Follow Your Art!!

Love,

The Art Trail Lady

Point-Aux-Chenes

Its almost hump day Art Trailers! Hope you've been doing some recent trailing since the last post! This time of year is festival season in South Louisiana which always makes me smile. I'm also a year older as of last week which doesn't make me smile, but that's besides the point.

For my birthday, T-roy took me camping and fishing in a small Cajun fishing village just south of Houma, LA. You may have heard of it, Point-Aux-Chenes...You can read more about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointe-aux-Chenes,_Louisiana.

It was a very relaxing getaway and even though I caught more pictures than I did fish, I had a blast and the inspiration that came with the experience was wonderful! I'm posting a painting I completed upon returning as well as a few photos of the trip. This piece is on Sinker Cypress pulled from the Atchafalya Basin. I used a drimmel tool to help create texture with some of the figures and acrylic paint to accent. Point-aux-Chenes definitely brought out the gritty folk art in me...enjoy!

 This photo is from the landing and point of Point-aux-Chenes...

Peer

 I think these are semi-wild horses. They are isolated by water on a piece of land only giving them dried marsh grass to live on :(

 This is me being a little silly!

T-roy at our Camp Site...the old camps behind him are boarded up from the last hurricane.

Our Campsite

Folk Art Found on the Indian Reservation

Submarine

Folk Art on Indian Reservation

The tattered homes give you a taste of the rough life on the reservation. 

Follow YOur ARt!!

Love,

The Art Trail Lady

A Normal, Regular Day

On this very regular, normal day
I am grateful for;
The sun
The beauty
The temperature
The aliveness
The possibilities that this day holds so closely to my heart.
I am grateful for this vey regular, very normal day.

The View of Our Daily Ritual

As some followers may know by now, T-roy and I are living with his mom, Del, in rural Port Barre, LA while we finish the restoration of our 1969 Aluminum Gold Avion RV. 

We've been with Del almost a year now as our project looses the timeline now and again. We are lucky enough to have a front porch view where the Bayou Teche and the Bayou Courtableau meet. 

This is not our RV :) Just one on the Teche...

Every evening right about sunset, everyone on our block slowly and naturally comes out on their porches to catch the final view of the sun before it retires for the night. 

This evening ritual has become something I look forward to every day. And in the wind, sometimes the old houses sway.

While I sometimes take for granted the rise and fall of the sun (I realize this on rainy days like today), this front porch ritual has become one of those simple pleasures that I file away in my "happy" box in my brain. 

Have a beautiful evening...

Follow Your ARt!!

January Artwalk-Lafayette!!

If you somehow decided not to watch your beloved Saints play Saturday night, what a loss :(, then maybe you caught Lafayette's Second Saturday Artwalk. For those who choose to cheer for the Saints, here is The Art Trail Lady's take on what went down!

The find of the night for me was definitely the showing at Arts Co-op! Fine art, fine food and what a fine atmosphere! Jared Guidry's abstract pieces on soft material delicately framed, invited me and as I perused, I couldn't stop! I was intrigued by the work of Giorgio Russo and his storytelling collages and continued the maze with Travis Prejean's figurative wings. Unfortunately, I don't have photos of these beautiful works of art here today because the artists were unavailable for permission, but this show is definitely worth the trip to Arts Co-op before the next Artwalk in February.

I was surprised to find at the end of the maze, a quaint patio garden of fine foods like humus, cheese and wine of course with mosaic furniture making a sitting area that gave me the space for writing. 

This wooden rocking chair even helped set the relaxed, romantic mood of the evening here at Arts Co-op.

 Just next door at Cajun Spice, folk art seemed to be the theme where mosaic instruments, wood carvings and sculpture and brightly colored paintings stood proudly. Artists names you may recognize here are Melissa Dronet, James Hebert and Pam Shensky. Cajun Spice is definitely a fun place if you're looking for a more relaxed style of visual arts.

As I made my way to Acadiana Center for the Arts, I came across these performers on the corner of Jefferson and Vermillion St. They seemed to be depicting either passion or death and dying. I'm not too sure which...what do you think?

I ended the night with a stop at ACA, and what a surprise for me! Several Clementine Hunter pieces among other greats from the private collection of Brunell Lemoine, superintendent of Lafayette Parish Schools and strong supporter of arts in our community. If you're a self-taught or folk art lover, this exhibit is definitely one you'll want to see at ACA!

Well, that's it for the Artwalk recap...hope you all have a great week!

Follow Your ARt!!

Love,

The Art Trail Lady