A NEW ORLEANS ART SAMPLER...WOW!

Ernest Brown, New Orleans Street Artist

After the Hurricane he started drawing.......

Heather Patterson, Street Artist

New Orleans Museum of Art

Great Program of Public Art in New Orleans



Flood Walls, A Story Of Katrina's Damage to a city and its people

Contemporary Art on Julia Street in New Orleans

Prospect New Orleans

Bill Hemmerling

                                                    google image

was an artist I became aware of as of late in New Orleans.  From looking at his work and subject matter I was sure he was an African American Artist, but he is not.  He is a white artist from Chicago who moved to the South.  He was originally a window dresser for Sears in Chigago, when he moved South he began his career as an artist. I think it says one is never to late to become an artist.  This is a style of art I would like very much to find the roots of .  I see it a good bit in this area, art with words and a collaged or assemblage approach.  So my question is why more in this area...where did it originate from?  So there is a bit of research on my part to find out.  Much of outsider art is mixed media and includes words.  New Orleans is such a mixture of ethnic backgrounds that this approach could have originated from many sources and it may not truly be from Louisiana alone, but the complete South.  Don't miss the orange sentence that says " The Preacher on the woman's role."

Sweet Olive                                                google image

Politics       Bill Hemmerling         Google image

THE WILD AND WONDERFUL WORLD OF DR. BOB

BUY ART OR LEAVE!

Dr. Bob's Art

World's Largest Rat                                photo by elizabeth gordon

Dr. Bob's Studio and Emporium  photo by elizabeth gordon

That is the expressive art world of Dr. Bob and his crew.  I talked to Mike, his friend and now co-worker, about how the business started, how long it had been going, and where they sell their art.  It is a great story worth telling.  It is a tale one of persistence, challenge, adversity, and success. 

Dr. Bob,  Folk Artist  from google image

Mike, friend and co-worker of Dr. Bob
Photo by elizabeth gordon

Dr. Bob's Studio and workshop  photo by elizabeth gordon

Both Bob and Mike are self taught with no formal art training. The men have been friends since middle school, 7th grade.  They started drawing and hanging out together. Mike went on to own his own grocers business for many years and did well with it, then came hurricane Katrina.  The hurricane devastated his business and it could not survive.  So Mike turned to his old friend Bob, and joined Dr. Bob's art business. 

The studio is more  an open air two story open warehouse style studio.  Art is stacked everywhere, bits of wood, bright colored spray paints, found objects, and funky playful objects hanging here and there.  It is the studio of artist who think for themselves, who care little for the snobby art world of critics and New York Galleries...they are artists of the free spirit and independent thinkers.  They like to put in words what you might like to say if you were a bit more brave or that assertive self of yours  

came out for a visit.  

Dr. Bob's Studio and Workshop       photo by elizabeth gordon

NO CATS SOLD HERE!

As I talked to Mike, Bob had gone up some stairs to a second floor.  He and his large brown dog disappeared into an air-conditioned world for a while.  I envied him, it was Louisiana hot and humid, sweat pouring and hair sticking hot.  Mike was working on a collaged piece that had been stenciled, had a old found wood frame, and bottle caps nailed on...he was painting the words Home Sweet Home with neon colors.  He said he like the work, and enjoyed being with his friend again.  He seemed peaceful and pleased...a feeling that often comes with creativity.  Next time I hope to talk to Dr. Bob and get to know that big brown art dog better. This is trip well worth taking and adding on to your list of New Orleans things to do.  Buying original art is often not affordable for the average person, but Dr. Bob makes it affordable...so buy art, as he says...before the artist dies!

IT TAKES ALL KINDS!

Details of living room              photo by elizabeth gordon

Living Room Details photo by elizabeth gordon

BUY ART BEFORE THE ARTIST DIES! 

Funk Living Room of Dr. Bob  photo by elizabeth gordon

Found Objects Galore  photo by elizabeth gordon

BE NICE OR LEAVE!

Bottle cap frame and colorful found object collage
 photo by elizabeth gordon

An Artist of Prickly Pears!!! Real Cati Sculpture...Ouch! A Artist of New Thought

RABBIT'S MOON STUDIO NEW ARTIST SERIES:


 INTRODUCES JONATHAN TAUBE

During our on site visit to New Orleans we were not only introduced to wonderful foods, cultural events, and galleries, but new artist as well.  Our last two post on artist in New Orleans, we talked of George Rodrigue and the Blue Dog and introduced Frank Relle photographer extradonaire. 

Jonathan Taube/New Orleans Sculptor/google image

Proposal for Baltimore Social Interaction Sculpture/Jonathan Taube/google image

But as in all travel wonderful things happen that are just happenstance.  When touring the New Orleans Glass and Print Studio I met a charming energetic young artist by the name of Jonathan Taube.    He is primarily a sculpture.  He talked in a way that I have begin to understand, among the new generations, who are born out of technology and a different social vision for our world, that is just mind blowing creative!  He, and many others of his generation, sees the world and our structures differently and is out to change the world.  I almost heard an audible click as if someone opened up a door to a new world I had not conceived.  He talked about art studio's being virtual, not set in one country or place, he talked of pop up art shows, he talked of collaboration with artists in other countries and areas in new ways, that is did not have to be permanent, and he talked of art as not having ownership not needing to claim it as one person and individualize it. 

Jonathan Taube, Floating Bench/Baltimore Proposal/google image

 We stood and talked while the glass blowers tuned molten glass, and the print makers walked around us trying to roll their presses...we talked while my partner patiently waited, the left after it was too long....it was exciting and enlightening!  I know you have had conversations like these at times....when they happen it is like a huge gift the universe has given you...Christmas presents under the tree, fireworks bursting in the air....so now lets talk about Prickly Pear Cacti Sculptures!!

Jonathan Taub, Prickly Pear Sculpture/google image

Why Cactus you say....why sharp needles, live, and temporary sculptures?


Jonathan has a great passion for prickly pear cactus, just ask him.  He knows everything about prickly pears, their origin, how they grow, where they grow, and everything else prickly pear.  He has studied them up front and close.  I am not sure how he would term himself as an artists, I might call him a conceptual artist, but he may have a different take.  In the photo below you can tell he its not only interested in presenting it as a live sculpture, but as something live that is deconstructing as well.  It opens up to other thought....living and dying, how and what happens when something dies, how the sculpture changes in color and shape, and that it is temporary......
Jonathan is an exciting new young and vibrant artist....he has done sculptures on site in Israel and Mexico, and many national venues.  He is an artist on the move....I think we best keep an eye on Jonathan he is up to lots of creative good for the world!!!