On our plein air painting and photography workshop my husband and I taught in New Orleans this fall, we rode the trolley to the Garden District and set out to capture the beautiful architecture so distinctive of the area. I was attracted to this grand pink house, and in particular I loved the huge old oak tree framing it. The dappled light hitting the trunk was so striking that I decided to accentuate that in my painting with a multitude of colors and values while making the background soft to keep the composition from becoming too cluttered. The sheer size and age of the trees in New Orleans is incredible, which I set out to show juxtaposing the massive oak against the smaller two-story homes in the distance. Created with palette knife and a lot of oil paint, this canvas is loaded with texture and uplifting colors so that you feel the joy and energy of hanging out in New Orleans.

On the final day of our New Orleans Art Trek, we drove out to Oak Alley Plantation and were awed by its impressive grounds and 300 year old oak trees. Enjoying the quiet after the busy bustle of New Orleans, we each set out to capture something different, from the beauty of these old gnarled trees to the formality of the mansion to the modest slave quarters. Everyone’s painting turned out fantastic and we gathered at the end of the day to look at our progress each day and view the photographers slideshows from the trip. What a wonderful Art Trek! 

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On our third day of the New Orleans workshop, we rode the trolley to the Garden District and set out to capture the beautiful architecture while the photographers went in search of the perfect shot. Several of us were attracted to this beautiful grand pink house, and in particular I loved the old oak tree framing it. That evening, we dined again on a delicious Cajun dinner at Brennan’s and took in some local talent at the jazz clubs afterwards. A fun day!

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That afternoon, we chose this quieter picturesque alley, loaded with color and life. I loved the vibrant flags flying high from each balcony, while others chose interesting cafés, balconies and storefronts to paint. That night we met up with the photographers and dined on a delicious dinner at Mr. B’s Bistro. A perfect end to the day!

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On the second day of our New Orleans Art Trek, we set up our easels near Jackson Square to capture the architecture and energy of the city while the photographers went on to visit the downtown streets and infamous cemeteries. Some of my painters chose to record the whole street scene, while others focused in on interesting architectural details. I liked this tangled oak tree branch framing the coral wrought iron French Revival building behind it. Again, we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day! On the way to our second painting location, we fueled up on Po Boy sandwiches and refreshments.

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Later that afternoon, the light had changed so much on our morning subjects, that some of us had to switch gears and look for a different idea. I loved this tangled oak tree and with the golden light coming on, I set to capturing its vibrant colors before the glow was gone. That evening we went out for a delicious Creole dinner of oysters, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and other New Orleans favorites while swapping stories from the day and getting to know each other better.

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