"Tujaque's Sazeracs"

Oil on linen mounted on panel - 6" x 8"

In honor of Mardi Gras, I have painted the bartender at Tujaque's Restaurant on Decatur Street in New Orleans mixing up one of the Big Easy's most famous cocktails - the Sazerac. Made with rye whiskey, bitters and absinthe, it is an acquired taste. I just happen to have the ingredients on my bar so I may just have to make myself one. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Sazerac cocktail:

• 1 cube or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 4 dashes Peychaud Bitters
• Splash water, about 1/2 teaspoon
• 2 ounces rye whiskey
• Splash Herbsaint (or Pernod), about 1/2 teaspoon
• Lemon peel for garnish
• Ice

"Mardi Gras Bloody Mary"

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

And now for something completely different!

Something that one sees around Jackson Square in New Orleans is a form of naive folk art using familiar icons of the area. Often done with ordinary house paint on found planks of wood or shingles, these colorful objet d'art are cheerful and amusing. I thought it would be fun to try my hand at one using a subject that is near and dear to me - Tabasco. I probably have over 100 bottles of hot sauce of various stripe in the pantry and in the fridge (much to my wife's chagrin) but the one that gets utilized the most is the ubiquitous Tabasco. Nothing else tastes like it. I dare say you could make a Bloody Mary with Jamaica Hell Fire Sauce but it wouldn't be the same. I further embraced the New Orleans theme by using purple, green and gold - the colors of Mardi Gras, to really sink it home. I thought the black outline gave the painting a clumsy folksiness. I told you I was going to have fun.

New Orleans Horse and Cart

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

So much for coming back tanned, rested and ready. Oh, well. I've always felt a little sorry for the poor horses in front of the Saint Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. It can't be fun in July and August pulling a cart full of sweaty tourists around the French Quarter. On the bright side - it is relatively flat and they know the drill so maybe it isn't that bad a gig. Speaking of sweaty tourists - we set a record here in Baltimore yesterday - 105 degrees! Woo hoo!

"Clovis"

Oil on linen mounted on wood panel 6" x 8"

Being the foodies that we are, a trip to Lucullus in New Orleans French Quarter is always on the menu. Watching over the vast array of culinary antiques, aside from proprietor Patrick Dunne and his partner, Zoubir Taboug, is resident English Bulldog, Clovis. Here he is taking a break from his duties as epicurean antiquarian ambassador.

"Round Pegs in a Square Hole"

Oil on museum quality, archival ampersand gessobord™ panel - 6” x 6”

Oysters! Did you miss 'em? These beauties were had at Lillet on Magazine Street in New Orleans this past April. I couldn't help but notice the way the array of pin spots above rained down on the soft flesh of the oysters nestled in their bed of ice casting reflections of light like some distant galaxy. No mere gulf oysters were these but highfalutin cousins visiting from the northeast. They begged to take a dip in the black hole that was the deep red mignonette. Does July have an "R" in it? No? Damn, two more months until September.

"Water lily"

Oil on Canvas mounted on board - 6" x 8"

 Tucked away in hidden courtyards all over the French Quarter are wonderful lush gardens; tiny oases of wonderful flora and fauna. These tropical gardens are a great place to escape from the Louisiana heat, slope back a Hurricane or a Sazerac or just commune with nature.  I chanced upon this lily pond while on a culinary walking tour of New Orleans.  

I'm off to Birmingham and won't post again until Wednesday night.  

"Mardi Gras Masks"

I painted this a while ago as a birthday gift for a friend. Many of you know that New Orleans is my adopted second home and a place I visit with some frequency. We are headed down there next month, Whoo, hoo! Anyway, this painting was given away wet and very few people saw it, so here it is. "Laissez les bons temps rouler!"

"Acme Oyster House"

Oil on archival, museum quality, 1/8” Ampersand Gessobord™ panel - 5" x 7"

How’s this for an excuse for not painting this week – I lost my glasses. Last week was particularly warm and I took the opportunity to get in the wind on my Harley. I changed into my sunglasses and stuck my prescription glasses in my leather jacket. Sometime during the ride they fell out and got run over. I found them two days later crushed by the side of the road. I have a spare pair but they are not good for painting. Yesterday I went to the ophthalmologist to get a new prescription and he put drops in my eyes – Whoa…cool colors, but not great for painting. Oh, I was in Florida from Thursday until Sunday so no work on those days (although I did glean some reference material during the trip.) Today’s painting was done wearing my old, old spare pair.
These oysters were shucked especially for me to paint by “Stormin” Norman at the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans. They look good against the white marble oyster bar.