NOLArt

The moment the train pulled into the city of New Orleans I could see the art of the city. The look of the buildings is symbolic to the city. When someone looks at a picture with a row of homes, each a different color, thin shutters that run along the large windows, and the cast iron railings on their balconies, that person could easily pinpoint that it is a home signature to the unique city. Art can be spoken in many ways in every direction that you looked. It is difficult to focus on just one form of art, so I will discuss a few that really spoke to me.

Architecture

            Looking at the way the city is built and everything around it that make it so distinct is what makes New Orleans so beautiful. One particular beauty to the architecture is the way the buildings and homes are built in the French Quarter. Many of the buildings have businesses downstairs for locals and tourists alike to indulge in the things they are fond of. Restaurants draw in those with empty stomachs and a craving of a spicy dish. Galleries catch the eye of anyone looking for something new to hang above their mantle. Souvenir shops gather groups of tourists looking for the perfect “I ♥ NOLA” t-shirt or voodoo keychain, which is hardly voodoo at all. However, these shops still gain the revenue from those tourists who do not see the MADE IN CHINA sticker on the bottom of their $3.99 voodoo doll.

            Above these businesses are typically two stories of windows with balconies. These are not just for show, but are actually apartments. People actually habituate themselves above these businesses in the French Quarter. I am sure these are sought after homes in such an influential area. I would not mind living in such a place myself, but I would probably want to have a second home in a much quieter location that I can run off to when Mardi Gras makes its way into town. I am sure that the people who live in these apartments had that on their list of must-haves though: Must be on a street that routes Mardi Gras parades. That is how you know that I am a true Midwesterner. But for what the city is known for I respect everyone who has a home with a great view of a spectacular event.

            I have stated that these homes have balconies, but they also have what are called galleries. They may look the same, but they have distinct differences to tell them apart as they have different uses. A balcony is what many people call their small area just off of their home that they can sit for a cup of chicory with a pal. This is what a lot of people can agree on, but in New Orleans you can’t just call every sitting area off of a home a balcony. These homes could have something else called a gallery. How to tell the difference is that a gallery has beams connecting to the ground to support them, whereas balconies do not. These beams can have another name as well: Romeo poles. If you look on these beams you may be able to see a group of spikes near the top of them. Back in the day these spikes were used to keep rambunctious boys away from their rebellious daughters by making it difficult for them to climb up to the gallery and steal them away, an homage to Romeo & Juliet. A tour guide of mine said that boys have died from attempting to make the climb and failing. There are different kinds of these spikes all around the Quarter and they are an interesting piece to architecture to the city.

Street Performers

            Walking up and down the gravel alleys of the Quarter, there was always some form of entertainment from the light of day to the dark of night. Music was always a grand show for anyone that happened to be walking by when the trumpet began to blare. There were one man shows or jazzy groups keeping everyone swaying from side to side. There were other forms of entertainment other than music that some people may not actually think about.

            I happened to see palm readers all over the Square. Each day that I arrived I saw a new palm or tarot card reader setting up in each spot. I met with a palm reader, starting off a little skeptic. How could this person know who I am and what my plans are in life without knowing anything about me besides the color of my hands? On that day they were blue because it was freezing out, so I am surprised she did not tell me that my life would be short lived if I didn’t get warmed up shortly. She predicted I wanted to run my own business; I want to be a midwife. She predicted I would have three children, which my boyfriend and I have discussed before. She had talked about many other things regarding my life from now until death (which she predicted to be in my 90’s, so I have a long life ahead of me). Even if you are a skeptic I would suggest having your palms read for the sake of what the city has to offer as far as its special forms of entertainment.

Street Art

            I had the honor of meeting and talking with a talented artist. Jason Cummings came about his technique from working at his previous job that he did not particularly like. He was able to learn the tricks for his artwork through that job. His boss told him that if he didn’t work on Fat Tuesday that he would be fired. Jason was looking for this kind of opportunity to leave his job. To do so, he took off Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Since then he has been living paycheck to paycheck while making his unique work. This consists of thick, bold acrylic paint slathered on a canvas. Then, Cummings sprinkles small glass beads through the still wet paint. Lastly, he covers the work in resin to set the beads in the paint and to protect the piece. He was such a happy-go-lucky individual with a large lease for life. Hopefully I can get a larger piece from him in the future. For now, my piece I was able to get from him will hang proudly in my beachy bathroom!