Fiddle Mania - Artists' bios
Sue Boagni, a resident of Opelousas, studied art at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. She has participated in artists' workshops abroad in Bali, Mexico, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Holland and Belgium. She has attended several summer water color workshops offered by M. Douglas Walton, at Louisiana Tech University on design, color, and figure. Sue has also attended and hosted workshops by art teacher Jane Stephenson (AWA) (SWA) of Dallas, Texas. Sue's work has appeared in "American Artist Watercolor" a national art magazine and she has shown her work privately and publicly in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi.
Jerome Ford is a New Orleans native whose unique combination of influences yields painting that is every bit as rich as his heritage. Displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Ford’s latest series Soul Food, of which this painting is part, is an effort to recollect and record all of the dreams, aspirations and experiences that are bound to be forgotten. Inspired by the Bible and the evocations of his own dreams, Ford’s moody, intensely hued canvases are a testament to the New Orleans Diaspora.
Michelle Fontenot (Thistlewaite) works in stained glass art, but is not limited to any form of creativity. Michelle said she is inspired by the world around her which poses questions to her every day. Some of her art works have been seen at Sans Souci Gallery, Festivals International, Festivals Acadian, Bywater Art Market, Blue Moon Saloon and Guesthouse, Visions Art Gallery, and Mid-City Art Market .
Christine Ledoux is a self taught mosaic artist currently living in Washington, Louisiana. Over the years she has experimented with many different media. Within the last year Christine has found a new passion when she began mixing her two favorites, clay and glass. Christine's current works are a fusion of ceramics and stained glass. By combining hand built clay forms, glass, and other materials, she has found a way to express herself artistically. Ledoux is constantly inspired by colors and textures found in nature and the graceful proportions of the human body. Her pieces usually start spontaneously stemming from an interesting shard of glass, stone or broken piece of pottery. The process of embellishing handmade forms and reclaimed objects involves fitting pieces together to create mosaics, which is both relaxing and rewarding.
Larry "Kip" Hayes is a resident of Broussard, Louisiana and is a multi-talented individual who has been sketching and painting since his high school days. Starting out in the 1970s, Hayes applied his talents as a freelance photographer to his art. Enamored by the rural landscapes he viewed, Hayes quickly began re-interpreting his photographs of barns, farmland, egrets, and bayous onto canvas. Hayes' paintings have been sold nationally and internationally, from Louisiana to South Africa. The paintings, in both oil and acrylic, on recycled cypress boards, capture South Louisiana's soul and beauty.
Vergie Banks is a Lafayette native and renowned artist Vergie Banks doesn’t just revel in the culture of south Louisiana, she shares it with others and helps them appreciate the unique lifestyle enjoyed in this vibrant corner of the world. Her paintings are often used to promote the region at home and abroad in tourism campaigns. Looking at her work of Zyde-Cajun musicians jamming, of jazz flowing from brass instruments, or her trademark Creole girl pedaling a tricycle with gusto down a country lane, it’s easy to see the connection with the passionate, colorful Louisiana lifestyle that reflects the soul.
June A. Lowrey, a resident of Washington, Louisiana, iis an accomplished artist, author of regional folklore, fashion model, T.V. and radio commercial talent and now adds her natural talents to the world of jewelry design. Lowrey's collection is exotic, yet tastefully refine. In Sept. 1976 Lowrey presented the manuscript and original plates of her first children's book to Dr. Donald R. Foos, dean of the LSU Graduated School of Library Science and Library Director George Guidry. The book, "Ah Ain't Got Nobody (t'go crawdaddin'wit')" was published by Bodemuller in Opelousas. Lowrey is also one of the artists featured at the Country House Art Gallery which is in the historic town of Washington, Louisiana.
Adrian Fulton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served in U.S. Air Force and came to Louisiana through National Guard in 1993, married and has been here ever since. He graduated from The Philadelphia Printing School of Advertising. He studied and produced murals while working as an illustrator for newspaper in Sicily, Italy. He donated Draft Design for an Orphanage to Sister's of Mother Teresa while in Italy and a painting of Mother Teresa for the sister's of Mother Teresa. He donated murals and artwork for local churches. He is the creator of Craw-Ville Cartoons. He produces 5 minute caricatures and 10 minute portraits at festivals, parties and events. His artwork can be seen in several local and out of state galleries and establishments.
Kat Cart Guidroz is originally from Iota, Louisiana but resides in Port Barre, Louisiana. She is a certified talented visual arts instructor for St. Landry Parish Schools. Kat attended Lousiana State University of Eunice and Louisiana State University from 1977-80 where she studied art history. Cart Guidroz presented Miss America with a Southern in 1988. She was awarded the People's Choice Award and the Tri-Ribbon overall. In 1987 she was awarded a certificate from the National Park Academy of the Arts. Cart Guidroz was involved with the Opelousas Art League, Youth Art Council of America Louisiana Association and served with the Lions Club with drawings of Cracklin Prints. She also had students achieve 1st in State & National Level Competions. Kat sponsored children in the works of murals and worked with Robert Tinney and St. Landry Bank on a story mural for the "The Seven Sisters Oak". Kat is currently teaching at Opelousas Catholic School, St. Ignatius, Port Barre High, Port Barre Elem, Leonville, Park Vista, Northeast and Grolee which all schools had a part with producing the "ByGone Days" Fiddle.
Yvette Chappuis grew in South Louisiana which has influenced her work. The lush, beautiful landscape, the people and the music of Acadiana has given her much inspiration for creativity. Yvette often uses recycled musical instruments as her canvas and she combines different materials and techniques to layer her paintings. For the past 20 years, she has traveled to art shows and music festivals across the country with her husband David and their dog "PoBoy". Yvette has also done work that includes festival posters and t-shirt designs and many murals in the Colorado area.
Robbie Sebastien is a resident of Opelousas where he owns a jewelry business near the downtown area. Robbie is a community activist and local jewelry and visual artist. He is one of the Past Presidents of the Opelousas Art League. He has designed several posters for the LA Yambilee Festival as well as helped to design sets for the Opelousas Little Theatre.
Gwen Voorhies is an artist with studios in New Iberia and Lafayette, Louisiana. She is currently showing at City Club in River Ranch, Lafayette Art Association, and the Heymann Performance Art Center. Voorhies is a private art instructor in New Iberia and Lafayette, teaching eight weekly classes in oil/acrylic painting, and drawing in graphite and pastel for children and adults. She is also an art instructor of workshops in Alla prima (paintings created in one sitting), "en plein air" (painting created outside) and Color Mixing. Voorhies attended Springhill College in Mobile, Alabama in 1976-77 for Fine Art and then transferred to Louisiana State University graduating in Spring of 1983 with a degree in Interior Design. Voorhies is also a Board Member of many Acadiana Arts Organizations.
Mary Beth Fontenot is originally from Ville Platte and is currently living in Lafayette, Louisiana. Mary Beth graduated from Mc Neese State University in 1997 with a BA in fine arts and her concentration was in oil painting. In 2000 she became a certified art teacher and taught art for five years in West Baton Rouge parish. Fontenot's work has been displayed at the Sherman Fine Arts Gallery in Lake Charles and at an art showing in Oakdale at the old train station. In 1996 & 97 Fontenot entered her artwork for a design contest for the Smoked Meat Festival in Ville Platte, Louisiana, where she won both years.
Robert Baxter was born in Mobile, Alabama. His parents enrolled him in art lessons at age 5, and at age 9 he was china painting roses and dogwoods on plates with nationally known artist Ruth Gamble. Thus began his love of flowers and wildlife. Upon graduation, Robert landed his first job with Record Bar as a multimedia artist doing tour posters, advertisements, and promotions for almost every record company in America. Along the way, he won such prestigious awards as two NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) awards for the Grammys and three NARM awards for the Country Music Association, better known as the CMAs. In 2001, he worked with mural artist Robert Dafford, painting large murals all across the country. Robert began a series of paintings about butterflies finding them as an inspiration after Hurricane's Katrina and Rita. In the last months of 2008, Robert Baxter created a mural located on the side of the Municipal Plaza that depicts the Cajun and Creole culture in St. Landry Parish.
Kenneth Scott, Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana where he was raised in one of the toughest and most densely populated areas of the city's' 9th ward. With violence plaguing the city streets, a young Kenneth turned to art as an outlet. In the fall of 1998 Scott began his collegiate career at Louisiana State University's College of Art and Design. Scott participated in various juried art shows in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans area. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing in 2002, he made the career choice of becoming a freelance artist. His most recent works, "Jazz Icons", is an ongoing series that consist of color portrait of jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday
Linda Meaux is a native of Opelousas, Louisiana who spent many summers as a teen in Chataignier where her love for people brought her into daily contact with the simpler ways of life. She resides in Broussard with her husband Louis and their Boston Terrier, Couch-Couch. Meaux started the world of art with the stroke of a pen, working correspondent reporter for the Daily World. Meaux is a member of Lafayette Art Association, and teaches arts and crafts at Camelot to the young at heart seniors in Broussard, Louisiana.
Andre Juneau is a resident of Scott, Louisiana. His expertise of fiberglass allowed him to fabricate the fiddles for the Fiddle Mania project. Andre learned the art of sculpturing from his parents, Pat and Suzanne, who are both artists. Andre’s work experience includes making steel furniture and steel decorative pieces.
Agnes St. Amand, an Opelousas native, is a figurative artist, leaning toward classicism. Painting mostly African American women has become the bulk of her work, although she has painted and sold many landscapes and still life pieces. Her chosen medium is oil, on canvas, masonite and occasionally wood. She became aware of the salability of her art work during the New Orleans worlds Fair when many of her paintings were sold to out of state collectors. Her work was chosen, and then purchased at that time to show at Lord and Taylor in New York in conjunction with the Worlds Fair. Her work was also chosen by a panel of judges to show at the New Orleans Museum of Art, which was later sold after the exhibition. St. Amand resides in Broussard, Louisiana where she owns an art gallery.
Robert Tinney is an award-winning computer industry illustrator where he has created hundreds of illustrations for the magazine BYTE. His popular BYTE covers have been shown at the prestigious Computer Museum in Boston, and he has received numerous awards for the technical excellence and inspired themes of his illustrations. His clients include Motorola, Ford Aerospace, JDR Microdevices, QNX Software, and many others. His haunting images are among the most recognized in the computer industry. In recent years, as the computer industry has turned more and more toward the Web, Tinney has moved into computer graphics, producing wholly digital images for Internet companies such as WebMovie.Com. He has also produced 3-D models and animations for multimedia entertainment, using the industry standard modeling application 3-D Studio. Tinney creates his popular images amidst the bayous and live oaks in the heart of Cajun Louisiana. His studios claim the upper story of an historic, antebellum country home in Washington, Louisiana where he and his wife Susan reside.
