"Faces in Hurricane Katrina" Sculpture

In a small town named Modesto, 45 minutes northwest of the vibrant city of New Orleans, lies a plantation that holds within its walls the stories of many generations. It is here, amidst the sprawling fields and old oak trees, that I began my journey. Raised on this family plantation in Southeast Louisiana, my childhood was steeped in the rich tapestry of nature, history, and the whispers of ancestors. This sacred space was not merely a home; it was a spiritual haven, a place where the natural world intertwined with the imagination of a young boy. As a child, I would often climb to the rooftop of the two-story French Victorian plantation house, a vantage point that offered me a view of the stars and the moon that seemed to whisper secrets of the universe. With my little brother by my side, I would weave elaborate tales of far-off lands and adventures waiting to be discovered. “One day, I’m going to travel the world,” I would say, the promise hanging in the air like the sweet scent of magnolia blossoms. But as the years passed, what happened to that youthful ambition? What events transpired that would shape the course of my life and art? The turning point came when my father, a man with an artistic spirit, gifted me a 35 mm Nikon FT camera. This moment was transformative. The world of fine art photography opened up before me, and with it, a canvas for my stories. Yet, it is in the spaces between these moments that the intrigue lies. What emotions did the camera evoke? What secrets did it reveal about the world around me? How did the act of capturing images influence the narratives I had once spun under the stars? My early explorations into photography soon evolved into a fascination with mixed media and collage. Each piece I created became a reflection of my experiences, a fusion of memories, emotions, and cultural heritage. But the landscape of my life shifted dramatically in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina descended upon New Orleans like a monstrous wave, leaving devastation in its wake. This catastrophic event not only altered the physical realm of my beloved city but also reshaped my artistic journey. What was lost in the chaos? What emerged from the ruins? The devastation of Katrina acted as a catalyst, prompting me to delve deeper into my art. The remnants of my childhood home, now a memory washed away by the floodwaters, infused my work with a new sense of urgency and purpose.