New Art for the February Art Crawl

The Art Crawl was set for last week, but due to some icy weather, it was rescheduled for tonight. The Crawl info:

Time: 5pm-9pm
Where: Downtown Monroe
My art will be at Mystic Art Gallery at 137 Art Alley (formerly N. 2nd Street).


Here are a few peeks of my Mardi Gras art.

I couldn't do Mardi Gras without a new take on the Jazz Dog. This one is called "Krewe of Dachshund"



Mardi Gras Balcony. Size 11x14.



Beads on the lampost. You will see this all over the French Quarter during Mardi Gras. 11x14.




Another Mardi Gras Balcony painting. 11x14.


Thanks for stopping by. Laissez les bons temps rouler!!

New Art and Art News!

Gosh! My blog has been so badly neglected. I had well intentions on updating it about 3 weeks ago, but that was when my phase of "life interrupted" began!

We had a water pipe burst in our home two days after Christmas. So much for the Christmas after-glow! It has been 24 days since then and I've been forced to shove everything in the main living area of my house into boxes and out to the garage. I compare it to moving-without-notice, except that we haven't moved and everything is still in our bedrooms plus a whole-lotta-extra stuff. So..... today is the last day of the "restoration phase" if you call it. They are finishing up my new flooring today. Me and my husband repainted New Years Day. Talk about quick decisions on wall color plus floors. I hope I like my new house! What is exciting is that since everything has been moved out of the house, it gave me time to reflect how I want to set up my art studio - and I hope to streamline everything so its functionable and stylish. Crossing my fingers.

How about some art!!! This was a special commission from a high school friend for her niece, whose mother was also a high school friend. (are you confused?). She is a medical student at Tulane. She wanted a St. Charles Streetcar painting and she picked the colors. The number on the streetcar is actually the owner's birthday. And the verdict - they all loved it. I couldn't post it before Christmas because I didn't want to ruin the surprise. It's 4" x 3".






"930 St. Charles Streetcar"
Acrylic on Canvas, 4" x 3"
Artist: Melanie Douthit

I have some exciting news on the local scene. On January 1 I joined Mystic Art Gallery located in Downtown Monroe, along with 5 other artists. Our first art crawl together is Thursday, February 3 on Art Alley from 5-9pm. A few weeks ago we found a new and larger location for a studio just over the river from our present studio. We will be open during the week, as opposed to the current "by appointment only". I'll update soon with our name and exact location. Things are still in the works, but SO exciting.

So, please come out Feb 3 to the Art Crawl. I'm working on Mardi Gras themed art and won't post the images here until after the crawl. You will want to be the first to see the work, so come on out!

Tis the Season!

There are ten more days until Christmas!! I've been so busy these past two months that I've neglected my blog. Please, PLEASE remember to check on Facebook Art Studio Page for the most current information.

Here's a quick run down on life in my studio: Since the October Art Crawl, I've been busy filling orders for custom art. My newest French Quarter "color sketches" are the most requested pieces, and I have done them as small as 8" x 8" and as large as 4 Ft by 3 Ft. Feel free to contact me thru my Facebook Fan page if you have something specific you would like.

In addition to commission piece, I have TWO shows to get ready for in the next three months. More on that later! Meanwhile, how about some images of some of the most recent paintings?



This is another in my "Alice in Wonderland" series. Customer requested the name be customized for her girl, and the scene was one she specifically dictated. My daughter loved it, so I may have to do one for her.



I love doing paintings of Cafe Dumonde. This one is 8x10 with detail images done in dark brown with mahagony red gallery frame (sold).




This is a building on Royal Street, snatched up by private collector.



I have wanted to finally paint some shotgun houses in the color sketch style. I did this one last week and it was quickly snatched by one of my collectors. This one was 8x10. Detail was done in dark brown paint and the gallery framing is mahogony red.




Special commissioned piece of Pat O'Briens with "mardi gras" colors (to match the smaller ones she bought from me at the Art Crawl). Size is 24" x 30" with black gallery style frame. Looks awesome in person.




Another Pat OBrien's color sketch. Different angle, different colors. 8x10 - went to private collector.

Thanks for stopping by! Please, if you haven't done so, click the "like" button on my Facebook Fan Page so you'll be able to keep up with my latest posts. I have some EXCITING NEWS coming in January!!! Have a wonderful Christmas and happy New Year!

Christmas in the French Quarter

My newest twist on a familiar painting - this one is for a special collector who wanted something with a Christmas flair.







This painting is 16x20 with black gallery style moulding.
Taking commisisons for this up until November 20. Price is $200 with $15 USPS Priority Mail postage, insured.

thanks for stopping by!

Back from New Orleans and Catching Up!!

I had so much fun in New Orleans. I a week after the Art Crawl. I sold all of my smaller New Orleans color sketch paintings, so I had to work like crazy to get some more ready to take to the Rougarou Bayou Trading Post and Art Gallery. My friend Jeannine went with me. We got to the the gallery on time Sunday afternoon and I painted live in the window for a couple of hours. (what was I thinking? I was so tired from getting up early and the 4.5 hour drive!!)



Me with Kerrie Jones at the art gallery. Kerrie and I have been friends for over six years.







Various art in the gallery.

I am offering the Mardi Gras Doxie for the first time in framed prints at the art gallery. Mardi Gras Doxie comes in 5x7 and 4x6. The Rougarou Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Riverwalk Mall on Poydras in New Orleans. The gallery is full of unique art, folk art, photography and prints.



I took my newest four foot painting of Pirate's Alley to my collectors apartment on Royal. It's so far one of my favorite paintings. We hung it in the bedroom.



Head on view of the four foot painting.



One of my hometown friends contacted me about a week before my trip to tell me that one if his college buddies was an artist in the French Quarter. Turns out his studio was one block from where we stayed, so we arranged a short meeting. And our small world got even smaller when Jeannine realized she went to the same college and knew this man's brother. Here we are with Robert Guthrie. You can see his awesome watercolor paintings in the background.




We did the usually walking through the quarter, eating creole food, beignets and stopping by Pat O'Brien's for photos by the fountain. My new favorite place to eat is The Marigny Brasserie on Frenchmen Street. If you go there, be sure to get the crawfish quesadilla!





Glad to be back. I have a list of commissions to finish (hurry if you want something before Christmas) and some exciting news that I hope to announce before the end of the year. Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to visit my Facebook Fan Page and hit the "Like" button! You can contact me thru that page to inqure about commissions. Be sure to leave a message here or on my fan page so I'll know you stopped by!

October Art Crawl - It was so much fun!

I had so much fun at the October Art Crawl in Downtown Monroe. If you are in the area, be sure to come out for the one right after Thanksgiving. I saw so many familiar faces and the response to my new color sketches was WONDERFUL! They all sold, as well as a few other pieces. It was my first time to ever show more than a few pieces at one time and, I have to say, I had some doubts up until the first sale, which was right after the crawl started.

I'll be heading to New Orleans this weekend and will be painting live at the Rougarou Bayou Trading Post AKA Rougarou Art Gallery on Sunday, October 17 around 1p. If you are out that way, stop by and say hello.

This week I'll be working on more New Orleans color sketches to take to the gallery and I'll be listing some new things in my Etsy store soon.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll leave you with a few photos and pics of art work from the show.















And I couldn't have this art show without including the famous Mardi Gras Dachshund! She sold early into the evening. I think she'll have to make it to the next show. :)

Downtown Monroe Art Crawl this week!!

It's finally here - the art crawl in Downtown Monroe is this Thursday - in THREE DAYS!! I'm so excited. I have 23 new paintings that have not been shown online or in public - until now!! I'm going to show a few peeks of the art I will have at the Art Crawl. If you are local, come on out! I'd love to meet you if I don't already know you!

I hung the paintings at Mystic Art Gallery this weekend. Here are a couple of pics of the paintings on the wall.

This is my sign. I couldn't resist the urge to make it like a French Quarter street sign. (grin)



Next, another shot of the sign and hey...what is that? A peek of a new painting? How did that get in there?



One more pics of the art wall and some painting peeks.





The first painting I want to share is the third in my "Alice" series. This is "Alice Paints the Roses", mixed media collage, size 12" x 12". I will have a fourth Alice painting at the Art Crawl. One of my favorite series.





Next is another mixed media collage called "Angels of the French Quarter". It's 8x8 on 1.5" deep gallery wrapped stretched canvas, with gold leafing. I have another one called "Angels of the Super Dome" that I'll share later.



This one is a twist on Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night. I call it "French Quarter Cafe Terrace at Night" (real original, huh?). My first rendition of this was done around 2004-2005 and it's one of my favorite New Orleans scenes.



This is something different for me this year; I call them "Sketches". Splashes of color on the background with black detailed images, similar to pen and ink - but with acrylic paint. Most of these have gallery style wood moulding around them. Stay tuned for more of the New Orleans street scene sketches.



Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget -the Art Crawl is Thursday, October 7, 2010 in Downtown Monroe. My paintings will be at Mystic Art Gallery, 137 Art Alley, Monroe. Hope you can make it!