As a New Orleans native, I am so proud to be apart of this culturally thriving city. There is no better place to be as an artist, and I find inspiration on a daily basis walking through these enriching streets. After receiving my MFA from LSU, I moved to the Garden District where I currently work out of my home studio.

Working almost entirely in acrylic, I create large-scale figurative paintings on canvas. Having several wonderful gay friends who are drag queens, I have been exposed to private dressing rooms before their show. Enamored with the dazzling two-hour transformations and impressed by the talent and dedication it took to create these costumes, I found a spark to represent this world in my ongoing series “Painted Ladies” and “Costumes and Queens”. My paintings explore the notion that gender is no longer black and white but an array of colors as expressed through the use of bright color schemes. My work showcases the fun in expressing oneself and toy with the concept of androgyny. I generally create my works based on imagination using ideas from memories, photos, or sights around the city.

In my most current series, I am creating my own interpretation of tarot using drag queens as a motif. The "Drag Tarot Series" incorporates the themes of Tarot card reading and the artistic expression of Drag to blend together these two very popular elements found in New Orleans. 

Visit my website: gaux-gaux.com Follow me on Instagram 

All of my paintings are on gallery-wrap canvas. The sides are painted so they do not require a frame. For more info, please message me or send me an email: gaux@gaux-gaux.com

Describe your art in three words. Playful, Bright, Flirtatious

What do you love the most about creating art in New Orleans? What particular part of your immediate environment, in your neighborhood specifically influences your work? Living in the Garden District, I can walk anywhere at any given time and see a random local dressed to the nines which will spark an idea for a painting.

Describe your creative process. Are there any rituals or rites of passage you exercise before you begin a new piece? (Playing some tunes before painting is a must )The characters in my work are all anonymous figures, but I gather ideas from the people I see, photos, and memories. I start by making a quick drawing using chalk pastel. Forms, costumes ideas, and color combinations change with each other as I work layers of acrylic paint into the painting.

Where do you draw inspiration? Drag queens, burlesque dancers, and carnival costumes.

Who are your artistic influences or gurus? Alice Neel for her raw, emotional portraiture and Marc Chagall for his imaginative and whimsical approach to creating art.

In New Orleans, art and music go hand in hand. What type of music, band or song lyric best describes your work? "Foxy Lady" by Jimi Hendrix

Where can we find you when you are not creating art? Watching football, working (to afford art supplies), or spending time with my family.

What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year? Dusk on a Sunday in October (at the beach).

What is something people don’t know about you? A fun fact. My favorite place I have traveled to is Bangkok, Thailand.

Visit my website / Follow me on Instagram

You can also see my works at Fawkes Fine Art Gallery 

All works listed online are available to be viewed at Where Y’Art Gallery by appointment.

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