​My friend and co-author Nancy Rust and I have written and published five books, including three picture books. We enjoy writing books about history and interesting people and animals.

​We are both members of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), and through that, the Acadiana Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. 

​I am also a potter and longtime member of LAA. I love the flexibility and unpredictable nature of clay art. I like hand building and creating fanciful figures and shapes. I learned to work in clay from the late Betty Jean Tompkins, who introduced me to LAA. Through her I am a founding member of the Cracked Pot Friends, a group of potters who continue to inspire and encourage me.

Kudos to LAA for encouraging creative talent in art and writing. Recently, my writing group collaborated with LAA to promote reading during Children’s Book Week. It was a wonderful way to showcase the link between art and writing, particularly in picture books, which are often where children first experience art. 

​Carol Stubbs

I was obsessed with drawing and art from a young age. I drew pictures for years before starting to paint.
I’ve taken many workshops with numerous artist for many years but never had any formal training. What you see in my exhibits is the culmination of hours upon hours of trial and error.
 
My painting  “career” started with landscapes. I produced many bayous and swamp scenes with oak trees being my favorite subject with lots of Cajun cabins, ducks, and chickens.
 
After moving away from Houma, LA back to my childhood town of Lafayette, I branched out to floral abstracts and to figurative art.
 
I love outsider art, as well as the expressionists. Many of my paintings reflect these ideas.

Camilla Drobish

I suppose if I pinned myself down (which would be a lot to wrestle with) I would call myself an illustrator. Drawing has always been my favorite form of art. In the womb I kneaded an eraser. That’s a mild artist joke. I have lived most of my life in south Louisiana so I do enjoy creating images of wildlife, but I tend more toward fantasy images inspired by books I read or films I watch. I grew up in the 70’s/80’s which were the heyday of paperback cover art and movie poster art, so I’m sure I picked up on much of that as I got older. I do traditional media artwork rather than digital. I’m a lead-head.

My biggest influences were mainly the fantasy artists I admired and tried to emulate as I continued to illustrate: Frank Frazetta, Michael Whelan, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, N. C. Wyeth, Robert McGinnis, John Harris and many others. Illustrators all, who transformed words into images. I also enjoy pin up artists like Gil Elvgren. For obvious reasons, but also for the innocent nostalgia it invokes.
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I make art to tell tales. Which makes sense since I also enjoy writing poetry and an occasional story. I try to interpret what I read or watch in illustration form. It is frequently humorous or in caricature style. I tend toward YA or children’s art in many ways, but not exclusively.

Art means a lot to me. I have been viewing it or doing it all my life in one form or another. It helps ground me while at the same time allowing a much needed escape into fantasy that is often lacking in everyday life. Which, in essence, is what most artists strive for.
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An illustrator. That’s me.

​Jason Hardy

I use acrylic and other water media on paper and canvas, in an abstract figurative style.  
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My creative expression uses layers of metaphor and symbolism to stimulate curiosity, provoke thought, and encourage further inspection. I often uses bold, clear, sometimes bright colors and themes are usually joyful in nature.

I've studied fine art at the University of Louisiana, Louisiana Technical School Adult Art Extension program, and many master workshops.

I begin by thanking our out-going President, Terry Palmer, for his many contributions to the LAA. His work with the LAA these past 2 years has kept us running and operating during these unprecedented times. I would also like to thank you, the LAA membership, for placing your confidence and trust in me to serve as your President.

For the past 2 years I have served as First Vice President, and I am ready to accept this honor in becoming president to continue our wonderful LAA history and build upon it. My main goal this year is to encourage the membership to become more involved. I would like the members to feel like this is their organization.

​For those of you who are already leaders, to reach out and encourage and mentor those who have a passion to move forward. I want to be someone who listens and inspires for all to create! And, together with the strong support of the new Vice Presidents, Margo Baker and Edward deMahy, we all will strive to MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Your President of your LAA, Dusty Reed dusty@cajunpicasso.com 

Haiku poem by Guy Kilchrist

​As I jot down these few words for my fellow LAA members, I’m enjoying the hard hitting beats and prophetic lyrics of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. Tom died too early with a lot more to say in his melodious way, but, he leaves us with his art for the ears. I’m sure that each one of his music creations is inspired by an event, an event that led to an emotional response of ear art. So here we are in September with emotions flaring from all sides and from a variety of events. From COVID to Hurricane Ida, we’ve run the obstacle course of emotional hurdles. It’s tiring, isn’t it? There is an oasis, a beacon of light out there to help take your mind off the turmoil. It’s your Lafayette Art Association. Join in the activities, go see what’s happening and participate in the exhibits. Your emotional flow will become positive.

The Eye of the Beholder exhibit is ending soon 9/18. If you haven’t seen this exhibit, it’s an exceptional show with sales of several pieces. With the end of this show, there’s the start of another - The LAA Fall Members Only Exhibit. Eye participants will need to remove their work during normal gallery hours, 9/22-10/2. Submissions for our fall show are also during this period. So, pick-up and drop off at the same time.

​Get your creativity flowing and pARTicipate! We’d love to see you and your work.

Terry L Palmer LAA President

Art requires a willingness to learn and to experiment. I started out exploring art through ceramics. Then came basketry followed by experimentation in 2D art through encaustic mono-print making.  As each medium was explored, varied and creative work was produced.  

The production of artistic work for me involves research and workshop attendance where learning and experimentation is encouraged. A recent workshop I attended exposed me to printmaking with acrylic paint on a Gelli plate. 

Happily, “Water” was a product of that workshop.  

Susan Chiquelin

As a student I was interested in many subjects: art, anthropology, psychology, biology but the urge to create led to a Painting and Commercial Art Degree at Mississippi State University. To make a living, I have worked as a graphic designer/ illustrator for various businesses and environmental agencies over the years. It was working with environmental scientists that kindled my interest in the natural world. Birds, fish, leaves, trees, and animals often inhabit my work. 

​Through the Acadiana Center for the Arts I also work in public schools as a teaching artist. I am adept at using computer programs, such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign as well as traditional media like ink, paper and watercolor.

Diane Baker
​dbakerdesign@bellsouth.net

​​To form a clay piece, I begin by throwing the clay on a wheel forming an urn or bowl or rolling slabs out for tiles. I then sculpt my nature inspired scene on each piece. After air drying the pieces are bisque fired. I may add a glaze to the piece or high fire it “au naturel” since I prefer the finished pieces to reflect the natural clay coloring.
 

Bruci Gauthier
St. Martinville, LA
bruciredrim@yahoo.com