deMeng and Engen (deMEngen) present: Beautiful Beasts ArtVenture
February 5-12, 2017
Kelley, Me and Lynn (Photo by Pam McKnight)
Ah--NOLA!
Really big gators.
REALLY BIG GATORS!
Our boat in the swamp (photo courtesy of our guide)
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Today is day two of the Michael deMeng workshop. OK, we worked in the workshop but everyone is really thinking about what will be happening tonight.
This evening is one of the highly anticipated events of our trip: the annual 2nd Line Parade through the French Quarter. Under terms of full disclosure, I am not the biggest costume guy. I got my costume at the very last minute from Lynn Ovenden and I am eternally grateful.
Photo by Lynn Ovenden
Photo by Katherine Engen
The rest of the workshop participants seem to love those costumes.
The Panorama Brass Band gathers
The workshop folks gather
...and we are off!
This may explain some things.
After the parade, our hostess Katherine Engen arranged for a post-parade (costumes optional) at Brennan’s, 417 Royal Street. Here was the dinner menu:
First Course:
Organic Salad - Lemonette Dressing, Radish, Cucumber, Sunflower Seeds, Feta Cheese
Or Seafood Filé - Gumbo Crab, Shrimp, Oysters, Andouille, Basmati Rice
Second Course:
Braised Short Rib - Mashed Root Vegetables, Wilted Kale, Mushroom Sauce or Seared Gulf Fish - Confit Tomato, Haricot Vert, Lemon Beurre Blanc
Third Course:
Apple and Pear Bread Pudding - Crème Anglaise, Whipped Cream or Chocolate Doberge Cake - Layers of Vanilla Sponge Cake and Chocolate Pudding, Topped with Chocolate Ganache, Crème Anglaise
After a little bar time, we were all off to bed.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
The morning was spent working on our projects in the workshop.
My figure is starting to gel.
The background is painted.
In the afternoon we are heading off to Des Allemand, Louisiana for a swamp tour.
We will tour in 1200 acres of swampland at speeds of 40-50 miles per hour on water, land, and marsh in these air boats. The group had to split up into two boats. Below is a picture taken by our tour guide of my boat.
I will admit that this was one excursion I thought I could skip. I literally thought about staying behind and working on my project instead of going. That would have been a big mistake--this turned out to be freakin' cool.
Our guide: a really cool Cajun.
The other group on their boat (which was not as good as ours!)
The other group in their sad boat.
...and there were gators.
Christine Edwards organized a dinner excursion as an optional event and I went along for the ride. We ate at a great NOLA restaurant called Delmonicos were I had turtle soup, petite filet Oscar with cookies and milk for dessert.
The night ended in the bar again have a late night confab with Michael, Andrea, Tina, KD, and Sue.
Friday, February 10, 2017
This morning I walked for breakfast to Café Conti with Lynn, Kelley, Christine. New Orleans does not lack for places to eat. In the workshop, I was intent on getting my figure painted.
Then we were in the vans and out for lunch at the St. Roch Market Food Court. Then the group headed over to the quaint yet powerfully meaningful St. Roch Cemetery.
Our next stop is the Insectarium on Canal Street. This place was just OK for me--I think it might be more interesting to kids, their parents and school groups.
To get back to the hotel we decided to walk Royale Street and its great galleries.
That night we headed to one of our favorite areas of NOLA: Frenchman Street. Dinner was at Praline Connection and we took advantage of the Frenchman Street Art Market to do some late night shopping.
Believe it or not, this is my ninth (?) trip to NOLA but my first to Cafe du Monde.
When we got back, I headed into the workroom to finish my piece and clean up my work table. Then it was off to bed.
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