The Aviary Art Show : 5 : Great Pair

View Full

View Print and Cards


*This post is the fifth in The Aviary Art Show series of paintings and posts, from the Aviary Art Gallery" of wild bird paintings at Artinua.Org .*

Having heeded the warnings that New Orleans would fill up like a bowl in a major storm our family finally had that last good reason needed to make the move to an outlying suburban community. Like many other families seeking high ground, better schools, safer neighborhoods, better streets and more, we left the things, places and people that we loved and migrated north. Like these great egrets perched in the canopy over the swamp, we perched above the swamps and low-lying areas on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

New Orleans lies on the south shore of the lake, a 24-mile long bridge away. Like many families who sought refuge from the urban decay and flooding, we commuted back into the city frequently. What were daily trips at first gradually became semi-weekly and eventually infrequent or rare. Like so many who have left urban areas we gradually divorced ourselves from the businesses that we had once frequented, choosing to patronize those nearer to our new home. We began to seek entertainment and activities locally. Crime rates and long commutes caused us to reconsider even the festivals that had once drawn us into the city. Once-close friends and relatives faded into the obscurity of distance as new relationships were cultivated with those who shared our new community and our reasons for leaving.

Having "escaped" the cultural decay, anticipating the failure of the levees to come, and surrounded by the beauty of a new community with low crime and many assets, a heaviness and longing had settled on my heart. We make these choices I thought, just as immigrants make these choices, to leave the comfort of the familiar behind and take chances for their own futures and the futures of their children and grandchildren. Like them I longed to help my former community survive, grow and prosper.



There is a kind of survival guilt that comes with avoiding or overcoming those things, people, places and events that have affected others adversely. It prompts people to activism, to putting themselves in harms way to help in recovery efforts and to donations to charity. Some return to resettle and contribute. Others never experience these things, but move on with their lives without looking back. It was in a state of thoughtfulness about this that I painted this painting in 2004.


Title : Great Pair


Media : Acrylic on canvas,


Artist : Victoria John (Ritterbush)


Description: Two great egrets perch in lush cypress canopy high above the swamp below.

Artinua.Org



Powered by Sun & Wind

The Aviary Art Show : 4 : Grace

View a higher resolution print at RedBubble

*This post is the fourth in The Aviary Art Show series of paintings and posts, from the Aviary Art Gallery" of wild bird paintings at Artinua.Org .*

Nestled into the swamps, bayous and lakes of southeast Louisiana, life in the New Orleans area is one of contrasts. Spanish and French architecture, wrought iron and a vibrant arts community in and around the French Quarter plays host to the broader celebrations of Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest and other celebrations of the culture and music of the diverse population. Surrounded by water, recreational boating, fishing villages and communities of people that bring cultural contributions, celebrations and arts from around the world, the area is world famous for the cooperative spirit with which all groups live together, work together, survive together.

While the shared experiences of celebration, food, music and more create a unique culture in and around southeast Louisiana; the shared experiences of adversity through the frequent threats and occasional widespread destruction from flooding and hurricanes also serve to provide a common ground from which people can relate to one another. Whether it is the potholed streets from subsiding soils, or the mucking out that follows a flood of even a few inches, locals share stories, survival tips and nod and laugh knowingly at these experiences common to life in this place.

It is that ability to look beyond the negatives to revel in the positives that shows the grace of those who make their lives here. Ask anyone who lives here if they could relocate and their first objection would be the loss of the local food in all of it's diversity of styles. Springtime brings roadsides and gardens bursting with bright pink azaleas and purple wisteria. Summer brings festivals and explorations into the parks and wild spaces brimming with wildlife. Year-round preparations go into Mardi Gras, a region-wide free party hosted by the locals for all comers. Then of course there is the music. In this place that brought some of the greatest musicians, bands and genres to the music scene, world-class music is available day and night throughout the year. These are just a few of the many things about this place that keep the locals here and bring others back again and again. These are the things I learned from growing up in this place and from my mother, who always overcame the adversities of life through her ability to find the good or at least the humorous in all people, events and circumstances.



Title : Grace


Media : Acrylic on canvas,


Artist : Victoria John (Ritterbush)


Description: A solitary snowy egret perches above the swamp in this painting.

Artinua.Org



Powered by Sun & Wind

The Aviary Art Show : 3 : "Wetlands : Esprit du Corps?"

View Full

*This post is the third in The Aviary Art Show series of paintings and posts, from the Aviary Art Gallery" of wild bird paintings at Artinua.Org .*

The annual preparations for 'the Atlantic hurricane season' are a way of life for those who live, work and volunteer along vulnerable coastal areas. Part of that preparedness depends upon the lessons learned from prior experiences; experiences which have shown themselves to be a poor match for the most recent cycle of stronger, super-sized hurricanes. As the trends toward larger, more powerful and more frequent hurricanes become apparent, residents along the Gulf Coast of the United States have come to depend on man-made interventions and protections as replacements for the natural protections that are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Fortunately, both individuals and governments have become increasingly aware of the importance of coastal restoration to the protection of people and property. The question, as sea levels rise, is if it is too little too late. Hopefully the preservation of wetlands will become essential parts of the decision-making process at all levels. Until then, many along the Gulf Coast brace themselves in uneasy anticipation each hurricane season, prepared to evacuate, watchful of the weather, hoping for the best and mindful of the worst that can and has happened, and, ultimately, depending on the protection of the levees and other flood-control structures that failed them in the past.

Related Articles


Title : Wetlands : Esprit du Corps?


Media : Oil on canvas, found-object sculpture


Artist : Victoria John (Ritterbush)


Description: Two great blue herons stand together in a rainy wetland setting as the sun sets and a storm approaches on the horizon. In keeping with the themes of environmental protection and disaster recovery this artwork is painted on a recycled canvas from a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The sculptural frame includes recycled and salvaged materials, including antique cypress barge boards.

Opportunities to volunteer in your area


Artinua.Org



Powered by Sun & Wind