New Orleans Art Blog

New Orleans Spanish Tile Mural Replicas

Spanish Talavera tiles are hand painted clay tiles that originated in the area of Talavera de la Reina, Spain. They are soft clay moulded and hand colored with a Arabic-Andalusian influence found throughout Spain. Some Spanish Potters brought the style with them to Mexico. The street name murals in the French Quarter were given to New Orleans in 1962 and some, due to weather and wear and tear from vistors touching them are falling apart. Visitors love the murals and take photographs of them. Now there are replica tiles designed by a local artist.

Replicas of the Spanish Tile Murals found at Jackson Square, and as street names along the walls in the French Quarter in New Orleans come in several sizes. This realistic tile mural will be a part of the history of New Orleans and can be used as a display, wall hanging, table top, or tile back in a kitchen or bath.
Comes in several sizes and prices. The smallest is a single 4.5 inch square ceramic tile that is heat set with the design. Other sizes go up to a 27 x14 inch mural composed of 18 sq heat set ceramic tiles. The mural needs to be assembled either glued or set to a backing. Not for floors, just walls or display.

Follow this link for more details and to order http://www.cafepress.com/figstreetstudio/4855160

Combining these many different tiles can make a Spanish Style Table top.

Labels: art, fig street studio, french quarter, jackson square, louisiana, Mexico, Mural, new orleans, nola, schwehm, Spain, Talavera de la Reina

Lighthouse That Never Was

The great looking Camp. St. Lighthouse that now houses a glass studio never really was a functional light. It was built by the Lighthouse for the Blind, a charity, then later sold as they moved to new offices. It is a wonderful building on a well traveled street close to the Ogden Museum where I docent at times.

I walked that area and took many photos but finally settled on painting the light next to the light. The old gas light glowing near the lighthouse that no longer functions. I sell prints, framed and unframed, tiles, postcards, note cards, and other gift items of this and the other lighthouses near New Orleans. Many of which were destroyed by the storm. My way of preserving what I grew up seeing in my home town. To see more New Orleans area lighthouse prints visit Fig Street Art Studio on the web.

Labels: Architecture, art, Building Types, Lighthouse, new orleans

Old Photos To Art

For years for family and friends I have taken old photographs and transformed them in to art by painting compositions from the photo onto 8X10 watercolor paper. Once framed they become a work of art and cherished family heirloom. I often take time to also offer this service to the general public and would consider commissions from anyone with an interest in having an old photograph turned into a painting. This is no computer generated gimmick but a real painting so expect the prices to reflect the time and skill it takes to do a work of art. For more information and samples see http://www.figstreet.com/studio/photoart.html

Labels: art, fig street studio, new orleans, painting, photographs, portraits

Porcelain Christmas Ornaments from Local Artists

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Gift Shop featured my Porcelain Christmas Ornaments at their gift shop in 2006 in the New Orleans Hotel on Canal St. The hotel just re-opened Dec 9,2006 and still has some renovation going on outside.

I took a picture of the tree and the ornaments on it. You can now buy them on the web. Stop in my Studio web page at http://www.figstreet.com/studio and see the links for Christmas Ornaments and Cards by New Orleans Artists. And remember to check out all the New Orleans centered gifts at both my Cafe Press Shop and my Zazzle Shop on the web. Only available on the web now. See http://www.cafepress.com/figstreetstudio/397833

Several more designs on www.zazzle.com/figstreetstudio*.

Christmas Ornaments featured in the paper Nov 26, 2005 see http://blogofbingo.blogspot.com/ Many unique Christmas images on porcelain ornaments. Designs by New Orleans artists.