Finally!!

Bois Sec (Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin)
ink, acrylic, sawdust and bottle caps on wood
18" x 24"
8.09

Finally, the final piece to a two year project. This is the last painting for my Let's Make a Record show in Alexandria, Louisiana. He is number 33. Bois Sec was one of my first discoveries when I started researching for this series. I truly believe his music is the sound the Earth makes rotating on its axis...its creaky, passionate, dusty, and raw. Bois Sec fathered several musically inclined children, and was one of many in a deep musical lineage. He bridged the gap between the pre-war Creole/Cajun music and the Zydeco revolution and folk revival of the 60's and 70's. Anyway, Bois Sec is creole for dry wood. Apparently, Alphonse was always the first to find cover if a storm broke, hence Dry Wood!

Call The Doctor!!!

Call the Doctor (Dr. Isaiah Ross)
ink, acrylic, found objects on found wood
7.09

Here is the latest installment of my Blues Reliquary Series, illustrating the incredible one-man-band Dr. Ross the Harmonica Boss. He is definitely one of my favorite blues personalities...just look at that mug! People called him doctor because he was one of the few folks in his hometown who could read and write and this moniker led to him carrying his harmonicas in a doctor's medical case. He was in several bands after WWII, but decided to go the one man band route to put an end to the bickering and bad relations that can lead to a band's demise.
Dr. Ross is one interesting guy and his music is fantastic. He started recording for Sun Records, did some time with Arhoolie, and his most famous recordings are probably from Detroit's Fortune Records. Speaking of Detroit, he worked at the same General Motors plant for most of his life.
As a side note, I love the squirrel thermometer on this piece. I found that way back in '98 when I first moved to Columbus and it has found its way into several pieces of art, but now it ain't goin' nowhere!

Something Wicked

Something Wicked(Rosie Ledet)
pencil, ink, acrylic, and bottle caps on wood
24" x 18"

This here is the Sweetheart of Zydeco, Rosie Ledet. More currently, I believe, she has been crowned the Princess of Zydeco. Anyway she has a very soulful voice and squeezes one hell of an accordion. She is a great example of the current scene in Louisiana, one that draws heavily from the sound of the past while still creating something fresh. This maybe the only contemporary artist I did for the Alexandria show...wow, 1 out of 33