Art

Esther Barend

Outer Journey:

I went to Galerie Rue Toulouse art gallery on Royal Street.  I was drawn in from a painting I saw through the window.  I was unable to take pictures (even if they were for school).  The paintings were done by Esther Barend.  By the time I got up to guy in the gallery many of the other students had come into the gallery so I was unable to ask him any questions.  He did give me a flyer, but I decided to do my own research.  Esther was born into a family of artists in the Netherlands.  She first began with jewelry making and then went onto the Academy of Fine Arts.  After about 3 years she felt she had to go her own way, this is where she tirelessly worked on finding her style (Boy, did it pay off!)  Barend’s painting can be found in collections in USA, Europe, United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Australia.

Esther uses what appears to be oil paints.  She uses dimension to her advantage, layering paint on top of each other to bring it to life.  One thing that I noticed is she doesn’t stick to complimentary colors (Red with green, orange with blue, and yellow with purple, she uses a lot of contrast.  This draws your eyes to different parts of the picture, as if there is always more to discover.  She says she doesn’t like to have close-minded pictures where it could only represent one thing.  She uses her style of painting to encourage viewers to use their own imagination.

Upon viewing her website, I discovered she also does abstract paintings and portraits in black and white as well.  Esther clearly has an eye (and talent) for art.  Her abstract pieces spoke to me as much as her portrait pieces. They use the same brush style and dimension work, but are very open to interpretation.  She has a beautiful red abstract piece that is unlike her other paintings as red is the only color used.  It’s deep, profound, and bold.  If ever given the opportunity I would love to own a piece or two from her collection.

Inner Journey:

I enjoy art, of all kinds.  When it comes to art I have to be drawn to it, it doesn’t matter if it is realism or abstract. Esther Barend’s art drew me in off the streets.  I saw through the windows her paintings and walked right in, I wasn’t even sure if my friends had followed me.  I didn’t even bothering looking at other pictures in the gallery because I had already found the one that spoke to me.  I feel what drew me to her work was I could feel the emotion in the painting, it was like that old saying, “if walls could talk”.  Well if these paintings could talk I bet I could have listened all day.  Her paintings weren’t flat, there was dimension to them, often colors that would be conflicting of each other laid right next to each other.  I think her art spoke to me through emotions.  It was like these women in the paintings were not perfect, but they were beautiful.  It reminded me of basic human connection.  Every person has a story that includes pain, anguish, happiness, success, and failure and I felt that is what Esther was conveying in her portrait paintings.  I think I like this so much because I am a very in tune person to other’s emotions.  I care about who a person is, what their story is, and where they are going and I felt that the paintings were displaying.  It was like with each color represented a different emotion and how that person felt it depended on how heavy the paint was laid or how long the brush stroke was.  I think the way she paints can elicit a new emotion each time you see her paintings depending on how the viewer’s emotions are for the day.  That day I saw imperfect women in the paintings, wearing their past as a badge of honor, looking beautiful as ever.

Music

Outer Journey:

Music is the heart and soul of New Orleans.  It’s the pulse that keeps the city alive.  It was a different experience for me to be walking during the day and see different types of music being performed right on the streets.  Where I come from bands are booked in advanced then they are advertised usually through social media platforms.  While that is great to figure out when your favorite band is playing, a negative is you don’t get to discover new artists often.  I really enjoyed the street performers, especially (I believe it’s called) Brass Jazz.  It is not music I would normally listen to but I really liked it.  It just seemed to put a little pep...or should I say jazz in your step as your went about your day

My favorite was when we were able to go to Frenchman’s street and wander around the different bars and street to find music that spoke to us.  There were so many different styles that it was overwhelming.  I actually came across The New Orleans SwingingGypsies by fate as I chose a bar because I needed to use the restroom.  The music drew me in.  It was mesmerizing to watch the band and the audience.  The audience was swing dancing and it was beautiful.  Had I of knew the moves I would have been drawn out on the dance floor.  The music was mostly instrumental, but when they sang it was tantalizing.  The voices were pure magic that kept all eyes on them and kept the audience moving. 

Inner Journey:

I was told I believe by my teacher (may have been a tour guide) that New Orleans is called The Big Easy because it is easy to find work as a musician…but the pay isn’t always the greatest.  I can see how it is easy to become a musician in New Orleans.  However, there is something more than just that.  Music isn’t a career, it’s a way of life, an art form.  Music definitely spoke to me, moved me, and influenced me.  It was as if I was becoming part of the city, their musical pulse was becoming my pulse.  My heart would beat to the rhythm of the band rather than on its own.  It made me realize how simply we view music where I am from.  You hear a song on the radio and you like it, so you download it to your phone…done.  In New Orleans it helped me to disconnect from my phone.  I spent my time in the moment listening and taking in what these artists had to offer. It was if they were giving me a piece of them to carry with me.  My head was up and my eyes were locked in.  The New Orleans Swinging Gypsies had me in a trance to where I almost forgot to take a video of them altogether.  It was almost like meditation, I didn’t want to be bothered with conversation or my phone.  I truly wanted to feel the music.  I think the time I spent in New Orleans has changed the way I view music in general.  When I got back to the hotel after seeing them I immediately looked them up to see who there were.  I read their story and viewed their upcoming shows.  I think it is important to learn about the artists and not just focus in on one song that you liked.  Music should be experienced.

Farewell New Orleans!

Outer Journey:

It’s the final day, it came so quickly and I am not ready to say good-bye.  I woke up and already had everything packed up and laid out.  So, I was ready to grab some breakfast and head to Jackson Square one last time.  I spent my time walking around and revisiting my favorite places.  How do you even pick a favorite!?

After careful consideration, my favorite spot had to be Jackson Square.  It represents to me the heart of our trip.  This was our meeting place and where we spent much of our time exploring.  This was a great place to take in the sights, I loved walking around and looking at the street performers, the music, and the art.  Not only were streets alive with people but the scenery stole my heart.  I loved looking across the park and seeing the Andrew Jackson statue with the St. Louis Cathedral in the background.  If that wasn’t enough, the stores were adorable and great.  Each store I went into was welcoming and the workers were friendly and full of knowledge.

I will absolutely miss the city.  I am absolutely ready to be home, but New Orleans was amazing.  My plan is to come back either with my sister or my friends. Both have wanted to come here and my job was to let them know if it is worth the trip.  My answer: ABSOLUTELY!  I have been keeping my family and friends updated with pictures daily.  However, I tell them about the beautiful architecture, the live history, and culturally diverse people.  I’ve given them history facts (which by now I’m sure they are tired of hearing about).  Their favorite story is about Nicholas Cage is his bad luck that stemmed from purchasing Madame LaLaurie’s house and to correct his “juju” he had to build a pyramid shaped tomb in the cemetery and pay for perpetual care for the surrounding tombs.

Inner Journey:

My favorite part of the class was being able to take our e-travel guides and then see the city.  I really like that we did a project beforehand and then while in the city we were able to recognize the different things that were discussed.  

My favorite part of the trip would be the Katrina Museum.  Not only did I do my e-travel guide on Hurricane Katrina, but it was an emotional tribute. I really liked that they had a room with firsthand accounts and interviews.  Listening to the stories was overwhelming.  It really made me think how this wasn’t just a storm that was shown on the news, this was a disaster that displaced, in and even killed people.

I love New Orleans and the people who live there.  I have found that most residents of New Orleans are friendly, and love to share their city with anyone who visits.  The stores owners were knowledgeable about the history of their store.  Uber drivers were very willing to answer questions about Katrina or even as simple the best places to eat.  I felt most everyone was warm and welcoming.

I learned that my love for traveling has only been enhanced from this trip.  I love telling my family and friends about the details of my day. My sons are extremely interested in all the new foods that I have tried and what I am doing.  I had to facetime them one day to show them Jackson Square so they could feel included in my journey.  I learned that I love learning the history of the city I am in.  It really opens my eyes to the different ways people live.  I think learning history of other cities and seeing how others live can help shape my life better because I can have a better understanding of others.