by Laura, R&F Paints

I recently attended the Southern Graphics Councils’ annual conference, which was held this year in New Orleans. One of the highlights for me was an opportunity to catch up with the work of artist, Mary Jane Parker, who had a solo show at the Gallery at R&F in 2008. In her current solo show, Keepsakes, at Arthur Roger Gallery, Mary Jane presents new work inspired by the masses of foliage that blanketed the New Orleans landscape in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Struck by the natural patterns of vines and how they decorated the surfaces of the city, she began photographing, drawing and cutting stencils of them, thinking that these intricate stencils could be used for a series of encaustic paintings. But something happened in the process that made her realize she didn’t need the wax at all! The show features hand and laser cut paper, prints and photographs.