Early Morning on Ursulines Street

I just finished this painting of one of the most unique buildings in the French Quarter. It's not a particularly large building, but it has the largest 2nd story dormers I have ever seen in the Quarter! (A lot of you will recognize this place.)

It's really a testament to how solidly these old stucco structures were built, because, year after year (century after century) the weight of these twin dormers have not caused the roof to sag.

And, how they must have enhanced daily living in the 2nd floor apartment! With those large arched shutters open wide, light could stream in, not to mention the wonderful cross ventilation. The builders of these New Orleans homes and shops thought of every thing.

It's fun for me to imagine how beautiful it would be to live in this apartment, with the with early morning rays of sunlight dancing across the floor, and the sounds of a city waking up drifting in on the breeze.

To see more of my New Orleans art, please visit: www.neworleans-art.net
or visit the Kako Gallery on Royal Street in the French Quarter where some of my originals are available: www.kakogallery.com

Bourbon Street Rock

Having just returned from another trip to New Orleans, my first painting was yet another version of one of my favorite buildings on Bourbon street, The Old Opera House. We spent quite a few hours there with friends dancing to the infectious beat of a great Cajun band, the Bonoffs.

Aside from the great music, this great old building, a Creole Cottage example of architecture, is just amazing! After 200 plus years, it seems as solid as the day it was built. It is drenched in atmosphere, as if all the old beams, bricks and plaster hold all the memories and events of the old New Orleans. I have found that I am not alone in having the experience of being almost overwhelmed by this mysterious sense of history. Many of my customers say they also feel an unexplainable emotional reaction to the buildings in the French Quarter.

This painting is currently for sale on my website: www.neworleans-art.net
To see more of my paintings in New Orleans, visit Kako Gallery on Royal Street: www.kakogallery.com

Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans

What is it about Pat O'Brien's Bar that makes it a favorite with tourists? Is it the famous Hurricane drink, the fire pit fountain, the piano bar (where I last requested the very lengthy MacArthur's Park!), the reasonably price food, or the very professional staff? I could go on and on.........

I guess you could say that Pat O'Brien's is world famous for all theses reasons. Just like the city of New Orleans, it is a constant, always there, always charming, and always glad to see you and ask "How Y'all doin?"

This original oil painting and others are available at Kako Gallery on Royal Street in the heart of the French Quarter: www.kakogallery.com

And, please visit my website at:

neworleans-art.net

Mardi Gras Images, a Montage in Oil

Recently, I have been painting some wide panoramic scenes of New Orleans. This painting was done for a Nola resident and combines his favorite Mardi Gras impressions into one view. St. Louis Cathedral, a Krewe of Zulu float, French Quarter balconies, Second Line dancers, and a brass band all flow together to create this 6 Foot wide piece.

My favorite image in this painting is the "Flambeau," or torch, carrier. It is a Mardi Gras tradition that I was unfamiliar with, until I did this painting.

I welcome these types of commissions because it gives me a chance to get to know the customers as we work together on creating pieces that have meaning for them.

To see more of my work, or to commission an original please visit my website at:
www.neworleans-art.net

Harry's Corner in New Orleans

Harry's Corner bar in the French Quarter seems to be jumping any hour of the day. We usually pass by in a hurry on our way to our favorite boutique hotel just a few blocks down Chartres Street. Just glancing in the open doors as we pass, I can hear a riot of laughter and music. One night we ran into the Krewe of Cosmic Debris who were assembling at Harry's Corner for an impromptu parade. Obviously they felt that this place was the perfect spot to begin their festivities! So my husband and I decided that on our next visit to NOLA that we would definitely drop in and experience this noisy spot on and otherwise quiet corner.

This original oil and more of my New Orleans art can be seen at:

www.neworleans-art.net

Painting of New Orleans - "St. Peter Street Jive"

I just finished this oil painting last week. It will be going to New Orleans fan who lives in California. I've found out that there are many people just like me who feel like they are in exile when they are away from New Orleans, even if it is not their home town.

For people who love art, music, architecture, and good food, Nawlins is a natural "center." It's a place that beckons to us and draws us back when we start to forget the sight of those lovely old buildings in the Quarter or the sounds of of a great jazz trio on Frenchmen Street.

St. Peter Street is probably one of my favorites. The jumble of buildings, all strikingly different and all leaning just a little, helps to create that unique Big Easy atmosphere. The Big Easy is that place we miss where the past and the present and the sights and sounds all melt into one big delicious gumbo.

For more about my new Orleans Art check out my website at www.neworleans-art.net

"Chartres Street" - Oil painting by Diane Millsap

I just recently finished this large 5 ft. tall painting for a New Orleans resident. While I was working on it, I couldn't help reflect on what a showcase the French Quarter is for artistic expression. There is such a wide variety of architectural styles crammed into every street, every block! Every building is so unique! Different shutter styles, arched doorways next to very plain shuttered doors. And the iron balconies! No two are alike.

I think it is all this detail which draws us to these magical streets. The labor of the architects and artisans who built these houses and shops lives on for us to enjoy. It is amazing to think that these buildings were constructed just for everyday use as shops, apartments, and homes. What a far cry from the big box stores and strip malls we have to look at today!!!

Check our more of my New Orleans art at:
www.neworleansart.net

New Orleans Streetcar by Night - painting by Diane Millsap

Ah, the streetcars of New Orleans, they are a good thing! Back in service since Katrina, you can't find a cheaper, more dependable, more authentic way to get around in the evening!

We stay in the French Quarter, so we can walk a few blocks, wait a few minutes, and the street car comes clattering along, stopping just near the Cafe du Monde. Even if it's hot night, the breeze rushes in through all the open windows. Soon you are crossing Canal Street with all it's hustle and bustle. You feel like you can reach right out and shake hands with people on the street, it's that close! (But please, don't stick your arms out the window!)

You can take a streetcar to shop on the Riverwalk, take in a show at Harrah's Casino, or board an evening paddle boat cruise. And it will get to close to Mulattes' Restaurant for some Cajun cooking and dancing. It will also save you some steps if you're going to an art event on Julia Street in the Art District. Just remember to bring cab fair with you. The cars don't run after 10 PM!

To see more of my original New Orleans oil paintings visit:

www.neworleans-art.net

Shotgun Houses of New Orleans

Almost everyone is familiar with the iron balconies of the French Quarter, but the unique and fascinating architecture of New Orleans doesn't stop there. The long narrow "Shotgun House" appears all over the city. And while it was built (starting in the Victorian era) for the working classes, great attention was paid to detail. Elaborate mill work (gingerbread), multicolored color schemes, and decorative shutters are the rule, with every house being different from it's neighbor.

The narrow fronts of these houses belie the roominess inside. With no wasted space, a long progression of rooms, from the front of the building to the back, are connected by a narrow side hall. Often these rooms with high ceilings sport lovely woodwork and fireplace surrounds.

Many of these wonderful homes are being saved, but many have been torn down indiscriminately by the city government since Katrina. Concerned New Orleans citizens in such neighborhoods as Bywater, Mid City, and Marigny are fighting for the chance to save their homes. These are the places where New Orleans' musicians, artists, and small business owners live.

To see more of my New Orleans art visit my website at:

www.neworleans-art.net

French Quarter Rain - Origianl Oil Painting

Looking down Royal Street just after a rain is a joyful experience for the senses! It is undoubtedly the most beautiful street in the French Quarter. The wrought iron balconies, the flags, the flowers and vines, and the reflections on the narrow sidewalks create a lush and inviting image.



It would be impossible, of course, to paint all these wonderful details, but I have tried to capture that gentle, time-worn soft beauty that this street is so famous for.

To purchase this 48"x 24" diptych (painted on two canvases), or to see more of my work, go to:

www.neworleans-art.net

It's Jazz Fest time in New Orleans

"Jazz Man" - Original Oil, 36" x 24"

While we couldn't make it to Jazz Fest in New Orleans this year, my husband and I got to experience it last year. So this year I have to live it vicariously through snippets on CNN and through wonderful pictures taken by some great photographers on "Flickr." (Go to Flickr and check them out by searching Jazz Fest!)

In this painting I tried to capture the soul and energy that is poured into a performance. These are triumphant moments for these musicians who have spent many long years on the road perfecting their craft. Only in New Orleans, can you see and hear the best jazz, rock, blues, zydeco, and Cajun musicians in the world, all gathered in one spot.

To see more of my New Orleans paintings, please visit my website at

www.neworleans-art.net

A giclee print of this painting is available on-line from Art.com http://www.art.com/products/p13178667-sa-i2325707/diane-millsap-jazz-man.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=0&dimvals=0&ui=4440b4a509a94fe58791f9bf75eecb13

Streetcar in New Orleans - Original Oil Painting

One of the most amazing areas in New Orleans is St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District.

Right in the heart of New Orleans is this beautiful street where hundreds of huge Live Oaks create a shady archway over the old streetcar track. Old mansions line the street, and it is like being transported back to a time when the noisiest thing you could hear was the sound of the streetcars as they went clattering down the track. And the those same old streetcars are still here on St. Charles Avenue. They were built to last, just like those old mansions. They are still carrying tourists, students, and people going to work. Even Hurricane Katrina could not keep them down for long!

(This painting was commissioned by HCA Delta Division offices on Canal Street.)

To purchase my paintings and prints of New Orleans, visit http://www.neworleans-art.net/

Missing New Orleans - It has been two months since I was last in this city, and it will be two more months until I will return. As I worked on this particular canvas, the still gray days of March in northern Illinois faded away, and I was transported to Louisiana where the breezes are soft and warm.

In this painting, "Big Easy Sunset," I've tried to capture that golden light which floods the French Quarter at the end of the day. The old stucco buildings are illuminated by the streetlamps and the last rays of sunlight. It must be the tiny droplets of water in the humid air which create this unique glowing atmosphere.

This painting will soon be on display at the Kako Gallery on Royal Street in the French Quarter.

See more of Diane Millsap's paintings at:

www.neworleans-art.net

New Orleans Mardi Gras Night

Having just returned from another trip to New Orleans, I was inspired to paint one of the colorful French Quarter balconies which was decorated for Mardi Gras. The images of Mardi Gras are so unique. In addition to their mysterious beauty, they evoke not only memories of good times, but also a history of time honored traditions. In an age where almost everything old is discarded for the new, it is wonderful that the people of New Orleans treasure their past!

Visit my website at www.neworleans-art.net

Zydeco with Warren Prejean by Diane Millsap

Cajun, Zydeco, and Louisiana roots music are my favorites. I love the vitality and rhythm. When my husband and I are in New Orleans we always gravitate to the clubs where these bands are appearing. When we are at home in Illinois, we try to take in all the Zydeco festivals we can find. Last summer at "Gumbo Ya Ya" in Rock Island Illinois we were fortunate to hear Mr. Warren Prejean Sr. from Lafayette, Louisiana. He was kind enough to give me permission to paint this portrait of him.This portrait has since been made into a giclee print by Art.com, and has just been selected as an EBSQ "Art of the Day" award. Warren is a great performer and and he really connects with an audience. I hope that I captured his warmth and enthusiasm in this painting.

http://www.ebsqart.com/ArtOfTheDay/cmd_20081230_ArtOfTheDay.htm

Visit my website at www.neworleans-art.net

Frenchmen Street in New Orleans - Sold

After hurricanes Gustav and Ike, I finally made it to New Orleans to do some more photographing for future paintings. One evening, my husband and I walked from our hotel in the Quarter to Frenchmen Street located in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood. It's a great section of town, packed with jazz clubs like the Blue Nile, Snug Harbor, and D.B.A.

As we walked down Chartres Street into the Marigny neighborhood, the homes we passed, (mostly shotgun style) looked great in the sunset with their fresh coats of paint and their potted flowers. When we arrived on Frenchmen Street itself I was struck by the fact that it has a glow all its own....nothing like Bourbon Street. It's just a warm friendly spot where you can have some great gumbo and hear some fantastic music.

To see more of my New Orleans paintings please visit www.neworleans-art.net

"Dawn in the French Quarter"

One of my latest paintings of the French Quarter.

I painted this one while I waited to see whether or not Hurricane Gustav would cancel our scheduled trip to New Orleans. Trying not think of the devastation that could happen again, I wanted to show this corner (just off Jackson Square) in a calm and peaceful light.

Thank God this wonderful city was spared! My husband and I had to postpone our trip, but we will now go at the end of September. Can't wait! I'm not even going to think about IKE!!!!

To purchase this painting:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VIBRANT-PAINTING-of-NEW-ORLEANS-Street-at-DAWN-MILLSAP_W0QQitemZ180283749816QQihZ008QQcategoryZ60437QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

For more about New Orleans Art by Diane Millsap visit http://www.neworleans-art.net/

"House of Blues" New Orleans - Original Oil by Diane Millsap

SOLD

For more about Diane's New Orleans Art visit http://www.neworleans-art.net/

New Paintings of New Orleans