While walking on Magazine Street in the Garden District of New Orleans the day after Mardi Gras, I came upon a magnolia tree in full bloom, always a spectacular sight.  However, this one was festooned with the plethoric beads and streamers remaining from the previous day's festivities.  I was struck by the juxtapositions represented of the organic and the man made and the imagery of celebrations of both the natural/spiritual and the secular.   While attempting to express these ideas, it became apparent that this exploration would expand itself into multiple works in several media.

      I began by designing 2  8" by 8" alternating match tiles, with the idea of firing them in sepia and then hand painting them to add the colors.  However, the decal making process is heavily constrained by production run minimums and costs, so it is prohibitive to fully explore designs in this manner.