Dec. 28, 2018
Camping trips inspire artist Margo Baker
By Mary Hawkins
Cajuntravel.com
Update on 11/5/2022: Artworks by Ted Bertrand is closing after December 2022. This post will remain up in honor of the years of being a bright spot of creativity in the parish.
Every first Friday of the month at Artworks by Ted Bertrand in Sunset, where Ted displays his bright and colorful art, a new artist shows off their best pieces. This event, which begins after 5 p.m., serves as an opportunity to unwind and appreciate the beauty and creativity that can be found In St. Landry Parish.
To end 2018, artist Margo Baker, wife of Dave Baker of KATC fame, gave the public a glimpse at the motivations and heart behind her pieces.
When approached about a specific piece, a mixed media painted collage of faint purples and blues depicting an abstract forest scene that had been used to promote that month’s event, Baker explained why she had chosen this piece of art as representative of her work. At first, she insisted the reason was because the collage was her most recent piece and truest to her current style. As the night carried on with event goers standing by and admiring her work while sipping on wine and listening to local musicians, she went into more detail, describing the story behind its inspiration.
Homecoming by Margo Baker
Baker recalled a camping trip to her and her husband’s favorite outdoor getaway, an undisclosed campground. It was the first time they had been able to visit the site with just the two of them in years. She spoke about the love and peace and fun they had found hidden away in small moments together. Baker revealed that two other pieces were inspired by that time, and as patrons walked through the artwork pieces of her story revealed itself in every aspect of the display. The names of the pieces were “Homecoming”, “Valentine’s Trail” and “Lover’s Lane”.
Baker’s media ranges from oil paint on a layered collage to large, sculptural pieces. Her style is whimsical and colorful, showing scenes of nature in an abstract way. She plays with texture and unique paper types, including sheet music, for her work. Each one of her creations speaks of an experience many of which take place outdoors reinterpreted in paper, paint, and salvaged paper that speaks to her in the moment.
St. Landry Parish is made up of a collection of stories, people experiencing life in all the different ways possible. Each mural, each painted violin, each piece of art hanging on a wall, as you drink your coffee, is a snapshot of a time in an artist’s life. It is time spent thoughtfully creating, a way to evoke feeling in a viewer. The art and creativity of St. Landry Parish is just another way that this destination is Gumbo for Your Soul.
Visit Artworks by Ted Bertrand, 855 Napoleon Avenue in Sunset from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This parish’s other great art galleries show the heart of these local artists, a thing that cannot be truly captured through words alone.
Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com
