Ribbon Cutting scheduled for City Busses Wrapped with Artwork Designed by Local Artists as City adds to Public Art Displays

Monday, January 28, 2019 - 2:00pm

Mayor Jamie Mayo and the Monroe City Council are pleased to announce the
following ribbon cutting and invite the media and public to attend:

WHAT: Mayor Mayo, City and Northeast Louisiana Arts Council officials, and
local artists will unveil the latest display of “public art” during a ribbon cutting
ceremony for two Monroe Transit System paratransit busses that have been
wrapped with the original artwork of four local artists. The 17-passenger
paratransit ADA compliant busses are used to provide transportation to passengers
who cannot ride the normal fixed bus routes due to a disability. Passengers use this
service to make doctor’s appointments, go grocery shopping, and other endeavors.

Mayor Jamie Mayo says, “We want to continue these partnerships that allow us to
celebrate and display the wonderful works of art created by local artist. The wraps
on these busses are like a mobile canvas that can be viewed and enjoyed citywide.”

This is the latest in a recent series of public art display unveilings in Monroe. Other
locations include the Monroe Civic Center Arena, Monroe Regional Airport
Terminal, and Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo. Special thanks to the Masur
Museum of Art, Monroe-West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau, NELA Arts
Council, and participating artists.

WHEN: 2:00 pm Monday, January 28, 2019

WHERE: Monroe Transit Downtown Terminal, 207 Catalpa Street, Monroe, LA

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Artist: Drék Davis Artwork: Above All Else:

This work was inspired by the many shapes, patterns, textures and birds that I encounter on my travels around out of the way Ouachita Parish streets, and strolls along the levee. One of my primary considerations with the design was how to capture the light that falls on the Ouachita. And more importantly how to illustrate that it permeates everything.

Bio: A native of Monroe, Georgia, Rodrecas Davis is a 2006 graduate of the University of Georgia Fine Arts program - with an emphasis in drawing and painting. Primarily a mixed-media artist, Drék is also a former columnist for the Athens Banner-Herald and Code Z Online: Black Visual Culture Now, a Cancer, a saxophonist, audiophile, Hip-Hop head, and lover of all things caffeinated. His work has been featured in the Politics Issue of Callaloo: A Journal of African Diaspora Arts and Letters, ColorLines, and over sixty exhibitions. Davis has presented papers at several academic conferences, including the HUIC Conference (Hawaii University International Conferences) Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, for which he discussed manifestations of Hip-Hop culture in the visual arts. Mr. Davis is a tenured Professor of Art at Grambling State University, in Grambling Louisiana.

Artist: Jason Byron Nelson Artwork: Black Bayou Gator

Only within the last few years have I embraced the inspirations and influences of my heritage and hometown – plus, I love to work big… Both were great reasons to accept the generous invitation from Masur Museum to design the side of a bus. My family and I go to Black Bayou frequently and walk the trails that lead to the pier. It’s easy to take for granted the beauty that our area offers, and Black Bayou is a perfect reminder of what makes Monroe unique. Often times, we see alligators that are a little too close for comfort – particularly for my dog who overestimates her ability to fight off such a creature. For these reasons, the alligator (along with a subtle nod to Black Bayou), is the subject of my design. The piece was created digitally using a combination of software and techniques.

Bio: Born, raised, and educated in Louisiana, Jason Byron Nelson is an illustrator, fine-artist, and writer who finds inspiration in the diversity of everyday life. His methods and mediums are nearly as assorted as his inspirations. From pixels to spray paint, Nelson has adapted several unconventional styles on the path to creating his own. Today, Nelson is the sole force behind Trick Button, a Monroe-based design boutique specializing in commercial illustration and convincing clients that the need for branding foes far beyond logos and Facebook posts.

Artist: Nicholas Bustamante Artwork: Bayou Nightfall

The design brings together the elegance and mystery that I find in the region. The image symbolically illustrates the narrative of Louisiana becoming my home.

Bio: Nicholas Bustamante began his art studies at Humboldt State University where he received his Bachelor of Art in Studio Art. Bustamante went on to receive his Master of Fine Arts in Painting at California State University Long Beach. Professor Bustamante currently serves as the Studio Program Chair in the School of Design at Louisiana Tech University where he teaches traditional and digital painting, conceptual design, pre-medical illustration, scientific visualization and senior portfolio courses. Bustamante is a nationally recognized painter, included in private, public and museum collections. Throughout his career he has had sixteen solo exhibitions and has been included in thirty-eight group exhibitions. Bustamante’s medical illustrations have been published in textbooks and research journals such as the American Chemical Society. Within the last five years he has worked on twelve large-scale murals throughout north Louisiana.

Artist: Caroline Youngblood Artwork: Louisiana School Carnival

On March 24, 2018 I found a set of anonymous Kodachrome slides of a wedding and family snapshots to follow at a store on Antique Alley in West Monroe. The images date from the honeymoon of color snapshot photography. Americans were experimenting with color photography capturing everyday life of the middle class and family. My intention is for the work to transcend nostalgia and to hit an emotional chord that ignites memories in the viewer in a playful way.

Bio: Julia Caroline Youngblood grew up surrounded by cotton fields on Breston Plantation, located in Riverton, Louisiana. She attended Louisiana State University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing and Painting, graduating Magna cum Laude. Youngblood pursued graduate work at Syracuse University, New York, and received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Louisiana Tech University with a concentration in Drawing and Painting. Youngblood has teaching experience as instructor of record for beginning watercolor and teaching assistant in numerous courses at the college level. She completed a residency at Centre d’Art, Marnay sur Seine, France (CAMAC), funded by an Artist’s Career Advancement Grant awarded by Louisiana Division of the Arts.