Kali Picard is a self-taught artist and educator drawing inspiration from her Cajun roots and infusing it in art history. Her work is playful, irreverent, and colorful with the purpose of telling a story. Whether it be Lady Agnew building her societal status in Cajun Country by choosing her portrait by an old oak with a raccoon upon her lap or Marie Antoinette sporting an elegant possum upon her head as she enjoys a leisurely morning walking through the grounds of Maison Mouton, each piece is a comment on how art and culture across the span of time replicate with variation and create the idea of an iteration (albeit with this series a humorous iteration). It is also a moment to embrace art history’s ribosomal origins as it creates scaffolds for the next generation of artists with the variations dependent upon the context of its environment.
You may recognize some of Kali’s other pieces throughout the city. She created a mural for Bonne Vie Macrons, has worked as a live event painter creating portraits at La Femme’s Galentine’s celebration, painted weddings since 2016, and actively participates in various art shows and pop-ups such as the Big Easel, Cocodrie Market, White Light Night, etc. Recently accolades include Acadiana Lifestyle’s top 10 women in Acadiana making a difference.
Who makes up your art circle?
The short answer: The women Designing Women of Acadiana (DWA) plus my close artist friends, my students, collectors, The Cocodrie Art Market, Basin Arts, ACA, and my family.
The long answer is a little more complex. I find an art circle is ever growing, from daily experiences and interactions with people both actively integrated in the art world and those not, to the natural world to a song or piece of music that resonates with me, to an interesting design I see on a piece of clothing or on a wall. I’ve always been a bit visually and auditorily overstimulated (not in a bad way), because there is so much within this life that is worth being inspired by it is hard to choose, and thus it gets wrapped up in the flowing cycle that makes up my art circle. So in short, there are opportunities to grow and learn from constantly and I try to grasp onto as many of those moments as possible.
How do you expand your art circle?
Choosing to be an active participant in my practice has led me to enlarging my circle. Last year, I became a board member of DWA, I participated in continuing education classes through the ACA, online, and Basin Arts, I’ve participated in more markets than I have in a long time, I’ve actively gone out into the community to help others find the artists within themselves (i.e. my students from the UL LIFE program were able to debut their work at the Big Easel and my elementary students have opportunities to have solo shows in the study where they are able to invite family and friends), I’ve started setting intentional time to create with my cohorts, and I’ve started to listen more to others stories. I’ve given into the flow of life and when teachable moments arise I try to take advantage of them.
What value do you see in having a creative community?
Creativity in a community is essential. Creativity plays several roles, which I will breakdown in bullet points, because who doesn’t love a good breakdown.
· Creativity improves critical thinking skills
· Creativity is a vessel for diverse perspectives and promotes listening to others world view. (which this is also linked to critical thinking)
· Creativity builds relationships.
· Creativity allows for an increase in aesthetically pleasing spaces
· Creativity allows for growth mindset
Creativity improves critical thinking and diverse perspectives:
Creativity is the doorway to divergent thinking which allows the mind to consider alternate possibilities and perspectives, which is a key component in critical thinking. It also allows us to be more flexible and adapt to spontaneous changes, again important for critical thinking and in the moment problem solving.
Creativity builds Relationships:
Creativity offers a platform for shared experiences and ideas which can foster empathy and understanding in for others. It also lends itself to appreciation in the others talents, life-experiences, and unique perspectives. Not to mention when an artist actively is engaging with a crowd they are creating a game, which can be VERY FUN! It also can bring a lot of joy to those engaged in the experience.
Creativity Creates for Aesthetically Pleasing Spaces
Having aesthetically pleasing spaces helps with overall mental health. Believe it or not, but an aesthetic environment, stress levels decrease and one tends to be more relaxed. It can also enhance the mood. Have you ever been to an Italian restaurant where you’re tucked away in a booth, the lighting is dem, the smell of garlic and red sauce fill the air, and you’re sipping a full bodied red wine? It’s magical isn’t? Creativity is the bench mark for aesthetics. I could go on and on about how it helps promote productivity in a work environment, etc. etc. but lets just end on the Italian food, because that imagery is so wonderful.
Creativity for a growth mindset:
What I love most about thinking of creativity as a tool for a growth mindset is that it allows us to see challenges as opportunities. It is a shift in perspective that gets our minds to focus on being problem-solvers. This shift in mindset also shifts our value system. It allows us to really appreciate effort, resilience, and continuous improvement.
How does your artistic approach contribute to your community? Here are two real life examples of how I have used creativity as a tool to build those in my community:
For Valentine’s Day, La Femme (a local lingerie store) was gracious enough to let me paint portraits at their shop. On the surface, it looks like two female entrepreneurs creating opportunities for their business to grow. In reality, it was a much deeper experience. We have a shared mission for our collectors to find the beauty within themselves. Approximately 45 women came to La Femme and had their portraits done. As I sketched each woman, I had the opportunity to hear their stories. Some of the women were mothers, who were actively finding time to care for themselves, others were going through some pretty major life changes, and one woman, in particular, had a major surgery and was on a journey of loving her body again. She told me, “This was a magical moment to see other women being able to see themselves through eyes that are kind instead of critical.” It was powerful, because each woman I painted was focused on self-love/empowerment. The confidence-increase from before and after the portraits was palpable. To see each woman with a grin on her face, a squeal of excitement, and the joy radiating from their bodies, was everything and it is a huge WHY behind what I do.
My second example is the work I do with my students. As a teacher my goal is to be constructive, not critical. There is a difference. Constructive implies building upon a skillset. Critical implies judgement. When I work with students, I want them to feel safe to explore their creative side. I also want them to see their strengths and understand how they can use their strengths to build upon areas of their art that aren’t quite as developed. I also focus my practice on giving my students opportunities to showcase their work. For my students who sign up for a 3 month subscription, we put on a solo show for them at the studio where they bring in their work ahead of time, I mat their pieces and set up the display. That evening, their friends and family attend our mini gallery and students get to show off their collective work. The showcase is a visible demonstration for the student to see:
· Their growth
· Their resilience
· The importance of their creations and their self-value
It also teaches students how to:
· Use art specific vocabulary when describing their work
· Discuss intentions behind their creations
· Public speaking skills
· Pride in ones work
Having the art showcases for our students builds up motivation, confidence, and appreciation for the arts.
As a teacher, I work with all students, not just typically developing kids. I have a partnership with the UL LIFE program, where our students learn REAL meaningful artistic practices, showcase their work (last semester we were at the BIG EASEL!) and this semester we are looking at doing a gallery showing! Woo Hoo!
I truly believe we are given a gift and that gift is best served when we have a giving mindset.
Our weekly Art Circle series profiles artists throughout the community and is sponsored in part by Lafayette Visitor Enterprise Fund managed by Lafayette Travel
