Biloxi and Bay St. Louis, MS 2/26-27/2015

On the road again Thursday Feb. 25

 We have passed this several times and finally realized it is St. Michael's Catholic Church.

The church was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina but like so many buildings it was restored.

 While at the Biloxi Visitor Center I learned more about George Ohr and decided his Museum would be good to check out.

 He was a prolific potter first doing utilitarian items.  After a fire in his workshop he began to experiment with form and color.

He was known as the Mad Potter.

 It was said his mustache grew to 24 inches.

 His work now is regarded for having thin walls.  (which few could duplicate.)

 He used pinches, coils and snakes in his works.

 Innovative colors.

 He took 600 items to the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893 and won a Silver Medal.

 His works were not appreciated during his lifetime so he packed them up in boxes as this.  They were stored away for 50 years.  When discovered his work gained recognition and since have been greatly sought after.  He is considered a "harbinger" of abstract sculpture and pottery.

Two other art exhibits:  "The African Diva Project: Paintings by Margaret Rose Vendryes  The paintings are full- figure portrait of a popular black female soloist.  Each wears an African mask, chosen for its character and/or aesthetic compatibility to her image, either an actual mask or a mask painted on paper, and applied to the canvas in the place of her face." 

A second exhibit is by Sarah Qarqish / Morgan Welch.  There is a three-dimensional wooden shape of balsam wood that is 26 feet by 6 feet high with various colors making interesting shadows on the wall.

The architect of the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum is famed Frank Gehry.

 The architecture of the buildings is interesting in itself.  We thoroughly enjoyed our visit.

Sad reminders of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina 9 1/2 years since it happened.  There are still empty lots.  We could see sidewalks or driveways.  It was very sad to see daffodils blooming what probably had been around someone's house.

 Mardi Gras celebrations are everywhere along the Gulf Coast.  Here are some costumes in the Bay St.Louis Visitors Center.

 B.B. King from this area.

 Muddy Waters

Movie filmed in Bay St. Louis, MS starring Robert Redford, Natalie Wood and Charles Bronson. 

This boarding house was the main setting in the movie.

Alice Moseley Museum was (on the second floor) a local Folk Art painter.  Here's her famous:
"My house is blue but the old lady ain't. 

Her work has so much detail.  

 She started painting when she was 60.

 Another beautiful wood carving.

 Alice Moseley's blue home.

 "Shoofly" around the oak tree takes its name from the French word "chaufluer" meaning cauliflower.

As we leave town we see one of the Angel Trees.  (A former beautiful live oak tree)

 Here is one right across the street that survived.  Being once again I keep saying from the Midwest I was not familiar with live oak trees till we started traveling.  They can become huge, majestic like the Friendship Tree we saw Feb. 5.  Amazing trees.

A beautiful sunset.

We are staying at Walmart in Waveband, MS.  We visited with Jane and Jack from Toronto.  They have had Roadtreks for 25 years and traveled so many states and provinces of Canada.  What great people we meet on the road and love hearing their experiences.

On the road again Friday Feb. 27 to Houma, LA.  Phil is attending a genealogy meeting here tomorrow.  We are staying at Capri Court RV Park.