Living Ind

Roe on ‘the Run'

by Walter Pierce

Lafayette artist explores the light and darkness' of the Courir de Mardi Gras.

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014

Considering it fits pretty squarely in the realism genre - hyper-realism, arguably - Herb Roe's latest series of paintings have an otherworldly, mystic quality. Once a protege of muralist Robert Dafford, Roe has established himself as one of Acadiana's premier painters. A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, he has developed a keen eye for Cajun Country.

"My most recent batch of new work is an exploration of the mythic qualities of the festival and the costuming," Roe says in his artist's statement. "I search to portray the other-worldliness of the courir by placing them into a dream-like setting of spreading moss draped oaks enshrouded in fog. This lets me explore the psychological implications of the holiday with my status as an outsider, at the same time lending more of an impact to the brightly colored costumes by contrasting them against the pale gray of the misty landscapes. More than just a likeness, my work is my interpretation of the Light and Darkness involved in the holiday, draped in symbolic layers meant to elicit their inner thoughts and perceptions of our place in the world."

An exhibition of Roe's new series, "Le Courir - Explorations of community and culture in a world turned upside down," will be on display Feb. 20-March 18 at the Jean Lafitte Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice. An opening reception is set for noon-3 p.m. Saturday, March 1. - IND Monthly Staff