+NEW ORLEANS 1960-1970+ >was an important period of my life in developing a grass roots creole +VISION FOR CREATIVITY+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +ST. LOUIS CEMETERY ALCHEMY+ (ignited in the vieux carre) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >the vieux carre was the mise-en-scene of three prototypes i built toward a +GOAL OF CREOLE ARTISTRY+ >tropique/magique< >metaphysique< ^^^^^^^^ 1) EXPLORERS GIFT SHOP 2) TRAYLOR APARTMENT 3) JAZZ WORKSHOP +COLOR-LIGHT-ENERGY+ >(latin creole tropic syndrome was catalyst to this work) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +LATIN CEMETERY ROOTS+ >the st. louis cemeteries adjacent to the vieux carre provided nutrient of a powerful metaphysical link with our latin creole roots. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +ANCIENT ANCESTRAL TOMBS+ >i would spend cool early mornings in the st. louis cemeteries looking for the ancient tombs of our creole +DEPARTED ANCESTORS+ (many photographs) ^^^^^^^^^^^^ +GRASS ROOTS ARTIFACTS+ >(read my piece on finding a voudou >google: EUGENE RAY/ DEGRUY VOUDOU DOLL >degruy rootswab archive< +SACRED MAGIC TALISMAN+ (january 1st . 2008) >doll on a tomb ledge one morning) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +(sources of creole genetic memory)+ DEGRUY-CAVAROC-LAMOTHE-FOUCHER BORE-MARIGNY-SAULET-COUTURIER DREIUX-LALANDE-PITOT-SAUTON ROY-CARRIERE-VIOSCA-BRES AUFRERE-DESTREHAN... etc., etc., etc., etc., >their ancient tomb ruins stood there +MYSTERY & DANGER+ >shoulder to shoulder forming an ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +AMAZING SURREAL ASSEMBLAGE+ of carved marble slabs and black >BRICK STRUCTURE+ >rusting steel pattern work< ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +JOHN H. B. LATROBE+ >wrote a very descriptive memoir of the technique of building these structures +HIGH WATER TABLE+ >above the saturated damp ground. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +RAY-DEGRUY RESIDENCE+ >just as my grandmother's house was during my youth over on +4536+ >south johnson street<. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +CONSTANT TULANE RESEARCH+ >in the howard tilton library provided the historical foundation for my theory of ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +CREATING NEW ENVIRONMENTS+ >via the alchemy of< +ANCIENT CREOLE RUINS+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +1960-1965+ >the architecture i constructed over the +BEFORE NEW ORLEANS+ >lake in covington and in gretna were the first stages of this work oeuvre. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1965-1970 >was the period of working with +COLOR-LIGHT-ENERGY+ >in the new orleans vieux carre and in the last 2 years out at tulane. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +CLARENCE JOHN LAUGHLIN+ +JOHN & TANIA MESSINA+ +HILLARY DUCHEIN+ >were new orleans friends that were +INTENSE DISCUSSIONS+ >important confidants to my vision. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +L.S.U. ARCHITECTURE, 1965+ >john messina had been most talented as my student of lsu architecture in the mid sixties class i taught when professor jim hand became ill. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY+ >became a second profession for john's talent & he and tania flew all over +TANIA'S WRITING+ +JOHN'S PHOTOS+ +the world for time magazine+. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >JOHN TOOK THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF MY TRAYLOR APARTMENT FOR >(1st national publication)< +"AMERICAN HOME MAGAZINE"+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +DEVOTED FRIENDS+ >he was also responsible for my invite +TO DESIGN THE JAZZ WORKSHOP+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >my final new orleans project in >the winter of 1968-1969< ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +FRENCH CREOLE EMPATHY+ (creole blood alchemy) >hillary duchein a child of the french +RADIANT-CREATIVE+ >mediterranian was empathetic to +the creole creative vision+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR+ +THEIR KINDNESS TO ME+ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >john is now a distinguished professor (ARCHITECTURE DEPT.) >at the university of arizona and +ORGANIC LIVING+ >tania is the health oriented wife who creates a transcendent life for them. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +FRENCH CREATIVITY+ >hillary creates fabulous hats< >(LET THEM EAT HATS.COM) >for ladies in grand coteau. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +NEW ORLEANS ALCHEMY LIVES+ (radiant/bright/creative) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ gene ray, san diego, california