This trip to New Orleans I had a little longer to paint – nine weeks in total – though as, coincidentally, I was there over Mardi Gras, some of my mornings started a little later than they might have otherwise. Returning to the city I found it every bit as inspiring as I had done the first time, but I also had the pleasure of being there long enough to witness just how a creative place it is and got the chance to join in on several historic traditions, namely, costume crafting for the many and invariably outstanding parades and parties. I’ve been painting in oils for about ten years now, but can barely imagine how I got by before the hot glue gun became a part of my daily life.

I spent quite a bit of time painting in the Marigny and the Bywater, beautiful areas to the east of the Quarter, replete with the attractive typical architecture but freer of tourists.

I would also head to the park for variety.

This last one was of a beautiful house in my neighbourhood. Its owners had spotted it first when they were 19 and made a decision that one day they would live there. Twenty five years later they owned it, celebrating their fiftieth birthdays there and whilst I was in town they celebrated their seventy-fifth.