When given this assignment I immediately thought of my home state of Louisiana. Being born and raised in Louisiana and then moving away to Fort Lauderdale for college, I noticed that where I am from is a special and unique place worth celebrating. In this project I aim to highlight the beauty of one of Louisiana’s most unique places, The French Quarter. The French Quarter is located in New Orleans, off of the Mississippi River. It is commonly called the “Vieux Carre,” meaning “Old Square” in French. It is one of the most historic cities in the state and is filled with culture, food, art, music, and happiness. In this book I analyze type specimens I personally found and photographed during two short trips that I took back home during the Winter 2021 semester. In these two trips I really found myself getting lost in the city, staring at beautiful artwork in Jackson Square, laughing at drunk people on Bourbon Street, and listening to the talented street performers playing their trumpets and clarinets and singing the beautiful jazz and zydeco music of Louisiana. Each time I visit New Orleans I find myself falling in love with the city all over again. In this book I wanted to show the love that I have developed for not only the city of New Orleans but the state of Louisiana as a whole. I analyzed each specimen through a Louisiana lens, contrasting aspects of the type to things popular in the southern state. I also include Cajun French words and definitions of different Louisiana terms that may not be known to the common reader. I also have incorporated my personal paintings into this book, which was a way for me to highlight my personal skills as an artist but also a way for me to express the love I have for Louisiana. Through this project I hope to highlight the beautiful culture and type of the Vieux Carre and I hope that you find yourself wandering and getting lost in the pages of my book.
About the Author: Nicholas Waguespack
My name is Nicholas Waguespack and I currently am an Art and Design major at Nova Southeastern University with a concentration in Studio Art with a focus in painting and a double minor in Graphic Design and Business. I was born and raised in south Louisiana and moved to Fort Lauderdale to attend college at NSU. I am currently focusing on creating artwork that analyzes my relationship and journey with living and growing up in south Louisiana as a queer man. I am aspiring to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting and then going on to be an art professor to teach and follow my passion for art.
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Wander Type: Vieux Carre: French Quarter, New Orleans