Hope, 1st Edition to Hurricane Laura, Aftermath- Limited Edition

Hurricane Laura Aftermath - Limited Edition of 100, with Artist Proofs

 A Portion of proceeds will be donated to housing and resources for Rodney Williams.  A man in Lake Charles, who has been living without water for 9 years due to uncontrollable circumstances. 

"To the World you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world." 

- Dr. Seuss 

All pieces will come signed.  All framed pieces will come with a piece of the original copper portion of the Lake Charles Court House. (see pics)  I found this piece of copper one day while searching the streets for my paintings that blew out of my studio.  All framed pieces will also come with "rubble" attached to the frame, one by one. All the frames are made from reclaimed wood from Hurricane Laura.  Each will be signed Artist Proof, or the number in the edition.

There is one original hand painted piece for sale. The price also includes the frame. 

  In this timeless piece of art, Candice Alexander took to her work to sort out the painful truths that ripped through the souls of the people in the area when Hurricane Laura decimated Southwest Louisiana on August 27, 2020.

 The focal point of the piece is her famous Fleur de Lis, Louisiana’s state symbol. The piece is filled with imagery that encapsulates the raw emotion created by the terrible event.

In the bottom right corner there is the image of the hurricane. Its position and tone signifies its importance to the story of the piece.

One can find the oaks torn from the ground signifying the feeling of being completely uprooted as evacuees were forced from their homes with very little assistance. Slightly above the imagery of the hurricane, one can find the confederate statue dismantled from its base.

The meaning of this draws from the political events that occurred shortly before the hurricane hit. The city was divided on whether or not the statue would remain on the lawn of The City Hall.

The division was palpable at the time, but the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Laura proved just how insignificant that division is when we as a community must rely on each other to survive such extremely painful losses in our personal lives.

Whether one was for or against removing the statue is a small matter when the gift of humanity lifts the divide between one another.

The symbolism delves even further into the harsh reality the people of Southwest Louisiana have experienced. Just beyond the statue, one can find a billowing cloud of smoke that emanates from the famous I10 Bridge. The Isle of Capri casino boat is lodged under the bridge.

The smoke was created by a burning refinery as chlorine was released into the atmosphere. Alexander chose this imagery to signify the destruction of the economic infrastructure of the area. The events that occurred represent something much deeper than economic turmoil.

The city that was being hailed for its potentially enormous economic boom years before, quickly watched as roaring winds changed that reality in an instant.

Just above the visual of what seems like a city destroyed never to regain its former glory, waves the Louisiana flag in the skyline, symbolizing the hope and passion of the people. The same people who just days after the storm, returned home to salvage what little remained.

When there was no food, they set up their barbecue pits and fed thousands. These are the people who opened their hearts and their homes to those whose entire lives were unrecognizable. This flag doesn’t simply represent a State. It embodies the soul and the spirit of the most gritty, hard working and determined people.

Although they were left with nothing, just two weeks after the devastating natural disaster, their city looks like home again. What can stop the heart, the passion and the love for this community?

Definitely not a Category 4 Hurricane. On the left side of the piece, you will find the city courthouse with the American Flag slightly larger than the building itself.

This represents the idea that the people aren’t the politics. In the end it wasn’t the government who had the answers. That is Louisiana pride. It was the American people themselves who refuse to back down from anything. They take pride in their work, in their homes and in their communities. They rebuild not run. Regardless of the agonizing pain they felt, they rose together to fight again. Just above the American Flag, one can find the horizon.