Keys to the Crescent City:  Echoes of Soul and Survival

The series incorporates a variety of media, including photography, resin, acrylic, and oil on wood, 2018 - Present (36x48)

Keys to the Crescent City:  Echoes of Soul and Survival draws the viewer into a close-up shot of the legendary Fats Domino's piano, which was destroyed and later rescued from the rubble of Hurricane Katrina. The image suggests a hidden story, as some of the keys are stuck down— a ghostly echo of the vibrant, lively, and culturally pivotal music that once flowed from within.

I happened upon this magical instrument during a visit to New Orleans and knew I was encountering something extraordinary. The view before you is the same one Fats Domino knew so well, year after year, as he played rhythms and melodies that flowed through the streets of a city whose lifeblood was the music it gave birth to—becoming the heartbeat of the city.

From the original photo, I’ve created a series of images—some pure photography and resin, some in black and white, and others hand-touched with added details to breathe new life into the piece.

Haunted, in a sense, by the legend who gave it life with his music, the piano now carries the memories and untold stories of a time when its keys hummed with the pulse of New Orleans' soul.