Omega lives and breathes all things art. She is able to paint and create art at almost any moment. It is not something that she has to make time for after work or something that she has to do separate from the rest of her life. Art is intertwined in all aspects of her life, allowing her to create her work when she is feeling inspired.
Her art studio exists in her cramped apartment so that she in fact lives with her work and is constantly surrounded by her creations. However, this is not the only space in which she creates her pieces. She is inspired mostly by music and nature and is able to paint while she is selling her work or while she is in art classes at school. She buys art supplies in bulk in order to obtain cheaper prices and she often buys paint from Walmart. Omega says, “As you buy more and more supplies and talk to more and more people you learn how to get the best deals”(Omega, interviewed by Meghan Kanady, Jackson Square, March 17, 2014).
A typical day for Omega consists of coming down to Jackson Square, setting up her work, and taking in the fresh, outdoor air. It is hard to get bored as an artist when there is always something to do, see, or ponder. She will spend an hour or so painting, spend some time talking to other locals, and of course speak with and sell to customers.
One of Omega’s vibrant pieces. Photographed by Meghan Kanady
At Omega’s spot in Jackson Square, she has a handful of variations of Bob Marley collaged and painted onto backgrounds. Each piece is relatively small, about the size of a post card. She has a pillow with a brightly painted image of a bird. One piece in particular that caught my eye, which consists of a large piece of wood on which she painted the image of a guitar and flowers. She photographed this painting and printed it onto a postcard. I have this piece hung on my wall and each day I am reminded of Omega’s brightly colored artwork that coincided with her brightly colored outfit and bright personality.
Omega chooses to come sell her work in Jackson Square because of the high attraction of this location. Crowds of tourists come to this area often and prove to be the best buyers. But each day in the square is different and many factors influence the day. The weather poses a large influence on how many people are outside and the overall vibe of the square. Sunny days in New Orleans are beautiful and so enjoyable to be outside which attracts a greater number of tourists and overall number of people in general. However, when rain or cold weather appears, as it often does in New Orleans, the square can become a slower day for the artists.
There is good company in Jackson Square and she is friends with other artists nearby. They give each other feedback and often make trades. She loves trading her work with other artists in return for a piece of theirs. Both artists receive a new prize and get to have their artwork appreciated by another artist.
When I asked Omega how she defined success she responded by saying, “I define success by when someone really appreciates my work and is happy to have it.” A lot of people in the world today automatically associate success with money and I love that Omega thinks differently. The work that she creates is her mark left on the world and she wants others to appreciate and enjoy it.
Instead of selling the original pieces she creates, she takes pictures of her paintings and collages, copies them onto postcards, and is able to produce these over and over. Because of this she is able to price her work low. She says it is good to have inexpensive art because people cannot afford original art pieces.
Her sole job is selling her artwork. She says other jobs were too demanding or did not pay enough. With this job she earns all cash and has no tax reductions. She comes and sits outside five or six days a week when she is not in school. Some weeks are slower than others, but in the end the financial income usually evens out.
Omega is currently going to school where she is taking painting and sculpture classes. She attends the University of New Orleans and plans to get her degree so that she can become an art teacher for children. She loves sharing her gift with others and teaching young kids how to create. She wants to give kids the tools and the skills to find their artist talents continue to create art for the world.
