I woke up in my childhood bedroom at my mother’s house. It was the first day that I was living in New Orleans since college.

Prior to my arrival - I’d been searching online - but new orleans didn’t have a vacant studio

My mom told me over coffee that her best friend Barry actually had a space opening up

The tenant was moving out after 15 years, And her name was also Helen

As soon as I walked in the door I said yes

Then it got even weirder

I sent my location to my friend Annie - whose departing roommate's spot I was to take

I suspected I was close - but she told me that i was at her building

The studio was a ‘corner store’, the wall at prytania and general pershing is still flat, though only on the interior. A now sealed door in the bathroom connects to the apartment- in what was once a multi family home with a business front.

A few months later I was living next door, and working here in the studio

ANd a few months after that, Annie helped me with the first open studio

Now I’ve been working on these shows in partnerships with artists and curators.

to date 24 artists have shown work at dogwater

3 curators have executed their vision

And 1 little dog has received many pets from countless visitors

I never expected any of this the first day I walked in

It’s been a joy to share these walls with artists whom I admire

the art world isn’t unlike others in that you need “experience” before they want to work with you

But the new orleans art scene I arrived in didn’t have many opportunities for those without experience, or those uninterested in paying and up-keeping a membership.

THe studio became a way to teach myself skills, gain precious ‘experience’, and offer it to others

I found a postcard on the sidewalk, of a jasper johns Flag painting , a stranger wrote to their friend:

“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you end up, only where you start”

ANd thats why, I’ll never ask for your CV ;)

so come on in, the dogwater is warm