Natchitoches

 Kevin and I are in Louisiana for my mother-in-law's birthday. We visited Melrose Plantation yesterday. Melrose is interesting for many different reasons. Below is the African House (built in 1800). It is the only example of Congolese architecture in the continental US. I bet Art Historians have a field day with that!

Clementine Hunter's pickin' cotton

 Clementine Hunter is a famous Louisiana folk artist who grew up at Melrose (She was Mrs. Henry's cook). On the second floor of the African House, she did murals of her memories.

Clementine Hunter's wedding

Here is Clementine's quilted portrait of Melrose.

I think Cammie Henry was the most inspirational figure of Melrose for me. She learned how spin, knit, and weave. She also created an artist's colony. She would invited artists and writers to the Cane River. She wanted them to work and quizzed them about their production at dinner. If they had not created anything after 3 days, Mrs. Henry politely asked them to leave. oh snap!