Driving around Delcambre in the weeks leading to the Shrimp Festival this month, you may notice a common sight paying homage to the city’s largest event. Several shrimp plaques hang on the front doors of those who attended a painting class of artist Kassie Duhon, owner of The Cajun Canvas.
The art school and party venue, which opened this March, came about when Kassie, a first-grade teacher of Delcambre Elementary, wanted to provide something for kids to do during summer vacation. After offering art camp out of her home last summer, the response was more than she expected – or could facilitate.
This spring, Kassie relocated to a venue at 104 E. Main St. that can accommodate three times the number of students. Before art camp began, the space, in all of its creativity, proved to be the ideal setting for children’s birthday and paint parties and soon evolved into a “she cave” for women’s get-togethers. “We started with a birthday party of a dozen women painting flower pots,” recalls Kassie.
In July, 71 women enjoyed the comradery and fun in creating the shrimp door hangers – something Kassie says she will offer every summer. The door hanger classes were so well received that there are plans for one in September focused on Delcambre football and another leading up to Christmas.
Kassie is amazed that this all began with a desire to offer an art camp for a couple of months. “Within two months of advertising this summer’s art camp, I was booked. I ended up turning people away because of so many wanting to sign up,” says Kassie, who also offers private adult classes on Saturdays and Sundays.
This summer’s art camp ran for five days, June through July, for children 4 to 13 years. Working around the theme of art “Around the World,” Kassie and her assistant, Angie Hebert, discussed and helped students create art inspired by other countries. “Each day, we discussed a different country, and we’d create two or three projects focused on that, using a variety of mediums, like watercolor or acrylic,” explains Kassie, who provides all supplies. “The kids also learned facts about the featured artist and country. The first day, we talked about George Rodrigue and The Blue Dog; we also covered Mexico and Frida Kahlo; and we made the traditional Children’s Day kites recognizing that holiday in Japan.” A teacher for eight years, Kassie says many of the children who attended art camp were former students, which gave her the opportunity to see them in a more “fun setting.”
This fall, The Cajun Canvas will offer children’s and adults’ semi-private lessons in groups of five on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-5 pm, that will culminate with an art show. Kassie also plans to offer half- and full-day classes for children during the Christmas break.
With a degree in communications from UL, this Delcambre native is a self-taught artist who has been painting on her own since college. Focusing on abstracts, she says, “I like bright colors and fun patterns and mixing them. I try to go out of my comfort zone.” Her work has been shown at farmers’ markets and the Lafayette Art Walk. Delcambre market customers will have the opportunity to purchase her work at the August market.
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