Eugene Ray SDSU 1970's

Eugene Ray SDSU 1970's
Eugene Ray 1970's. photo credit: Tom Davis

Thursday, July 31, 2014

NIGHT BLOOMING CERUS / for heloise lamothe

+EARLY ONE MORNING+
>about this time of the year in the seventies<
>i found the tomb of my great grandmother<
+HELOISE LAMOTHE+
>in the ancient st. louis cemetery # one<
 >not far from that of marie lavaux in<
+OLD NEW ORLEANS+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>the tomb was alone and i wondered<
>where her family was but as time<
+(CAVAROC & LAMOTHE+
+were FROM BORDEAUX)+
>goes on i believe there was a sad<
>seperation from charles cavaroc<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
+FLOWERS FOR HELOISE+
>(night blooming cerus)<
+is MY THEME TONIGHT+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                      
 >it was heloise lamothe cavaroc whose<
>brother, working for charles cavaroc &<
+(BARQS NOLA STAR+
+BEFORE NATIONAL)+
>sons invented the great sazarac cocktail<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>bradley smith who took this photo of oak alley<
>for life magazine was my interesting neighbor<
+(HIS WEST INDIES BOOK+
+A MUST TROPIC READ)+
>in lajolla and fixed gumbo for our great lunch<
>(he & his russian child bride liked my house)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>this photo of the napoleon house by john<
>messina , my favorite nola interior photo<
+(CLASSIC MUSIC, SAZARACS+
+W/ 4  MUFFELETAS  PLEASE)+ !
>one of the most precious gifts that i have<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>john & tania & i exchanged much correspondence<
>this being one of the best i ever received of many<
+(JOHN'S LOVE FOR PHOTOS+
+SAME AS ARCHITECTURE)+
>that i treasure in my nola archive gifts for thnoc<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >when jean baptiste degruy planted the first<
>sugar cane along bayou barataria the tropic<
+(TROPIC BIRDS / 1809 /+
+BARATARIA JUNGLE)+
>parakeets still flew by the many thousands<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >john & tania are great aficionados of french<
>nola desirable coffee and pat obrians bar is<
+(DESIRABLE COFFEE FOR+
+GOOD NOLA FRIENDS)+
>where pat & betty used to listen to emile<
>(i found their cup in the gutter outside<)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >my brother ranny saw tennessee williams on<
>the desire streetcar in 1947 headed for canal<
+(RANNY LIVED AT 1111+
+ON BOURBON STREET)+
>street where he bought the panama gazette<
>(irma thomas was our father's #1 favorite)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >the new orleans "item" newspaper published<
>this article on bernard marigny a favorite of<
+(BERNARD de MARIGNY AND+
+FRANCOIS V. DEGRUY HAD+
+ADJOINING PLANTATIONS)+
>cousin debore out on his (tulane) plantation<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >old seymore weiss st. tammany parish house<
>may have been part of the degruy plantation<
+(BEAU CHENE HOUSE @+
+DEGRUY PLANTATION)+
>across tchefuncta river from madisonville<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>st tammany parish horse headed from red bluff<
>to the nola fairgrounds wearing the demarigny<
+(BERNARD LOVED to+
+"FRENCH GAMBLE")+ 
>colors (bernard once named a street "craps")<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >this creole beauty reminds of so many…is it<
>heloise lamothe, is it filicie foucher de circe..<
+(FOR COUSIN NEAL AND+
+BEAUTIFUL LORRAINE)+
>is it neal pendleton's mother who died so<
>that he could live to write radiant visions<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>marianne and i once stayed in the lamothe<
>house, (my great grandmother) with our<
+(THEY GAVE US THE+
+"OLD PARLOR" SUITE)+
>ancestors peering down (embarrassed)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>my metaphysical graphic piece for you tonight<
>is based on whitney plantation w/ its precious<
+"RUINS" CAN BE POIGNANT+
+GOOGLE : CANOVA MURAL+
+/ WHITNEY PLANTATION+
>canova mural amid wreck and ruin property<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+CALIFORNIA SAVED US BUT+
>(duality a profound alchemy)<
+ONE NEVER LEAVES ROOTS+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu









Wednesday, July 30, 2014

PASSIFLORA VISION / organic design in the heat

+WALKER JOHN RAY+
>my younger brother, is the kindest human<
>i know and tonight's first blog image is a<
+(GREAT HUMANITARIAN+
+W/ A SENSE OF HUMOR)+
>much appreciated passion flower block<
>of stamps he sent on a recent packet<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
+PASSIFLORA VISION+
>fuels tonight's blog as i again take you to<
>the milieu that has galvanized artistry in<
>the hearts of new orleans people like<
+(ORGANIC ESSENCE+
+/ RADIANT SEEDS)+
>our old friends john & tania messina<
>who shared much new orleans life<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >when i was designing a new town for german<
>rocket scientists at huntsville alabana walker<
+(MARIANNE'S HUSBAND+
+was ROCKET SCIENTIST+
+w/ UFO KNOWLEDGE)+
>was building rockets at michoud while my<
>dear marianne was w/ werner von braun<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >the most tropical design of my life was<
>this beach resort made from indigenous<
+(HEAT=SEEDS=SOIL+
+RAIN=and=LIGHT)+
>tree and plant material in baja mexico<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >in that sixties decade, while i was building<
>three vieux carre projects john & tania met<
+(NOLA LATIN OASIS+
+NAPOLEON HOUSE)+
>me at the napoleon house for muffeletas<
>(john once asked one tuscon imported)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >fauburg marigny of our gruy-foucher-debore link<
>w/ bernard marigny (templar tie w/ louis philippe)<
+(HISTORIAN FRIEND GENE+
+CIZEK LIVES HERE NOW+,)
>milieu of our lamothe family on esplanade ave<
>in this most traditional creole nola fauberg<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >i have written much about the radiant joy<
>of the african-french cultural synergy ln<
(+GOOGLE EUGENE RAY+
+/ HECTOR HYPPOLITE+)
>the magic jungles south of new orleans<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >we must remember in the early days of the<
>african french people in the colony, new<
+(GREAT FOLK ART IN+
+VOUDOU AND JAZZ)+
>orleans was part of >french west indies<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>at one point, i was able to write poems via<
>u.s. postal "mailgrams" sent for $2 to our<
+(NEW ORLEANS JUNGLE+
+/ MAILGRAM POETRY)+
>friends back in new orleans & covington<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >this blue egret print by audubon was given<
>to me by marianne and expresses the cane<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+BAYOU BARATARIA)+
>breaks that j.b. degruy had to clear on the<
>bayou barataria south of new orleans<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >re reading my degruy blog of jan. 28th, 2010<
>i am reminded that j. b. degruy planted the<
+(INDIAN MOUND HOUSE+
+on BAYOU BARATARIA)+
>first sugarcane on bayou barataria in 1809<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >the cavaroc-roy ancestors came from bordeaux<
>w/ their great wine growing tradition linked to<
+GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+/ ODILON REDON+
>lamothe vineyards still a great bordeaux wine<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >raw nature on bayou barataria was radiant<
>w/ giant palmettos and thick cane breaks<
+(ARTHROPODS ARE+
+LIKE "MOTHMAN")+
>we must be aware et  may be like insects<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >as late as the 1990s i was still making graphics<
>devoted to louisiana jungle passion and these<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+/ COLLAGE GRAPHICS)+
>two 11 by 14 inch collage are typical refs<
>(google "images" collection is excellent)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >my client for the eco mundo beach resort<
>in tropical baja mexico didn't realize how<
+GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+ECO MUNDO RESORT+
>vital steep roofs are in leu of shallow<
>(my overlay drawing above, shows)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+BIOTRONIC RADIANCE+
>(electromagnetic energy)<
+VIA STEEP CONOIDS+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>synchronicity<
+(NOTE "ANCIENT ALIENS"+
+TELEV.  DOCUMENTARY+
>("power plants of the gods")<
+VERIFIED ALL TONIGHT)+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

ALCHEMY & ESSENCE / the matrix for magic

+PLANT HUNTERS+
>were very important to the activities<
>of the french colonies in the 18th C<
>as they looked for food & medicine<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+MOBILE, BILOXI, NEW ORLEANS+
>WERE SETTINGS FOR SERIOUS+
>(french alchemy was leading<
>the search for better food)<
+PLANT RESEARCH ACTIVITY+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>later the u.s. government enlisted our<
>cavaroc great grandfather to plant a<
+(CAVAROC VINEYARD+
+U.S. GOVT FINANCED)+
>new orleans vineyard for wine<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 >this rather primitive drawing is important in its<
>depiction of a jungle compound reflecting the<
+(JUNGLE COMPOUND MATRIX+
+SOUTH OF 18c NEW ORLEANS)+
>french devotion in searching for tropic plants<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>our destrehan creole ancestors were early<
>settlers  just north of the foucher-debore<
+(THE EARLY DESTREHAN+
+CREOLE INDIGO-SUGAR)+ 
>ancestors plantations, all were excellent<
>in the task of indigo & sugar production<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 >looking south from new orleans toward the<
>mexican gulf to the fertile river delta rich w/<
+(THE GRUY BARATARIA+
+JUNGLE ACROSS RIVER)+
>forests of gigantic palmetto & ancient oaks<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>this cafe on the right corner was the<
>last place i saw our older brother<
+(LUNCH W/  RANNY+
+nola VIEUX CARRE)+
>alive just before he left louisiana<
>for california, >never to return<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >west indies historical transport reminds us<
>this was found in new orleans when our<
+(CREOLE-AFRICAN N.+
+O. FRENCH HISTORY)+
>mother was a young girl back in 1910<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >the great "essence and alchemy" by mandy<
>aptel is an effective introduction to history<
+(PERFUME ALCHEMY+
+ESSENCE in FRANCE)+
>of perfume essence/alchemy in old france<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >conversion of lavender plants into perfume<
>in the south of france distillery is an ancient<
+(ALCHEMY IS VITAL IN+
+THE FRENCH RIVIERA)+ 
 >alchemical process known by wizard seers<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >as an artist-architect i am able to convert<
>raw data and material into a transcendent<
+(ALCHEMICAL VISION+
+RADIANT AND VIVID)+
>manifestation much as an alchemist-seer<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >this alchemical laboratory in the south of<
>france is very close to the art studios of<
+(ARTIST ALCHEMISTS+
+LIKE WIZARD SEERS)+
>picasso, matisse, bonnard and chagall<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

>native american wizard shaman are talented<
>in converting organic plant energy into a<
+(RADIANT NATIVE-+
+AMERICAN SEERS)+
>alchemical transcendental manifestation<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+THE ORGANIC WORLD OF+
+ALCHEMY & ESSENCE /+
>(plant biotronic alchemy<
>in st. tammany parish)<
+RADIANT & MAGICAL+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu

Monday, July 28, 2014

TROPIQUE MAGIQUE / sansouci forest design & research

+SANSOUCI FOREST+
>was a beautiful jungle of magnificent trees<
>along the bogue falaya river 35 miles north<
+(BARRANGER FAMILY+
+/ LED THIS EFFORT)+
>of new orleans, selected by several artists<
+(ROBERT LOBDELLS ALSO+
+/ SEVERAL FINE FRIENDS)+
>to locate a theatre and art association<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
+OUR FAMILY LOVED+
>the sansouci forest when we were<
>able to buy a half acre and build<
>our 2000 sq. ft glazed pavilion<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+THE JUNGLE NOURISHED OUR+
+PSYCHE= WE NEVER FORGOT+
>(orient forest, genetic memory)<
+THE JOY OF LIVING-WORKING+
+-LEARNING, IN THAT FOREST+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >our raised pavilion house was situated on a<
>tropical hammock close to the bogue falaya<
+(MILIEU OF THE IVORY+
+BILL WOODPECKER)+
>river and at night it radiated w/ many lights<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>our son derek, loved the sansouci forest<
>house and went back in recent years to<
+(DEREK'S PHOTOS WERE+
+BEAUTIFUL, POIGNANT)+
>meet the new owner and take photos<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>the thick tropic vegetation around plantation<
>houses south of nee orleans has been a joy<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+/ BARATARIA JUNGLE)+
>and if one researches the indian mound<
>house of jean baptiste degruy (reward)<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >in st. bernard parish at chalmette, my cavaroc<
>ancestors developed their plantation and it is<
+(PLANTATION MEMORY+
+STRONG / PERMANENT)+
>interesting the us govt financed a vineyard<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >i not only searched for family plantations<
>i discovered strong vines emerging from<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY /+
+RAY & DEGRUY TOMBS)+
>coffins in family above ground tombs<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >as an artist, architect & professor i developed<
>a form of metaphysical art to express a love i<
+(GRAPHICS FOR OUR /+
+LOUISIANA FRIENDS)+
>felt for the rich organic milieu of louisiana<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 >a favorite prototype design of mine is this "house<
>for longer living" in which 3 family generations<
+(SOLAR HEATED, WIND+
+POWER PLANTATION)+
>live and work in a plantation compound house<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>the aube river, seen here at bossancourt near<
>the degruy chateau reminds that rivers are<
+(BAYOU BARATARIA AN+
+/ HEIR OF AUBE RIVER)+
>essential to our jungle plantation milieu<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 >oakland plantation of judge hunter's youth<
>in a precious treasure of radiant vegetation<
+(REMOTE W/ STRONG+
+CREOLE HERITAGE)+
>faces the cane river of a favorite memory<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>government scholars have designated the<
>"african house" on melrose plantation as<
+(GOOGLE : EUGENE RAY+
+/ THE AFRICAN HOUSE)+
>our greatest genetic memory expression<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                      
>"journey to new orleans" / "sacred seeds" /<
>"radiant energy" is a metaphysical graphic<
+(JUNGLE HARVEST+
+/ METAPHYSICS)+
>w/ a strong reference to a jungle harvest<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>degas great cotton harvest painting made in<
>new orleans cotton exchange reminds me<
+(BROKER GEORGE STAIGG+
+WED AMALIE CAVAROC)+
>of grandfather staigg, a nola cotton broker<
>nephew of richard morel staigg, >painter<
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+GOOGLE : RICHARD MORRELL+
>(faned english painter architect<
>settled / newport rhode island)<
+STAIGG / NEWPORT ARTIST+
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
eugene ray, mfa, architect
professor emeritus, sdsu