Sandra Murchison
I first saw these lush paintings at a show at Loyola University in New Orleans, and was greatly struck by them. I tracked down the artist, then heading up the art department at Millsaps College, and asked if I could have some of her work after the exhibition to show in my gallery. Fortunately she said yes, and I have been proud to show her ever since. This is from her series documenting the Mississippi Blues Trail, a meandering path that runs through towns and past venues significant in the development of the Delta blues. This painting features a legendary black-owned tamale shop on the trail in Rosedale, Mississippi called the White Front Cafe (Joe's Hot Tamales) that has been around since I believe the 1930's and is still serving tamales today, and I think is in the same family! The painting, as others in the series, combines rubbings from the Blues Trail marker with scenery and vegetation characteristic of the area in which he made his mark.