Nostalgic New Orleans

A Vibrant Perspective to the City’s Distinctive Culture

by Greta Honsberger

IT SOUNDS PRETTY SIMPLE to say it all started with a can of beans, but it accurately describes how Joe Mustachia started his career as an artist. Growing up, Joe enjoyed drawing, and with time, his craft began to develop, making others take note of his talent. Middle school would see him painting the glass breezeways with the school’s logo. Creativity was always part of his life, leading Joe to study art and physical education at the University of New Orleans. Life, as it often does, presented him with adult choices. In love with his would-be wife Cathy, the two married and started their lives together. Driven by his responsibilities, Joe set aside his art, began a landscape business, and he and Cathy raised their son and daughter.

In 2019, the passing of the Mustachia’s beloved dachshund Bosco would rekindle Joe’s creative passion, and he would again pick up the innovative tools that were once so familiar to him. Seeking comfort and a way to memorialize Bosco, Joe turned to his most innate form of expression and drew a beautiful picture of Bosco.

A few months later, Joe’s brother-in-law approached him about painting something nostalgic for his Louisiana-themed room. He wanted something quintessential New Orleans that would stir emotion and familiarity. He had a specific subject in mind for the piece; he just needed an artist. Thus, a can of Blue Runner Beans entered the scene, significantly changing Joe’s life.

Blue Runner Beans are a traditional part of New Orleans culture, evoking the fondest memories for generations. It was precisely the piece that Joe’s brother-in-law wanted. Joe got to work painting, making several styles, each larger. “Each time I did another, I thought the next would be better,” recalls Joe. In time, his brother-in-law got his Blue Runner Bean painting and hung it proudly. The different versions of the painting would soon end up at a Denham Springs community art show where people fell in love with the piece of local nostalgia. To Joe’s surprise, each version quickly sold. The Blue Runner Beans painting would begin Joe’s art career trajectory, creating an unexpected ride and a dream come true.

Artists are often told to adhere to what they know regarding their subject matter. Joe truly takes this concept to heart when choosing the subjects of his work. I asked why he had chosen these particular subjects. He easily clarified, “It’s what I know. Generally, I prefer to choose recognizable objects and locations from New Orleans and around the Louisiana area. I draw upon a lifetime of memories and experiences growing up and living in this area.”

Joe has no shortage of subject matter. Familiar fragments of renowned and celebrated New Orleans inspire him. From the vibrant and detailed porches of shotgun houses and the time-worn faces of musicians playing in a Second Line Jazz Band to the old Roman Candy Wagon clanging its bell and spreading taffy bliss and towering oaks with monstrous, thrusting limbs like giant arms, or magnolia trees complete with bursting pods and full blooms, he captures them all with paint and canvas. These reflective, everyday institutions are significant to Joe, as they represent the very essence of the character of the New Orleans that he has known and loved all of his life.

The tale-tell signs of a Joe Mustachia composition are unmistakable at first glance. The colors will pull you in first and fast. Bold and brilliant, they draw the eye to look and look and look again because you won’t want to miss a single detail. Plus, you will swear he has created a color never seen by the human eye before. After you absorb the subject’s compelling colors and nuanced details, you will likely find your hand, ostensibly without realizing it, reaching out to touch the textured canvas. Joe’s paintings have a powerful impact on the senses.

Impasto texture is another significant and unmistakable distinction in Joe’s pieces. This textured component is laborious and time-consuming because each color, of the layers upon layers of the acrylic paint he generously prefers, takes time to dry thoroughly, shutting down the process. Adding to the painstaking technique is the fact that Joe does not generally use a brush. “Instead,” explains Joe, “ it is thrown, dripped and/ or splattered, giving the piece a dynamic, textured effect.” You must marvel that although the motif was constructed with drips, splatters, and slaps of paint, it is entirely clear.

For Joe, the viewer’s connection to the piece is a crucial part of the process. He wants the viewer to feel “as though they are a part of the painting.” Amidst the unparalleled hallmarks of New Orleans and her natural qualities that take center stage, the canvas comes to life, bathed in layers of vivid colors and adorned with a heavily textured paint surface. In such a context, forging a connection becomes inevitable.

In 2022, Joe was chosen to create the Washington Mardi Gras poster themed “Louisiana: America’s Foreign Country.” On the poster, Joe conveyed what he wanted the rest of the world to know about his home: “I wanted to capture the vibrant color, positive energy, and unique atmosphere that makes Mardi Gras and our state so special.”

Thinking about the success that has befallen him since that Blue Runner can painting, Joe humbly laments upon his great fortune: “ For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in creating things. Growing up, I just never imagined I could potentially earn a living creating art.” Today, every day, or any day, Joe can go to “work” in his garage-turned-studio and create, which is what he truly loves.

Joe’s paintings can be found at Rustic Home Furniture and NOLA Boards. To see more of his work, follow him on Instagram - joemust.art.