Artist Profile

CARLTON SCOTT STURGILL

CARLTON SCOTT STURGILL’S FABRIC FLORAL INSTALLATIONS

are captivating paeans to blooms and vines, the perfect artistic genre for the season of rebirth. Yet, woven into each are layers of examination and commentary that become evident when one looks more closely. At the heart of Sturgill’s work (ranging from racy naturalistic paintings inspired by photos taken from dating sites to sinuous handcrafted flora and large-scale interactive greenhouses) is his fascination with the dichotomy between public persona and private behavior and what we discover when we investigate that duality.

“I want to make something beautiful,” says Sturgill who sees the need to uplift humanity given the current crises affecting the planet. “But I also want to make something that has meaning. Flowers are an ambiguous symbol. We give and get them for almost everything in our lives; for weddings and birthdays, but also funerals.”

Raised in a small farm community outside of Cincinnati, Sturgill received his BA from the University of Cincinnati and his Master of Arts from London’s Chelsea College of Art & Design. His subject matter, born of what he observed to be the striking contrast between midwestern conservatism and what goes on behind the scenes there, comes from his roots, but resonates far beyond the heartland’s borders. “I got into the surface versus what’s behind the surface, the idea of the white picket fence façade and what is actually happening in the real lives of the people,” he says.

Sturgill’s materials of choice — Ralph Lauren paint color chips for his mosaics and Ralph Lauren fabrics obtained from secondhand retail for his florals — are uniquely suited to his exploration of the way we craft our persona or in modern terms “create our brand.” Ralph-Lauren-the-designer epitomizes the American ideal of success; Ralph-Lauren-the-label epitomizes classic Americana. Plus, Sturgill says secondhand cloth “has a range of experiences embedded in it.”

At a distance, the viewer may not notice the Ralph Lauren labels incorporated into Sturgill’s flowers, but they are there, telegraphing information to those who are interested in delving further.

Smitten with the culture and the city’s support of the arts, Sturgill and his wife ultimately made New Orleans their home after stints abroad and in New York. He is represented by Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, where his last show consisted of flowers made from used wedding gowns and tuxedos. His next show, “Life in Bloom,” is on exhibit April 1 thru May 29; opening reception April 3. — BY LEE CUTRONE

ACCESSORY ACCESS

Creating a mask and hand sanitizer station that’s both handy and attractive

Even with the vaccine being administered into arms across New Orleans and the nation, we are still being advised to wear masks for a while longer to protect ourselves and others. For a longer time than I care to admit, our mask and hand sanitizer “station” was a gallon Ziplock bag hanging on a decorative clip near the door. We filled it as needed with the essential safety accoutrements and, while a great visual reminder and 100 percent functional, this was always meant to be a temporary solution. I finally grew weary of digging through the bag in search of a mask color to fit my current whim, as well as the type (spray, gel or both) and scent of sanitizer (blood orange, lavender, my own essential oil blend or pure alcohol). A first world problem if ever there were one, but I digress. So, because the Ziplock bag was unattractive and — even worse in my book — it was inefficient, which always pushes the buttons on my pain threshold, because I’m an efficiency geek, I created a proper station. If you’d like to create one for your home here’s my recommendation.

Elements to consider:

Hooks for masks

A shelf or basket for sanitizers

Wall mounting capabilities

Clean simple lines

Durability

While there are some pretty adorable options on Etsy, I went for convenience and a low price point. We purchased a simple mail sorting rack for $15.99 at Harry’s Ace Hardware on Magazine Street. There were only three left in stock, but a similar sorter is available at acehardware.com.

We toss our masks in the guest room sink and hand wash them at the end of each day, but you could include a basket for used masks in your station if you pick a model with a wider shelf and hooks. This might be a good solution for those with children or otherwise larger households. If you go this route, get a slightly longer shelf, place hand sanitizers directly on the shelf or in a dedicated basket and put the “used” basket next to it with a label indicating “dirty” or “used” (or “wash me” if you want to have fun with it).

The reality is that we’ll be using masks and sanitizer for the foreseeable future, so we might as well create storage solutions that work with our needs and décor. But, if you don’t want to go to all of the trouble, I can vouch for a Ziplock bag clipped by the door. At the end of the day, the most important thing is not whether or not you have a Pinterest-worthy mask and sanitizer station. The point is to remember to actually take and use your masks and sanitizer (and of course to stay six-to-10 feet apart). Stay safe, everyone. We’re in this thing together. (Note: A version of this column was published previously on myneworleans.

com.) – BY MELANIE WARNER SPENCER

Flavor Fiesta

Barracuda founder Brett Jones’ pork roast captures the flavors of carnitas and porchetta in a not-quite Mexican meal

PRODUCED BY MARGARET ZAINEY ROUX

CHILE AND TURMERIC ROAST PORK SHOULDER

Serves 6-8

1 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves 6 garlic cloves, peeled ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed ½ teaspoon ground cumin seed ½ teaspoon morita chile powder (substitute chipotle chile powder) 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (if using a coarser salt, use 2 teaspoons) 1/3 cup olive oil 3-4 pounds pork shoulder with fat cap (bone-in is best)

1. Make marinade by combining rosemary leaves, garlic, ground spices, salt and olive oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, and set aside. 2. Place pork on clean cutting board, with fatty side up. With a sharp knife, score fat in a cross-hatch pattern without cutting through to meat. Rub spice blend into scored fat then over entire roast. Refrigerate overnight or for least 3 hours.

3. Remove pork from refrigerator to bring it to room temperature (about an hour). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F. 4. In a roasting pan with a rack, add enough water to cover bottom, but not to touch pork. Place fatty side up on the rack and roast for 30-45 minutes, until top is golden and beginning to get crispy. 5. Remove pork from oven and cover tightly with foil. Reduce heat to 325 F and continue to cook for about 4 hours or until it is very soft and tender throughout. You should be able to pull apart the center of roast gently with tongs. 6. Transfer pork to a platter, tear and shred into chunks and smaller pieces. 7. Serve in flour or corn tortillas with sliced avocado and salsa verde or hot sauce. Spritz with freshly squeezed lime.

About the Chef

Brett Jones is the founder of Barracuda, a neighborhood taco stand and margarita garden with locations in the Garden District and Algiers Point. He credits his grandmother, “Mawmaw Cat,” with his love of cooking and entertaining and describes his original recipes as fresh takes on Mexican classics he has enjoyed at taquerias across the Southwest and Mexico.