Opelousas Museum Offers Creative Workshops with Local Artists
OPELOUSAS, La (press release) – The Opelousas Museum will offer workshops in visual, literary and musical arts in February and March.
The workshops will use the current exhibit, “Where We Live: Opelousas Neighborhoods,” as inspiration, which features the images and words of residents, embodying the community and their everyday lives.
The creative workshops will provide an opportunity to engage more closely with the images and the concept of neighborhood identity.
All events are free and include refreshments.
- What: Literary, Musical and Visual Workshops
- When: Feb. 7 and 21, March 5 and 7
- Where: Opelousas Museum, 315 N Main St., Opelousas, La
- Contact: Patrice Melnick 337-948-2589; museum@cityofopelousas.com
Opelousas Museum Workshop Dates and Details
Saturday, Feb. 7 – Crafting Poetry from Community Photographs
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Instructor: Randy Gonzales
Participants will write poetry inspired by community photographs. No prior writing experience is needed.
Randy Gonzales is a poet, writer and community historian. Randy’s debut poetry collection, “Settling St. Malo,” won the 2024 Summerlee Book Award for enriching our understanding of the history of the Gulf Coast region. His second collection, “There No More,” is forthcoming (UL Press, 2026). Randy is an associate professor of English at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he holds an Endowed Professorship in Southern Studies.
Randy Gonzales, from the Opelousas Museum
Saturday, Feb. 21 – Collaborative Songwriting Session
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Instructor: Steve Smith
People of all ages are invited to write a song with Steve Smith. Using museum photos for inspiration, participants will brainstorm lyrics to integrate with a melody.
Smith has played piano with various bands in and around Southwest Louisiana. Some of the most notable musicians and groups Steve has played for are Lil Bob and the Lollipops, Louisiana Red, Roscoe Chenier, The Boogie All Stars and Hadley Castille. He recently retired from his position as the Instrumental Music Director at the Magnet Academy for Cultural Arts (M.A.C A.), which is the school for talented children in St. Landry Parish. He has been directing the Holy Ghost Gospel Choir since 1981.
Steve has played keyboards, sang, engineered and mixed music for different entertainment groups throughout the area. His musical repertoire consists of soul, country/western, pop, gospel, jazz, classical and original tunes.
Steve Smith, from the Opelousas Museum
Thursday, March 5 – Voices of Our Neighborhood: A Strength-Inspired Poetry Workshop
5 – 7 p.m.
Instructor: Alex “PoeticSoul” Johnson
An inclusive poetry workshop, inviting students of all ages who can read and write to explore the unique strengths and gifts their neighborhoods provide.
By the end of the session, everyone will create a personal poem expressing the power and inspiration they draw from their neighborhood, fostering pride, connection and creative expression.
Alex “PoeticSoul” Johnson is a poet, teaching artist and founder of Lyrically Inclined, a spoken-word organization based in Lafayette, Louisiana. She curates the Community Stage for the Festival of Words in Grand Coteau and has led poetry workshops for incarcerated youth, with her project “Eyes of the Sun” turned into murals through the 24-Hour Citizen Project.
Her poetry has been featured in The Southern View Magazine and the Louisiana State Capitol Museum exhibit “Mitoloji Latannyèr | Mythologies Louisianaises.” She has performed at the Nuyorican Café, Split This Rock and TEDx. PoeticSoul is a recipient of the ABC Fund ICON Rising Star and Acadiana Profile TrailBlazer awards. She holds a B.S. in Marketing and is pursuing an MSW. Her album “Scattered Thoughts” and book “Poisonous Thoughts” are available on major platforms.
Alex Johnson, from the Opelousas Museum
Saturday, March 7 – Spectacular Collages
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Instructor: Ke’Shawn Collins
In this workshop, attendees will make collages of Louisiana maps using different art materials. Enjoy mix media art and fun facts about Louisiana.
Ke’Shawn Collins started creating beautiful art pieces at an early age. He was inspired by watching videos of Bob Ross and painting and drawing with his brother. Collins is a graduate of the Magnet Academy of Cultural Arts in Opelousas.
He is also a teaching artist for “Artists in the Schools,” a program by the Acadiana Center for the Arts. At 24 years old, he declares, “I’m living my childhood dream teaching kids art all over Louisiana, like Bob Ross.”
Ke’Shawn Collins, from the Opelousas Museum
Learn more at https://opelousasmuseum.org/events/
The project is supported by a grant from the Louisiana Division of the Arts Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council, as administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
Funding has also been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. The project also receives support from the Museums Advancing Racial Justice Initiative.
