Frenchy Paints Big Chief Bo Dollis, Mardi Gras Indian, for Jazz Fest 2015 Poster
Frenchy was tapped to create the official poster for the 2015 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This is an incredible honor for Frenchy as his loving relationship is not only with JazzFest but his New Orleans home. “Dreams do come true. and to be honest I feel this poster isn’t about me, but our community. After all it is New Orleans, the wonderful people and culture that has made me what I am today,” noted the artist when asked about being selected. But this news comes on a sad day, the subject of this year’s poster is the Mardi Gras Indian, Bo Dollis, and Bo sadly passed away yesterday.
Bo Dollis is the Subject of the Official Jazz Fest 2015 Poster
The Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians was this year’s subject for the official 2015 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival poster. Organizers approached Frenchy to create an original painting of Theodore Emile “Bo” Dollis to be the centerpiece of the venerable festival’s poster and theme this year. Frenchy has experience with Bo as the Mardi Gras Indians served as his muse before.
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Festival organizers said the following in a press release, “In Frechette, we saw the same restless creative spirit that pushed Bo to sneak out, costume and parade against his parents’ better judgment way back when. These forces of nature cannot be contained. They power greatness. We wondered what Frechette would do if given 100 days instead of 100 minutes to paint with no audience except art4now’s art director. We’ll let the art speak for itself. It’s magic. Inspired by the soul of the greatness Bo Dollis embodied. We’re all one tribe now.”
Frenchy Painting Bo Dollis is Natural Choice to Capture New Orleans Culture
Just as Frenchy captures the vibrant energy and colorful soul of New Orleans, Bo was synonymous with the cultural history of Mardi Gras – one of the city’s most renowned events. It was just a natural combination to have two of New Orleans’ cultural ambassadors collaborate to create the official artwork for another of the city’s beloved events.
Frenchy has a long history of capturing the music and vibes of Jazz Fest on canvas. The marriage of New Orleans and Native American culture, live music, and Frenchy just makes sense. Additionally Frenchy points to other inspiration, “I’m blessed to have fallen in love with an amazing woman and mother, Tina Verdin, a full-blooded Native American from the Houma Nation in Dulac in southern Louisiana. We have a beautiful son together, Randy Leo Frechette Jr, “Leo.” They are the driving force and inspiration for all my work. It’s great being a dad! Ya you right!!”
Jazz Fest 2015 Poster Art Becomes a Memorial
So on with news of this incredible honor and the unveiling of Frenchy’s painting of Bo for the 2015 Jazz Fest poster comes the sad news of Dollis’ passing at the age of 71. Frenchy noted, “We’re losing Big Chief Bo Dollis, but gaining a guardian angel watching over New Orleans. He is in a better place now and I guarantee he will be dancing and singing on 2nd and Dryades on Mardi Gras Day then over Jazz Fest … for eternity.”
This celebration of art, history and the esteemed New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival transformed into a memorial and tribute to one of the greats of the “new” generation of Indian Chiefs.
Prints of Fenchy’s official 2015 Jazz Fest poster are for sale through Art4Now
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