One Local Business Operates On The Principle That Anyone Can Create Art
By Angie Kay Dilmore
Tracy LeMieux beams as she walks through her art studio and points out the numerous art projects in progress. She opened The Art Factory on Common Street around a year ago as a way to share her love of art with the community at large.
“As an artist, I like to make art, but I really love teaching people how to do stuff,” says LeMieux. “I love when clients come in with an idea and I help them bring that idea to life. That’s exciting to me. That’s why I opened this place.”
Tracy LeMieux’s signature pottery style.
On Becoming An Artist
LeMieux always thought of herself as a creative person but didn’t truly “do art” until she worked as an aide in the art classes at her children’s school in Baton Rouge. She learned from the teacher, Ann Monroe. It was there LeMieux was first introduced to clay.
Soon after, she opened her own art studio called Kaleidoscope, where she offered art camps for children.
Thirteen years ago, LeMieux and her family moved to Lake Charles. At the age of 42, she decided to finish her education at McNeese State University. She majored in art, with a concentration in ceramics, and graduated in 2014. During her senior year, when she was required to complete a senior project, LeMieux wanted to find her own style. She struggled to find her pottery niche. Then she got an idea. “I wanted to create something you could see through. I wanted to see if our eyes would finish an incomplete picture. My idea was that there would be something like a painting behind my ceramic design. Could our brains complete the image? I was fascinated by that.”
Ultimately, the answer to that question was no. The idea didn’t work. But through the process of exploring the idea, LeMieux developed a method and style all her own. “I started working with slip (watered down clay that acts as a glue in ceramics). Normally, clay shrinks when it dries. In order for slip to ‘stay,’ you need to add a ‘deflocculant.’ I added paper shredded so fine you couldn’t see it in the clay. The paper particles made the slip dry evenly and [stay] together.”
When she’s using this process, LeMieux proceeds by squeezing the slip through a baker’s icing bag onto plaster molds, creating signature pieces of pottery as she does so.
She describes her work as “contemporary.”
“Some say it looks like noodles or just a bunch of squiggles made out of clay. But it’s something no one else is doing. I like to do things a little different.”
The image at the top left shows LeMieux’s signature pottery style.
Artistic Opportunities
LeMieux offers a variety of opportunities for the community to come to The Art Factory and be creative. These include:
• Summer Art Camps for ages 3-12, Monday-Thursday, 9 am-noon or 1-4 pm. She hopes to start a middle school camp for fifth through eighth graders this summer.
• Leisure Learning art classes through McNeese State University.
• Private group instruction or studio time.
• Makin’ Art Wednesdays, 10 am-noon or 6-8 pm. Participants make a different project each Wednesday.
• Throwin’ Thursdays, for people who want to work on a pottery wheel.
• Birthday parties for kids and adults, as well as other celebrations.
• Field trips for school groups and clubs.
• Drawing classes.
• Family Art Night on the second Tuesday of every month.
She says walk-ins are always welcome.
LeMieux also provides a special service to expectant parents: Belly Bowls. LeMieux makes a plaster cast of a pregnant woman’s belly; from that she creates a unique ceramic bowl to commemorate the child’s birth.
LeMieux strives to create a fun creative learning environment. She believes everyone is creative and can craft something art-related.
“I want to teach you so you learn something and you can come back anytime and use that information. I want you to love making art. Everyone can make something beautiful.”
The Art Factory will host a grand opening and open house March 19-20. There will be hands-on activities and an opportunity to sign up for summer camps.
If you’d like to see LeMieux’s work, she will participate in an art exhibit at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum May 5 through June 4.
For more information, visit theartfactoryslwa.com; call LeMieux at 337-802-2999; or visit her at 1753 Common St.
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