NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans artist, Joshua Wingerter, spent hours painting in the Marigny on Wednesday, turning pieces of plywood into valuable pieces of art. Every piece sold helps a local non-profit.
"I always joke about loving on people, and this is a language everyone understands," Wingerter said.
He painted 60 plywood pieces from his COVID-19 collection.
"I love the turnout. I love the support. I think it's a representation of what our community is. That's everybody coming together to take care of each other," he said.
The pieces feature New Orleans legends and health care heroes.
"Creating normalcy between things we identify with and things we're becoming accustomed to," Wingerter said.
Lowes donated the plywood and Wingerter donated his time and talent. Selling for a couple of hundred dollars each, proceeds from each sale go to The Roots of Music, a non-profit helping kids through music.
"We usually raise between 12 and 15 thousand dollars per event," he said.
Some supporters spent hours watching him work, including Shannon McGuire who purchased a piece.
"Unbelievable," McGuire said. "So inspiring and I love the stencil and he does it so fast."
The quarantine-era pieces depict this moment in history while showcasing the resiliency of New Orleans.
During this pandemic, Wingerter first grabbed the attention of many in the city when he painted murals on boarded-up windows along Frenchmen street.
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