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Recently at an art reception Beverly Dudley, a local artist from Port Allen, approached me with the idea of writing about the “Cannatella” women as she called them. I readily knew whom she was speaking of since I had met Debbie Cannatella two years earlier while working on the publicity committee for the Louisiana Art and Artists Guild. I still keep in touch with her, since she is our web master. I knew and admired her spectacular watercolor skills, but equally admired her as a devoted single, working mom working in the predominantly male field of civil engineering and construction at the time. We instantly connected, because like Debbie, I too, had worked in industrial construction and engineering for 25 years, and I too had dreams of painting away in a loft somewhere.

I contacted Debbie, and asked her to give me the background on her, her mom, her daughter and granddaughter, all very talented in the fine arts and performing arts. How did this particular family tree of talent flourish through four generations? And, were there any more previously? Debbie so graciously obliged and gave insight into this talented family.

Marie Cannatella was always creative, sketching figures and designing fashion. Growing up, her daughter, Debbie, loved watching her mom draw. She developed a love of art and an eye for design. Debbie Cannatella sketched and painted at an early age, winning art contests in high school and taking private instruction in fine art from Harold Menard after school hours. She married young, had children and her artwork was put on hold as her marriage ended and she raised her daughters on her own.

Debbie and Marie began taking their art a little more seriously at the same time. In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s Marie began private instruction with Beverly Dudley and her oil paintings were featured at the O'Neal Lane location of Coffee Call, their family-owned business. Marie set her artwork aside when she developed breast cancer, but now that she is five years recovered, she's in the process of picking up her paintbrush again. The peace that she attains from being in and painting nature helps her feel closer to God. And, she loves watching the talents of her daughter, Debbie and granddaughter, Brandi Braud.

Debbie Cannatella pushed farther with her art, excelling in watercolor as her medium and becoming active in local and state art societies and guilds. She has juried into both national and international watercolor exhibitions. Debbie is presently showcasing her work at the College Drive location of Coffee Call. Her former art instructor, Harold Menard and his wife, Rosemary, are still regular customers at Coffee Call and enjoy seeing the newest paintings Debbie exhibits.

Debbie re-married in 2005 and moved to the Chicago suburb of Oak Park a month after hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. She is enjoying success as a full-time artist there, and has two solo shows under her belt. She is a board member and exhibition chairperson of the Oak Park Art League and interest in her exhibitions has begun to spread to other suburbs of Chicago. Her representational work covers a variety of subjects and can be viewed on her web site at cannatella.net.

Debbie's oldest daughter, Brandi Braud, works within a different medium. Brandi is a self-taught pastel and charcoal artist and has a magnificent ability to capture the spirit of the children whose portraits she creates. Brandi says that she has always loved to draw, and her drawing was something different than what other people could do.

Brandi remembers being in the fourth grade and doodling in class. She looked at a picture of an animal on the wall of the classroom and copied it. She did not think that this was a big deal until all the kids started gathering around her desk and saying wow, look what she did. The teacher came over and asked if she traced it. One of her friends said she couldn’t trace on construction paper. She says she was always sketching or drawing with her mom and her grandmother. She drew pictures of people in magazines, flowers sitting on the table and caricatures of her friends. She said she always had this itch to draw things and just had to do it even if it meant getting in trouble at school.

Brandi started a family young, became very busy and did not have time for art until one day when she was working as a teacher at Country Day School and the children were napping. She said she just had to draw pictures of them. The parents loved the drawings and some started to commission her to do a few sketches. This was around the time she found and old box of chalk pastels in the closet, pulled them out and started to play with them and loved them. She says that she just loves the stuff - the feel of rubbing her hands through the chalk and smudging colors together. She has tried other mediums such as acrylic paint, colored pencils, and watercolor, but always goes back to the chalk. She believes that art is an expression, a feeling. She says it is like she has to create her art, because it comes from within her. Brandi says that she does not have a lot of time to do her art while running a business and raising two children, but even in her busy life she still finds herself sitting in the living room at 1 a.m. smudging her hands in the messy chalk and enjoying "her" art.

Brandi’s oldest daughter, Alyssa, is a performing artist. She is a beautiful dancer at the premier dance center in Baton Rouge. Dance is her expression. Brandi says she enjoys watching her have as much passion with her dancing as she has with her art. Alyssa’s sister, Autumn looks up to her and wants to dance as beautifully as she does. Brandi says Autumn also sings and can run you out of the house with all her constant singing. Brandi thinks singing will be Autumn’s talent.

I think you will find the talent threads are so intricately woven from Marie, to Debbie, to Brandi, Alyssa and Autumn. Debbie’s art can be seen at the College Drive location of Coffee Call, and she is also to be featured on the August cover of Iris magazine. Be sure and look for a copy.

Link up and let me know about great artists in the area. I would love to share more stories like this. Post comments here.

Happy Painting