It was our first time exhibiting at New Orleans Jazz Fest and it was nothing short of exhilarating. Neither Coco or I had ever been to New Orleans so we took a few extra days to explore the city. We loved everything about it… the food, the people, and of course, the music.
Mayu loved the beignets at Cafe du Monde
But what really captured our attention was the community support of artists of all types. We were blown away by the support of local artists, street musicians, and artwork in all mediums. It seemed everywhere you turned, there was some expression of creativity. We saw the most fun street art, clothing, automobiles and front porches of any city we have ever visited.
New Orleans Street Art Near Jackson Square
While we were busy touring the city, Coco received a phone call from renowned art critic Doug MacCash, who writes for The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com. Doug wanted to feature Coco as one of the must see artists at Jazz Fest. He was blown away by Coco’s macrame jewelry. What an honor to be chosen among the amazing talent exhibiting at this show! We were so excited! Here is an excerpt from the article:
Elegant Fiber Jewelry, from Peru with Love
Peruvian artist Coco Paniora Salinas, who lives in New Jersey, learned the fundamentals of making macrame jewelry from his mother, a traditional fiber weaver. The soft colors, complex botanical shapes and raw embedded gemstone lend his jewelry plenty of visual punch. But the restrained composition of the designs preserve a certain elegance. Look for Salinas in the Contemporary Crafts area, tent G.
— Doug MacCash for NOLA.com
Macrame necklace Swinging Through Trees by Coco Paniora Salinas of Rumi Sumaq
The fun only continued once Jazz Fest began. Coco enjoyed meeting many new customers, while Mayu and I explored the music and artist tents. I introduced Mayu to the music of the headliners Santana, Public Enemy, Phish and Eric Clapton, but he was most moved by the rhythms coming out of the Jazz, Blues and Gospel Tents. He couldn’t help but dance and wriggle to the incredible beats.
Mayu feeling the music
All in all, we had a fantastic week in NOLA! We hope Coco will be invited back to New Orleans Jazz Fest next year!