By Brooke Shirley
The Natchitoches Art Council unveiled the 2017 Natchitoches Christmas Festival Poster Oct. 5 with the help of this year’s Christmas Belles. The star of the evening, and most importantly the artist of the 38th Annual Limited Edition beauty, was Rakeya Walker, a Natchitoches native. This bubbly mother of two graduated from Northwestern State University in 2008 with a degree in graphic communication/fine arts. She earned an associate’s degree in business administration in 2009. Outside of her job in finance, Walker spends time with her family.
Pastor Steven Harris notified Walker about the poster contest, which allowed her to tap back into her creative muse. In her own words, Walker describes her artwork as follows:
The art piece is designed using symbolic features that represent the Southern charm of Natchitoches. Each image can easily be recognized by an individual, young or old. The colored pencils were used to show the fresh and innovative style by introducing different degrees of wax and pigment. The focal point demonstrates every angle of Natchitoches life.
When asked what inspired the content of her poster, Miss Walker stated, “All of the items featured in my poster embody what Natchitoches is all about. I have a love for each aspect in my poster but oh how I love music! Zydeco, Jazz, R&B, and Country bring life.”
Karen Terrell, a local artist and member of the Natchitoches Art Guild, said she was impressed at the amount of skill Walker has. The artwork was crafted entirely from color pencil, but from afar looks as though it could have been painted. When the curtain was pulled off, a sense of pride flashed across Mayor Lee Posey’s face while everyone ooo’d and awww’d.
The 18×24 poster is available for purchase at the Natchitoches Arts Council office located at the Community Development Office located at 420 Fourth Street in Natchitoches. Each poster costs $35 and includes one mini poster. If you would like any extra mini posters, they are $3 a piece. All proceeds fund an Art Scholarship at Northwestern State University and is used to sponsor art camps and projects in the parish.
