Episodios

  • Frank Randol – Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge

    Frank Randol – Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge
    Aug 30 2024
    Frank Randol of Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge, joins Discover Lafayette in partnership with Eat Lafayette, a yearlong celebration of our locally owned restaurants, to share news of the revival of his unique Cajun restaurant and dancehall concept, a longtime staple in Lafayette. Breaux Bridge is only 15 minutes from Lafayette and is part of a corridor surrounding Lafayette Parish that is ripe for growth. And Frank is a young 78 years old, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War who still exudes energy and a passion for being a changemaker. Frank is a force of nature who works nonstop to promote the beauty of our local culture. Frank has been in the seafood business for 53 years, and is renowned for his contribution to sustaining and promoting our Cajun culture. As part of that dedication, Frank currently serves as Secretary of the Gulf Seafood Foundation and has always been an avid supporter of Eat Lafayette. He focuses on wild-caught seafood with no additives, only South Louisiana seafood, with a bent toward crawfish, softshell crab, and other seasonal specialties. Hamburger steak is also a popular dish craved by Randol's longtime patrons. His experience in the seafood business defines Frank Randol. In 1971, he opened a seafood processing facility in Henderson and operated it for nine years before opening the original Randol's Restaurant in 1980 when he moved operations to his family property on Kaliste Saloom Road. Over the years, he welcomed thousands of visitors from around the world to his restaurant and dancehall who were looking to experience authentic Cajun culture. To learn more about Frank's historic career, please listen to our original interview on Discover Lafayette here. In 2021, the owners of Superior Grill offered Frank a price for his Kaliste Saloom property that he couldn't refuse. The money afforded him the opportunity to take off two years to consider his future, and he kept his general manager, Jimmy LaGrange, employed alongside him as they contemplated their next move. "It takes two people to do nothing well for two years," Frank jokes. But in reality, Frank had not only wealth in money, but also wealth in ideas, creativity, love of Cajun food and culture, and a desire to continue in the restaurant business. "When you throw yourself into something for so many decades, you can't just go cold turkey. People need to embrace the Cajun Culture. It's already branded and known worldwide." Randol's menu is patterned after the former Randol's choices, repurposed and retested to ensure perfection for today's market. A mini-market for fresh seafood purchases is in the works and will be open soon. Today, the restaurant's success is Frank's main priority. Not one to stay retired, Frank envisioned a revival of his original Randol's concept, and purchased the land where the former Mulate's Restaurant was located at 325 W. Mills Avenue, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, resurrecting his successful Cajun food/Dance Hall concept enjoyed by people for so many decades. Frank says, "Mulate's was the perfect spot. It needed work, but it polished up well! The building is 80 years old on high ground and survived the storms in May of this year. We patterned the bathrooms after the high end facilities at Superior Grill, with glass walls that you can't see through, with 400 square feet of space." Many of acclaimed mural artist Robert Dafford's works are on the walls at Randol's, and Frank says "It's a historical setting where you can feel the spirit of our culture. It's alive." Frank Randol is just as passionate about sharing his love of Cajun food and culture as he when he took his “Cajun Fest” on the road across the U. S. so many years ago. The World’s Fair held in New Orleans in 1984 ignited an interest in all things Cajun and Frank Randol ensured that accurate information on its heritage was shared. Frank was glowingly written up by the Chicago Tribune on October 25, 1989,
    Más Menos
    Menos de 1 minuto
  • Julie Rabalais – For the Birds of Acadiana, Avian Rehabilitator

    Julie Rabalais – For the Birds of Acadiana, Avian Rehabilitator
    Aug 23 2024
    Julie Rabalais, founder and Director of For the Birds of Acadiana, joins Discover Lafayette to share her love of birds and commitment to rehabilitating wild songbirds, waterbirds and waterfowl. For the Birds of Acadiana is Louisiana's only State and Federally permitted facility dedicated to the rehabilitation of federally protected songbirds, Waterfowl, and Waterbirds. Located in Lafayette, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization cares for nearly 1,000 wild birds annually, working to ensure the eventual safe return of the birds to the wild. The organization also raises awareness and inspire others to join in safeguarding our precious avian species. The work is truly a labor of love for Julie Rabalais and the volunteers who assist her with transporting birds and keeping the facility clean. People who find injured wild birds can bring them in to For the Birds of Acadiana at no charge. For years, local fashionistas knew Julie as the proprietor of Jewelie's Boutique, located on Rena Drive. Educated as a graphic designer, Julie is creative and brings a touch of beauty to all the things she touches. When she sold the shop after 14 years in business, she wanted to do something that would keep her home where she could enjoy nature. First, she became a Master Gardener. She says "Then, I figured, why not do something that has a purpose and I can stay busy at the same time?" Hence the creation of For the Birds of Acadiana. "Birds have always been a love of mine, since my childhood days in Michigan. I've always enjoyed birds as a hobby. I'm just a bird lover, not trained in ornithology (the scientific study of birds), but I've always had a knack for caring for birds. But just because I'm a bird lover by no means made me qualified to do what I do today. A colleague in Youngsville who rehabilitates avian raptors, Letitia Labbie, took me under her wing in 2019 and mentored me. It took a great deal of time to learn nutrition, how to care for the wild birds, how often to feed them, how to triage, how to properly cage them. In order to even apply for a license, you have to have adequate shelter space that meets the requirements of the National Wildlife Federation." In order to become a certified avian rehabilatator, you have to mentor under another licensed rehabilitator and complete the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Rehabilitation Basic Skills Course, have a letter of support from a veterinarian, pass a facility inspection, and much more. Veterinarian partners prescribe needed medications for the birds being rehabilitated. Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is illegal for individuals who are not certified to care for wild birds that they find, something most of us are not aware of. Julie says, "It is illegal to possess the birds, their nests, their eggs, or even breed them, because they are a federally protected species. Most people, when they see a little baby bird with its beak open, want to feed it and give it water. Unfortunately, that is not advisable. Julie says, "Water can kill a bird, as it can aspirate a stressed bird very easily. An injured bird can not metabolize food and liquids when it it stressed. Feeding is the last thing you want to do. We encourage people not to "Google" what to do as there is a plethora of misinformation online." If you find an injured wild bird, please call Julie Rabalais/For the Birds of Acadiana at (337)501-4523, and you will be asked to take a photo of the bird and send it in with a description of the bird's condition. This information will provide guidance to Julie as to whether or not the bird requires assistance or may be able to survive on its own. "I live For the Birds of Acadiana 24/7. Little did I realize how big a step it was going to be. I really thought it would be a part-time thing. But I go all in. There's no sense doing something halfway." For the Birds of Acadiana is a total non-profit endeavor, with no state or federal funding.
    Más Menos
    54 m
  • Rob Perillo – Chief Meteorologist for KATC-TV3

    Rob Perillo – Chief Meteorologist for KATC-TV3
    Aug 16 2024
    Rob Perillo has decades of experience in forecasting Acadiana’s weather and has tracked hundreds of tropical storms and hurricanes during his career. He celebrated 20 years at KATC this January and is one of the most beloved meteorologists in the country, particularly well-known for his expertise in covering hurricanes and severe weather events. Last year, Rob Perillo extended his contract with KATC for another five years. He's pictured here in November 2023 celebrating the occasion. Rob has enjoyed Lafayette since moving here 36 years ago when he was recruited by KLFY. Married with two children, he enjoys exercising every day for an hour, either riding his bike (on Lafayette's roads!) or swimming. His children are both artists and live in Lafayette; he expressed his joy in being able to be present while supporting Joe and Olivia in their endeavors. He has been with KATC since 2004. A native of New York, Rob Perillo became interested in thunderstorm activity as a young boy, four or five years old. His family had just moved out of the Bronx into the suburbs and a severe thunderstorm rolled through. He remembers how scary it was, but it triggered his interest in learning more about the weather. "Fear grew less, and curiosity grew more. By the time I was in third grade, I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist", says Rob. During that third grade year, Rob built a kite for a project and while he called the endeavor a 'big flop,' he wanted to know more about what creates the wind and how we can use it. He started buying weather books written for school-age children and they are still with him in the KATC weather room today. When he was in sixth grade, there was a snowstorm forecastedfor the Northeastern U. S. Meteorologists were projecting the snow would turn into rain, but Rob had a different feeling about it. He told his friends...."No, we'll just have snow. 1 1/2 feet." Well, the storm produced two feet of snow and school was cancelled for the rest of the week. Rob said, "I was the school hero when we returned to school on Monday." His intuition had been right on. Always interested in science, since his days of watching Jacques Cousteau on television, Rob earned a degree in Meteorology (with an emphasis on Math) from the State University of New York in Oswego in 1983. He selected that school not only for its meteorology program, but because it had the highest amount of snow in New York averaging 144 inches of snow per year. Rob began his career managing research at the State University of New York Research Foundation, while also serving as an Emergency Planning Meteorologist for several nuclear power plants in Upstate New York. He developed emergency procedures in case of nuclear leakage. He then moved to Houston and served as an Aviation Forecaster for Air Routing International, and a Marine and Industrial Meteorologist for Wilkens Weather Technologies, in Houston, Texas. Rob Perillo had never thought about television as a career but a friend at Wilkins Weather Technologies encouraged him to make a tape and apply for positions. A year later, in 1988, KLFY reached out to him. He had the opportunity to work with greats such as Maria Placer, Dick Faurot, and Jim Baronet. Rob joined KATC in 2004, when he was offered a fifteen-year contract, a feat unheard of in television circles. Becoming a tv meteorologist was a reach for Rob, as he was "confident in my forecasting skills, but a bit anxious about talking in front of other people. But you learn if you're a master of your information, it will be okay." One thing he did have to work on was conquering his New York accent to deliver the news in a way that was more readily accepted locally. Rob is passionate about meteorology and studies trends in climate and weather. About 16 to 17 years ago, he became aware that warming trends were coming upon us worldwide and he wanted to know how that impacted hurricanes.
    Más Menos
    1 h y 4 m
  • Home Bank’s Tammy Theriot and Bryant DeLoach – Helping Clients Achieve Their Financial Goals

    Home Bank’s Tammy Theriot and Bryant DeLoach – Helping Clients Achieve Their Financial Goals
    Aug 9 2024
    Tammy Theriot and Bryant DeLoach of Home Bank, Member FDIC, join Discover Lafayette to discuss how banks can assist business owners achieve their financial goals, along with treasury management solutions. Bryant Deloach serves Home Bank as a Senior Commercial Relationship Manager. He has lived in Lafayette his entire life, graduating from Lafayette High and USL, and raising his family here. Starting out 23 years ago in financial services Bryant has spent 12 years in commercial lending. Tammy Theriot started out with Home Bank in 1985 as the 28th employee of the bank when she was 21 (now there are over 400 employees) and has dedicated her entire professional career to the bank, starting out as a teller at the Oil Center branch, then moving into opening new accounts and handling IRA administrative services, and the Deposit side over the past twenty years, currently serving as Treasury Management Officer. "I've grown into that position." She joked that she's been married to her husband for the same length of time: 39 years! Both bankers stressed the importance of building a relationship with their clients. Bryant shared that "as a commercial relationship manager, our #1 priority is to provide service to our client. We have to understand their borrowing needs, if any. You meet a lot of great people and help businesses grow. You're involved in decision making, helping a client take their business to the next level. It's important for the client to be matched with a banker that understands their specific needs. At the end of the day, you want your client to feel comfortable with you." "It's important to know your customers and their needs. We can make the collection and payment of funds easier and more efficient," says Tammy Theriot. Her role in Treasury Management starts on the front end of the banking relationship, putting systems in place to optimize financial management and planning. Managing payables through Direct Deposit and ACH payments, handling receivables via Remote Deposit Capture, optimizing liquidity via account management services for optimal cash positions and maximal returns, and safeguarding against fraud and risk by employing tools such as Positive Pay and account monitoring, are all services offered by Home Bank. With check fraud running rampant, Positive Pay is an important risk-management tool to consider for your business. How does it work? The client submits a daily file to the bank that includes details about each check issued, such as the check number, date, payee, and amount. When a check is presented for payment, the bank compares the details of the presented check against the check file provided by the client. If the check details match what is in the file, the bank processes the check for payment. If it doesn't, the bank will flag the check and notify the company to determine if the check will be approved or rejected. Originally chartered as a savings and loan association known as Home Building and Loan in 1908, Home Bank is the oldest financial institution chartered in Lafayette Parish. Home Bank has experienced incredible growth over the years, currently having assets of $3.34 billion dollars, and locations across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Bryant DeLoach assists business owners get working capital needed to fuel their business. Small businesses and startups can apply for a Home Bank loan guaranteed by the U. S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) 7(a) loan program. The 7(a) loan can be used for various purposes, including Working capital, equipment, real estate, refinancing existing debt, expansion or renovation, starting a new business, or inventory purchases. He also advices his clients to ask for advice from their banker to avoid exposure to unnecessary loss. "Customers don't always realize the importance of getting advice from the bank. An example given was one client who had provided debit cards to all employees; the safer route was to issue credit ca...
    Más Menos
    37 m
  • Jason Sikora, RADER’s Technology Specialist and Discover Lafayette’s Sound Engineer, Shares Memories of Touring with Music Icons

    Jason Sikora, RADER’s Technology Specialist and Discover Lafayette’s Sound Engineer, Shares Memories of Touring with Music Icons
    Aug 3 2024
    Discover Lafayette's sound engineer, Jason Sikora, has a voice many of you are familiar with, as he’s participated in our interviews over the past seven years, ensuring a finely-tuned, professional podcast. Jason Sikora pictured with Butch Roussel during a recording of Discover Lafayette Podcast. But many of you may not know his interesting back story, or how he came to live and work in Lafayette LA. A native of Detroit, Michigan and graduate of the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Jason has a rich collection of memories to share and insights into how rock concerts are orchestrated. Jason's dad worked for Ford Motor Company in Detroit, but when Jason and his two brothers were young, the family moved to Hartland, Michigan to be able to escape the city life and its accompanying declining socio-economic factors in the 1980s. Describing Hartland as "basically a truck stop," it was much more. Jason graduated from Hartland High School, playing drums in its marching band and eventually serving as the Hartland Eagles' mascot. Sadly, Jason's younger brother, Kris, died when he was 11 years old, from a blood disorder. Kris' life and death had great meaning, however, as researchers were able to study his condition. Jason stated that today, people with Kris' condition would survive. Upon graduation from high school, Jason hightailed it to Hollywood, California to attend the Musicians Institute ("MI"), a college that was known as a 'player's school,' meaning that students were taught the skills to make a sustainable career in the music industry. While many young people could qualify to be a guitar tech based upon their self-taught abilities, Jason credited MI for a valuable education and teaching him guitar repair and cable management. " I started playing guitar in 6th grade, so I had six to seven years of experience with signal flow, how to solder microphones back together. I learned a lot in high school with my band, messing with pedals and guitars and amplifiers. I did learn guitar repair, cable management and how to get tone while in college at MI." Andy Brauer hired Jason right after graduation from MI, to work at his shop that specialized in instrument and musical gear rentals. Jason had the good fortune to work with Faith Hill in his very first gig, being hired to work at Skywalker Ranch to assist in recording track sessions. "I got to hang out with the best musicians in the world for a week: Mike Landau, Dean Parks, Paul Bushnell, and Vinnie Calaiuta are monster players!" Jason also got to witness the regular lives of performers such as Faith Hill, her husband, Tim McGraw, and their children, and realized how fortunate he was to be a part of this experience in the ordinary lives of superstars as the album was being cut. Jason then met Michael Lockwood, a guitarist who hired him to be a touring guitar tech for Aimee Mann, performing sound checks and restringing guitars, ensuring that all would go well during concerts. Jason would continue this type of work for several years, working with greats such as Lisa Marie Presley, Britney Spears, and the Goo Goo Dolls, as well as other acts during what he calls his 'lost years from 2004 to 2006', such as Hanson, Gerard McMahon, Puddle of Mudd, and the recording of "A Mighty Wind," an album accompanying a movie of the same name, featuring Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Jennifer Coolidge and many other staples of comedy culture of the time. "The work ethic is very different when you're on the road. You're not allowed to be sick. The show must go on. If there is a half million dollar guarantee and there are 10,000 people out there, your rig has to work. There was always a doctor out there with water, vitamins, and oxygen. You have to do the show. There's no back-up. No one else would know my rig," says Jason Sikora. Asked if he missed traveling on the road for months as a time as a guitar tech,
    Más Menos
    1 h y 3 m
  • Jason Redmon, Proprietor of Hub City Diner – Driven by Putting Community First

    Jason Redmon, Proprietor of Hub City Diner – Driven by Putting Community First
    Jul 26 2024
    Jason Redmon, proprietor of the iconic Hub City Diner at 1412 S. College Road in Lafayette, joins Discover Lafayette to celebrate Hub City Diner's longevity and popularity, as well as his support of Lafayette Travel and Eat Lafayette, a yearlong celebration of Lafayette’s locally owned restaurants. Hub City Diner's ambiance is akin to the famous tv show, "Cheers," where everyone knows your name. It is a real '"Hub" of activity in Lafayette, where locals meet, greet, and share their lives while enjoying their favorite comfort foods. The diner was established originally as Stansbury’s Café in 1965, in the early days of the Oil Center, the commercial neighborhood that surrounds Hub City Diner. Thereafter, Lafayette restaurateur Charlie Goodson, Chef Pat Mould and advertising executive and local foodie George Graham, opened Hub City Diner in the space. Their intial concept was a 1950s diner, but with more of a Louisiana twist. Jimmy Guidry, who has years of food and bar experience throughout Lafayette, purchased the restaurant in 1998. Jason is 46 years old and has worked at Hub City Diner for more than half of his life. This is only the 4th job he has held in his life. A Bunkie native, his first job was working for his uncle on his sweet potato farm in Evergreen where he "caught the skips," making sure that the sweet potato roots were properly placed in the ground. Jason recalls his uncle saying to him, "You hot boy? You got to get hot with it!!" Jason still thinks about the lessons he learned from his uncle about having true grit and has maintained that strong work ethic to this day. "You've got to have grit and push through to get to the other side." Jason worked at McDonald's and Subway in Bunkie before he moved to Lafayette in the late 1998 to study Hospitality Managment at USL. His boss at Bunkie's Subway, Al Mahfouz, encouraged him to call upon the Hub City Diner manager at the time, Danny Fontenot, who hired Jason to serve as host and waiter. Jason first met Jimmy Guidry a few months after he started working at Hub City Diner, and the two became fast friends and colleagues. "People think that Jimmy Guidry and I are father and son. We have a synergistic relationship. We're not related by blood, but I guess we are now related through all of our time together. He's been a tremendous mentor and I'm very fortunate to have him in my life. I've been blessed with two dads. Jimmy told me, "If there is anything you've learned from me, I hope it is to be generous," Jason Redmon shared. And Jason did learn from Jimmy, still putting community first when he is asked to support local causes. He asks before he gives, "Will this help our community?" On January 1, 2022, Jason Redmon, Hub City Diner’s longtime manager, took over ownership from Jimmy Guidry. The ambiance in the diner remains the same, with vinyl booths and chairs, checkered floors, nostalgic photos on the wall, and even a ceramic Pelican that’s dressed like Elvis. Hub City Diner offers All-American comfort food, where there is something on the menu for everyone; people of all ages enjoy the diner's fare, from tiny tots enjoying meals offered in paper containers resembling classic cars to adults enjoying Mimosa's for $5 anytime of day. There is truly something for everyone who walks in and is greeted kindly. Meatloaf, salads, and eggs rule the offerings, while there are also specials on weekends which include smoked salmon, avocado toast, and fried green tomato spinach florentine meals. The hamburger steak is the most popular item on the menu. The feeling of community at Hub City Diner is palpable, as its staff cordially welcomes first-time visitors along with long-time regulars who frequent the diner after church in the early morning hours each weekday or who are always seen sitting in their favorite booth each weekend. With a staff that experiences very little turnover,
    Más Menos
    48 m
  • Edie Couvillon Aymond – 232-HELP

    Edie Couvillon Aymond – 232-HELP
    Jul 19 2024
    Edie Couvillon Aymond, Executive Director of 232-HELP, joins Discover Lafayette to discuss her organization's mission "to help those in crisis return to being healthy and productive members of the community and to empower and strengthen individuals and families by connecting those in need with community and social services that address their needs." Edie joined 232-HELP on June 5, 2024, bringing rich experience and the ability to make community connections from her five years working on behalf of Maddie's Footprints, a nonprofit dedicated to helping families cope with miscarriages, stillbirths, or the loss of an infant. It was through her prior experience with Maddie's Footprints that Edie realized that while our area has many nonprofits organized to help people in need, most of us don't know who they are or what they do. "I attended every nonprofit meeting in the sector helping young families. If I hadn't attended, I wouldn't have known what they did, what services they provided." When Edie was contacted by a recruiter looking to hire her to run 232-HELP, she was intrigued by the scope of the help the organization provided and also realized that she was not fully aware that they still existed as she remembered. "I remember seeing Marie Placer on television pitching for them when I was younger. I was excited to be able to help more people in Acadiana." Pictured above is Edie Couvillon Aymond, in June 2024. Photo by Alena Maschke of the Acadiana Advocate. Since 1965, 232-HELP has assisted more than 10 million people and has had an estimated economic impact of more than $170 million throughout Acadiana, and reaches over 800,000 people in ten South Louisiana parishes. With over 1400 nonprofits in 232-HELP's database, the organization's service areas range from Terrebonne to Acadia to Avoyelles parishes. Headquartered in Lafayette LA at 1005 Jefferson St. across from Keller's Bakery, Edie oversees a staff of twelve. Her team operates 24/7, rendering aid to those who walk in during daytime hours and who call in at all hours. Accommodating persons of all backgrounds, there is a bilingual staff member who can help people who don't speak English. Many don't realize the scope of services offered by this small, yet dedicated staff. Many of those in need will call 211 before they reach out to 911 or other resources, not wanting to get law enforcement involved in their troubles or have sirens coming to their house announcing a problem. Everyone is offered assistance, from those suffering from elder abuse, domestic violence, suicidal thoughts, or needing help with utilities, housing, or transportation. 232-HELP averages 1400 phone calls per month on average, but has exceeded 12,000 calls per month during crises such as hurricanes or COVID. Edie credits the "dedicated, solid staff for stepping up at all times to handle the situation, no matter how difficult." And for the record, 211 works nationwide; you can call it from anywhere, even from your car, and the operator will route you to the nearest organization available to offer relief. 232-HELP was the first organization in Louisiana to offer a statewide call-in number for those in need. A national call-in number, you can call it from anywhere in the U. S. and you will be routed to the nearest available resource, even from your car. Jewell Lowe's life was devoted to charity, leadership, influence, and advocacy, improving the lives of the people of Acadiana. In 1965 Jewell, her husband Bob Lowe, and other community leaders, founded the Southwest Louisiana Education and Referral Center (SLERC) – now 232-HELP. Jewell served as Executive Director of 232-HELP for over 40 years. Each year, 232-HELP selects a humanitarian who exemplifies the example that Jewell set for service and generosity. Outstanding leaders such as Richard Zuschlag, Dr. Mary Neiheisel, Bo and Jerry Ramsay, Richard D'Aquin, and many more pillars of our community have been selected. ...
    Más Menos
    33 m
  • Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu – Owners of the World’s Largest Collection of Artwork by Edna Hibel

    Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu – Owners of the World’s Largest Collection of Artwork by Edna Hibel
    Jul 12 2024
    Our guests are Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu, Lafayette residents and owners of the world’s largest collection of artwork by the renowned Edna Hibel. Priscilla and Floyd are looking for a permanent home to publicly display their beloved Hibel collection, hopefully in Lafayette LA. Edna Hibel, an American artist, was revered for her paintings of people expressing emotion or contemplation, which were painted on ceramic, canvas, or etched on Bavarian limestone. She created over 6000 works during her lifetime, including 600 different lithographs. Born as a native of Massachusetts in 1917, she had a fulfilling career promoting peace through her exhibitions and artwork all around the world. Using her artistry, Hibel was able to raise money for charity across the globe. She passed away in her home at the age of 97 in December 2014, right before her 98th birthday. Her work was inspired by Mary Cassatt and Pierre-Auguste Renoir and sought by royalty, collected by museums, commissioned by the United Nations and National Archives, and awarded the Medal of Honor and Citation by Pope John Paul II. The World Cultural Council presented the 2001 Leonardo da Vinci World Award of Arts to Edna Hibel, who is often referred to as the USA’s most versatile artist, as well as its best colorist. The Award acknowledges those who endeavour to create different expressions of art and whose work constitutes a significant contribution to the artistic legacy of the world. Priscilla and Floyd became close friends with Ms. Hibel, after Priscilla won a trip to the Edna Hibel Museum of Art in Florida in 1992. She was accompanied by Floyd, who went along just expecting to hang out on the beach. While Floyd had never been a person that was bent to studying art, he immediately became enamored with Ms. Hibel and her captivating art, especially "Russian Mother and Two Children," an oil painting Ms. Hibel had painted in 1990. Floyd bought the piece, his first of some 500 Hibels, and was hooked thereafter. Floyd says, "It was almost like a religious experience when you met her. She captured me....the artist herself and her art. She captured people's dignity." The LeBleu family befriended Ms. Hibel and would visit her in Florida and she would travel to Lafayette to see them. Hibel enjoyed Lafayette and attended a benefit for the Acadiana Center for the Arts, and Floyd recalled her saying, "There is just a feeling of comraderie in Lafayette. I think this is my favorite place." While traveling on a Hibel Society cruise with Priscilla, Floyd asked Ms. Hibel why she never painted men. She replied, women wear pretty hats and dresses that give them a lot of color and flair and make them more interesting subjects." As a joke, Floyd dressed up in a straw hat and toga as he headed to a demonstration Hibel was giving. She laughed and told Floyd he would be the subject of her demonstration that day and she turned him into an Arabian prince in a painting aptly called, "Floyd in a Turban." The LeBleus became owners of a great deal of her works which had previously been displayed at the Hibel Museum of Art on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter, Florida. " Floyd and Priscilla LeBleu own the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville and have 127 pieces of Edna Hibel art displayed throughout for visitors to enjoy. They call it their "Hibel addiction" when describing their huge collection Lafayette is now home to the world's largest collection of Edna Hibel's artwork, some of which is on exhibit at Lafayette Consolidated Government's Building at 705 W. University Avenue for the remainder of 2024. Pictured above are Priscilla and Floyd LeBleu, in current times, and the original pose that Edna Hibel utilized to depict the LeBleu family in her own special way. Priscilla and Floyd are reaching out to our community, public officials, and art lovers in the quest to find a permanent home for Hibel's works so...
    Más Menos
    45 m