A lifelong resident of New Orleans, Rayne Marie, is a restoration guru and total creative force. Before painting full-time, she worked on restoration projects in New Orleans, renovating homes, replacing fixtures, and touching-up details molding and gold leaf. I was introduced to her work through the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans annual tour of homes held every December in New Orleans, where I saw some of her incredible work. If you are traveling to New Orleans always check in with the PRCNO website to see what tours are available, as it is always about New Orleans and its architecture.

History is Rayne Marie’s first love. After graduating from Tulane with degrees in History, Art History, Studio Arts, and Architecture, Rayne Marie looked for various avenues to express her creative energy while still embracing her love of history. As time has gone on, Rayne Marie’s has found herself as a full-time painter, and her current work allows for the fusion of all of her passions. Much of Rayne Marie’s work focuses on portraits of historical figures done in realistic, yet more vibrant colors that you’d see these figures portrayed in at a museum (hello, restoration skills!). In addition, she also often adds citrus into her work, making her pieces much more playful. When we sat down with Rayne Marie, we asked her to say what her ‘word’ was.  Immediately, she said “Fun! I just want to make things fun!” In her work, she does just that.

In addition to historical figures, Rayne Marie also paints birds and other wildlife native to Louisiana, and these are often done in high-luxe finishes that showcase her talent with gold leaf.  Also, pet portraits have become a popular commission of hers. While I love all of my pieces from Rayne Marie, I must say, my portrait she completed of my cat, King Clovis, is my absolute favorite. She says he’s pretty popular in her portfolio, too. 

Rayne Marie is continuing to produce great work amidst all that’s going on right now, and note that this includes being a full-time mom to her daughter, Birdie. Down the road, she plans to keep expanding on the iconography in her artwork, potentially adding things that are more native to New Orleans alongside the citrus in her work. In any event, she wants to keep “funking it up.” Next time you’re in New Orleans, do not miss out on seeing her work and, until then, you can buy or commission a piece via her Etsy shop.