If you only had 10 questions to ask your favorite artist – visual or musical – what would your questions be?

That’s the task photographer Zack Smith set himself when he embarked on a project to document the work of some seminal Louisiana artists.

The result is My Louisiana Muse, an exhibition and online testament to both the artists and Zack’s fascinating technique called bromoil which combines elements of photography and painting.

Julia Sevin knows a thing or two about visual arts as well – she’s the local President of the local chapter of the 500,000 or 27,000 strong (depending if you count everybody or just the folks who pay up) members of the AIGA, the international design organization that is holding its annual get together in New Orleans. Check the website for a bunch of cool free parties and events. And check out Julia’s story about Donna Reed’s niece, Groucho Marx’s daughter and Mia Farrow’s nieces.

Talking of the Marx family, things get off to a rocky start with Jeremy Marx, the singer and guitar player from the band Gandhi Castle, when he shows up 30 minutes late, it turns out through no fault of his own. Then Grant decides to hold Jeremy’s feet to the fire about whether or not he wasted $120,000 going to school to learn to play jazz guitar.

All’s well that ends well though – a song and a couple of drinks later we’re all off to Zach’s exhibition and Julia’s party.

Photos at Wayfare taken by Alison Moon.