FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Media Contact:
Rebecca Sell, Marketing Manager
Phone: (504)522-5730/Cell: (504)343-5559
Email: rebecca@fqfi.org 

 

New Orleans, LA (February 5, 2015) - French Quarter Festivals, Inc. proudly unveils the 2015 French Quarter Festival posters by artists Tami Curtis and Simon Hardeveld. Each year, the festival's Merchandise Committee selects a painting that portrays the colorful, festive, atmosphere of French Quarter Festival and one that both locals and tourists will identify with. Consideration is given only to local artists. To keep the festival free and open to the public, French Quarter Festival relies heavily on merchandise and poster sales, sponsorships, and beverage sales to generate its operating budget. Visit www.fqfi.org/shop to purchase the limited edition 2015 French Quarter Festival posters and other official festival merchandise.

Tami Curtis
For the 2015 poster, renowned local mixed-media artist, Tami Curtis, draws inspiration from New Orleans musical icon, Little Freddie King. The musician's spirit and larger-than-life persona is captured through Tami's use of vibrant color and spontaneous brush stroke techniques.

In addition to creating posters for the 2008 Satchmo SummerFest, 2011 and 2013 French Quarter Festivals, Tami has created posters for the 2009 Bayou Boogaloo; cover art for the 2012 Blues Music Awards in Memphis (she was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis last May); cover art for 2014 Offbeat Jazz Fest Bible; 2014 Great American Blues Fest; named 2015 Legendary Blues Cruise Artist; and was the featured artist for the Louisiana Lt. Governor's Global Economic Forum. Tami currently resides in New Orleans and operates the Tami Curtis Gallery at 5523 Magazine Street.

Little Freddie King hails from McComb, Mississippi and has a musical career that spans the decades. In the 60's Freddie played with the likes of Babe Stoval, Polka Dot Slim, Guitar Grady, Guitar Ray, Snooks Eaglin, Billy Tate, Harmonica Williams, Boogie Bill Webb, Rev Charles Jacobs (his cousin), Harmonica Slim and Eddie Lang. His 1970 recording, Harmonica Williams and Little Freddie King, is believed to be the first electric blues album recorded in New Orleans. Now into his 70's, Little Freddie has yet to slow down; since 2000 he has performed at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Blues Festival, as well as nearly a dozen European festivals.

Simon Hardeveld
Once again, French Quarter Festival features a special limited-edition poster created by New Orleans' most well-known French folk-art painter, Simon Hardeveld. Since the early 2000s, Hardeveld has entertained many with his hilarious and colorful paintings that hang around New Orleans restaurants like Boulangerie, Chickie Wah Wah, Lola's, and Joey K's. Born in France and later moving to the United States to start three of his own restaurants, with wife Maria Hardeveld, Simon found his true calling to be a painter at his brasserie in Metairie when customers always wanted to buy his signs behind the counter. Most well-known for his set design work on New Orleans evening news, WGNO News with a Twist, Simon has been commissioned by restaurants, stores, locals, and tourists to create special original paintings for anniversaries, birthdays, or just home décor that captures the spirit of New Orleans. Overall, Simon's pieces whimsically embody the unique culture of this spectacular city.

We Partyin' with Kermit and Fleurty Girl
For the 2014 Satchmo SummerFest, French Quarter Festivals, Inc. partnered with Fleurty Girl to create custom-designed, festival-inspired shirts. The partnership continues in 2015 with the Kermit Ruffins unisex tee, which will sell for $25. All proceeds help fund the free, community event. The shirts will be available at the festival, Fleurty Girl stores, and on the French Quarter Festivals, Inc. website (www.fqfi.org).

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French Quarter Festival is produced by French Quarter Festivals, Inc., (FQFI) the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, which also produces Satchmo SummerFest in August and Christmas New Orleans Style in December. FQFI's mission is to promote the Vieux Carré and the City of New Orleans through high quality special events and activities that showcase the culture and heritage of this unique city, contribute to the economic well-being of the community, and instill increased pride in the people of New Orleans. For more information about French Quarter Festivals, Inc. or any of these events, call (504) 522-5730 or visit www.fqfi.org.