TroysArt

So you were curious about my sketchbooks?

: TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 06-24-2022

Subject matter for my sketchbook is a hodgepodge.

So you were curious about my sketchbook? And you’re thinking about starting your own? Here is my encouragement for all skill levels, punctuated by drawings from the first six months of my 2022 sketchbook and a few quotes by some of our favorite artists. (Disclaimer: Some artistic representations herewith represent the human anatomy.) Art history began on cave walls when early humans felt an innate urge to draw. No one knows exactly why prehistoric humans made art, but it was almost certainly as spiritual as it was a form of communication–but it could have been for fun too. For decades …continue reading

The historic Fanthorp Inn: Four Presidents and forty Spittoons

: Destinations: Written by Troy Broussard : 05-19-2022

Hidden down a scenic road about 20 miles northeast of Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Fanthorp Inn captured my imagination the first time I set eyes upon it

How can a building exist in four different countries without ever being moved? Simple: the structure was part of Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the USA, the Confederate States of America, and back to the USA again. Hidden down a scenic road in Grimes County, about 20 miles northeast of Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Fanthorp Inn captured my imagination the first time I set eyes upon it. So I found the occasion to step back in time for a TroysArt Travelogue. Joining me for the excursion into Texas history is my gal pal Stacey Abbott, the pert blonde owner of Spa 1107 …continue reading

I haven’t been everywhere. So why not a trip to Cleveland?

: Destinations: Written by Troy Broussard : 11-09-2021

“The Angel of Death Victorious”—a life-sized guardian angel marking the grave of Francis Haserot in Lakeview Cemetery

Tennessee Williams infamously said, “America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.” I adore the quote, and I have used it before—after all, I do love New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans! But I haven’t been everywhere. So why not a trip to Cleveland? And one must appreciate the randomness of a trip to Cleveland for my first flight since we were all locked down for Coronavirus. I knew nothing about Cleveland. Who really does? The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the theme song for the Drew Carey Show …continue reading

A TroysArt sampling of Houston’s Best Food

: Food & Beverage: Written by Troy Broussard : 06-19-2021

The Goi Vit at Huynh is a salad like no other. This salad will change your life.

When asked about favorite foods, people usually answer in generalities like “pizza” or “pasta”. The response is often broader, encompassing whole countries or cultures—”I like Chinese food” or “I like Mexican”. I go out to eat often, most days in a week, and am asked with regularity to recommend restaurants. But lately, especially since the closing of so many restaurants due to Covid, I have considered my favorite dishes—the foods I crave. So to answer the question of what I like, instead of answering “Vietnamese” or even with the name of a specific restaurant, I am naming dishes. And this …continue reading

Pochade Box: a fancy word for a traveling art kit

: TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 05-07-2021

Now is the season to get outside. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities—outdoor painting being one of them. And there are artists with the ability to paint outside with achingly beautiful results (unfortunately I am not one of them but it doesn’t stop me from trying). En plein air is the act of painting outdoors, enabling an artist to capture the changing details of light and weather. With the invention of tube paint in 1841, artists were able to carry their supplies. A pochade box is used to make painting outdoors more convenient by organizing equipment as if a …continue reading

Yes, I made other pictures besides toilet paper in 2020!

: TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 12-12-2020

Inks Lake, 2020, on canvas, Troy Broussard, private collection Houston.

2020 was a disaster—the weirdest year of my life. And making paintings of toilet paper was the lion’s share of my body of work. Canvases depicting white paper rolls found homes faster than any other series in my art career. But, yes, I made other pictures besides toilet paper in 2020! This post is a humble overview of recent works. But be warned, more sentences here begin with “I” than in an Obama speech. Pet portraits have been a staple for me for over a decade. And though I did not do too many this year, I did some good …continue reading

The coronavirus era and a symbol of the times—paintings of toilet paper

: TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 05-13-2020

2020 - A Sign of the Times, 12x12" canvas. (Available)

Toilet paper is cheap and mundane—an everyday product to perform a menial and unpleasant task. But this has been a bizarre year and I find that nothing could be more emblematic of 2020, the coronavirus era, than a roll of toilet paper. How many conversations were had over the quandary of toilet paper hoarding? Has anyone made sense of it yet? I have not. I was shocked when I saw that the entire toilet paper aisle at my local grocer with shelves wiped clean, signs posted to limit the number of packs per customer, even if available. The media reported …continue reading

The hyped & hidden highlights, haunts, & hangouts of New Orleans

: Destinations: Written by Troy Broussard : 12-15-2019

Tino wanted a picture in from of Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies, the American Horror Story Coven House.

Bart Simpson once said, “When the Big Easy calls, you gotta accept the charges.” And that has pretty much been my motto for years. So in October, while having dinner with a handsome fellow, I discovered that he had never been to New Orleans—and that sounded like a call to me! That meal was our first time to get together but we had a great rapport and a lot of fun. So within a week we were set for hitting the hyped & hidden highlights, haunts, & hangouts of New Orleans. Not that I ever need a reason to hit …continue reading

A few recent Pet Portraits by Troy Broussard

: TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 07-10-2019

A few recent Pet Portraits by Troy Broussard: The dog has been man’s best friend for thousands of years and, in many cases, the dog has perfected the relationship better than man has. I grew up with dogs—all types of animals really. The Broussards always had dogs and cats, but at certain points in my childhood we also had Guinea pigs, mice, hamsters, rabbits, hermit crabs, chickens, ducks, geese, guineafowl, parakeets, tropical fish, goldfish, turtles, a crawfish, a lamb, a horse, pigs, a raccoon, and even an alligator. We had just about everything but a monkey. So between my history …continue reading

Troy Broussard – 30 years of interior design

: Furniture & Design, TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 06-20-2019

For Perrault Design Associates, all of my drawings and plans were done by hand.

Interior design forms the link between architecture and humanity. Anyone with a credit card can walk into a furniture store and fill a house. But without the proper understanding of scale and proportion and the right talent and resources to “pull it together”, it can be money poorly spent. Using an interior designer is not as intimidating as it sounds. In fact, it is guidance that is undervalued and underutilized. With 30 years of design experience and in conjunction with the launch of my new Troy’s Design (Click this link forTroysDesign) page on the TroysArt website, this essay is about …continue reading