Artist breathes life into his new home; A native of Cuba,
Giraudy has painted president, governor
Byline: by Barry
Lemoine; Contributing writer
Section: St. Bernard Picayune; Pg. 1
Length: 354 words
Leopoldo Giruady has brought beauty and inspiration to his
new home, St. Margaret's Daughters Nursing Home. Giraudy, 84,
a native of Cuba, is an artist who has experienced many ups
and downs in his life. Or as he says, "My life has always
been one that has wavered between ecstasy and agony."
With and abundance of talent and a master's degree in art,
Guraudy became a painter of Havana's high society in the
1950's. In 1958, he won the Second Bicentennial Spanish
American Fine Arts International Competition, competing
against more than 8,000 entries from Europe and South
America. But just as Giruady's star was rising, so too was
the power of Fidel Castro. After having his money and much of
his artistic freedom taken by the Castro regime, Giraudy
sought refuge in the United States in 1966. " I left with my
sister, and we came to New Orleans because it is such an
artistic place, " he said. Giraudy's talents flourished in
his new home. He became renowned for his oil portraits of
presidents and political players. In fact, his portrait of
36th President Lyndon Johnson hands in the Johnson Library in
Houston. When he was an art teacher at Delgado Community
College, Giraudy also was commissioned to paint the official
portrait of former Gov. Edwin Edwards. Giraudy has lived at
St. Margaret's since March 28, 2002. His latest project is a
rendering of a Sept. 11 memorial - a personal vision of how to
re-create the area known as ground zero. Leslie Rando, St.
Margaret's social services representative, said she loves all
of ten religious pictures and flowers that adorn Giraudy's
makeshift studio at the home, but her favorite is Giraudy's
reproduction of the Mona Lisa.
"I am just amazed at this artwork, " Rando said. Giraudy
said he considers Leonardo da Vinci his greatest influence,
and women and flowers his greatest inspiration. "Women and
flowers are very much alike. They are very beautiful and have
many layers," he said.
.............
Person: Fidel Castro (70%)
Country: United States (93%); Cuba (90%); South America
(79%); Europe (79%);
State: Louisiana, USA (92%);
City: New Orleans, LA, USA (92%);
Subject: Artists & Performers (90%); Art & Artists (90%);
Governors (90%); Humanities & Social Science (78%); Community
Colleges (71%); Colleges & Universities (66%); September 11
Attack (64%); College & University Professors (51%);
Load-Date: June 20, 2002
Graphic: Staff Photos by Jennifer Zdon Leopoldo Giraudy,
84, in front of his easel where he is painting a portrait of a
woman at St. Margaret's Daughters' Nursing Home. Giraudy, an
American citizen of Cuban descent, has a corner at the nursing
home's beauty parlor to work, some nights staying up until
3 a.m. painting. Giraudy shows his rough draft of a memorial
for Sept. 11 he is working on to recreate the place known as
ground zero. Staff photo by Jennifer Zdon in his room at the
St. Margaret's Daughters' Nursing Home a painting of Leopoldo
Giraudy's younger sister Isabell Giraudy that he painted
several years ago sits nest to a portrait of the Virgin Mary.
The brother and sister live in the nursing home together.
Copyright 2002 The Times-Picayune Publishing Company.
