Local artist Jess Newton's murals are taking over a strip of Main Street in Downtown Breaux Bridge.
Each window decorated for the holidays while matching the persona of each store.
"Usually, they ask me to do what I want to do,” Newton said. “And so, I send them a bunch of really neat ideas and I think oh this one will look good on your window and they usually like the ideas.”
Monroe's Boutique owner Cathy Aucoin who's window features Marilyn Monroe murals said she’s seen positive reactions from the public.
"They just love it,” Aucoin said. “It just glistens at night. we have glitter and pearls and it’s just fun."
Newton said it took her three weeks to complete three storefront windows and just this morning she finished her latest.
"I just finished a nativity and an angel on the salon right by the St. Bernard church,” Newton said. “They wanted it to kinda represent the little area that they’re in.”
Newtown, who is currently working with Breaux bridge Tourism said it’s about giving back to the community through her artwork.
"I do a lot of community work,” Newton said. I’m fixing some signs at the veterans home, I’m helping them out get some beautification. I started a group online called the Breaux Bridge Volunteer Beautification Group and we get together and find projects in the area that need help."
Newton said she would like to start a Breaux Bridge mural company to help fill the public art need.
"I want to start an official artists community in St. Martin parish because I’ve been talking to the local tourism offices and they really have a strong need for more public art,” Newton said. “More murals, electric box coverings more mural paintings."
Newton said she enjoys seeing the community's positive feedback to her artwork.
"The community really loves it because they’re just like ‘oh you’re brining so much joy, oh you’re making me smile, I brought my kids downtown,’ usually they wouldn’t have,” Newton said. “It’s just kind of brining a community together a little bit more too.”
Trove & Co. owner Paula Derouen said Newton incorporated self-portraits of she and her husband in her store front murals.
"We were under construction and were gonna just put brown paper, and figured this was just a more fun way, you know to bring in Christmas with the construction and let people know we we’re gonna be expanding.” Derouen said.
