Artist In Residence
Our Partner: Material Institute
Material Institute is a nonprofit arts center in New Orleans’ 9th Ward providing resources to a new generation of New Orleans artists. Material Institute is a learning environment that serves as a space for community, creative experimentation and expression in the fields of music, fashion and community gardening.
François Boudreaux
François Boudreaux is a multidisciplinary designer and textile artist. As a fashion instructor at Material Institute, his focus is helping students shape their aesthetics, instilling the process of design and expanding students’ professionalism. François has studied both women’s and men’s wear design, recently obtaining an MA in womenswear design from Central Saint Martins. Outside of teaching, he also has his own contemporary brand Flysón, which focuses on sporty and elegant products.
Boudreaux will be in residence during the month of July 2023 and will be showcasing his work at Ace New Orleans from August 2023 – October 2023.
Sultana Isham
Sultana Isham is an award-winning film composer, violinist, writer and published scholar based in New Orleans, LA. Isham’s film composer credits range from avant-garde, horror, fantasy and archival, combining natural sounds with composition. Earlier this year, she made her conductor/composer debut with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Isham previously worked as a researcher and composer on the PBS documentary “All Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk” and the films “Ailey” and “The Neutral Ground” which debuted at the Sundance and Tribeca Film Festivals. Up next, her score will appear in the HBO mini-series “Stax Records.” As a solo artist, Isham has performed with renowned musicians including Miri Ben-Ari, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, John Mayer and Pink Floyd. She has also lectured as an ethnomusicologist at universities including Tulane University and Reed College and has been published in a number of academic and archival journals.
Isham will be in residence during the month of October 2023 and will be showcasing her work at Ace New Orleans from November 2023 – January 2024.
Chef Jas
Jas is a Southern-born chef and multidisciplinary artist who is intentional in their efforts to maintain accessibility to their communities by providing affordable plant-based dishes and herbal offerings that nourish the mind, body and spirit. They enjoys working with the earth, the abundant plant life and knowledge it has to offer. The love for this planet shows in their work.
Chef Jas will be in residence during the month of January 2024 and will be showcasing their work at Ace New Orleans from February 2024 – April 2024.
Donaka Katherine
Donaka Katherine discovered her passion for knitwear and conceptual design after attending a year-long fashion and textiles program at Material Institute. She approaches fashion from an interpersonal lens and specializes in hand and machine knitting with a growing skill set in natural dyeing. Focusing on the interaction between the average person and the nuances of the fashion industry allows Donaka to create conceptual knitwear pieces for her ready-to-wear brand, DK Knitwear, that evoke strong emotion in a relatable yet nontraditional way.
Donaka will be in residence during the month of April 2024 and will be showcasing her work at Ace New Orleans from May 2024 – July 2024.