Introducing Cathy Mills

Cathy Mills is a Lafayette-based visual artist from New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans served as a hub of creative inspiration for Cathy as a child. Cathy attributes her school art teachers for teaching her basic lessons in contour, gesture, shading, and how to really look at objects. Sitting with her mother on the banks of the bayou at City Park while she painted magnolia trees gave her an understanding of how to visualize objects for her canvas. She graduated from LSU in 1972, majoring in Art Education, and later received her masters in Gifted Education from ULL. Cathy spent 17 years teaching Middle School Art and Louisiana Studies at ESA.

Cathy illustrated the children’s book, “OH NO! Hannah’s Swamp is Changing”, for the Sea Grant program at LSU in 2002. In 2011, three of her paintings were chosen for an exhibit at the Ogden Museum in New Orleans. In 2024, three of her clay pieces were chosen for the Acadiana Center of the Arts ceramic show, and a painting in 2025 for their Points of View exhibit. These are just a few of her accomplishments, along with exhibits and awards at the Lafayette Art Association. Cathy now works tirelessly on her love of art in many forms, from natural materials, clay, paper, watercolors, and acrylics. Cathy is an explorer, an experimenter. She often doesn’t know where her artwork is going until she gets there. Cathy lives in Lafayette with her husband and keeps busy making art and memories with her precious grandchildren.

Who makes up your art circle?

1. My husband. He is a great supporter of my work. We watch art history, artist talks, and how-to videos discussing what is particularly meaningful to us.

2. Basin Arts. I was so delighted to find Basin Arts about 4 years ago. I value their endeavors to

   help local artists be seen in previously untapped viewing venues. I feel such joy to be able to

   create my work on my terms and be able to be “seen” around Lafayette. They are important to me, providing interactions as a community through many events, parts of my life, and interactions as a community through the many events and opportunities.

3. Being an active member and officer of the Lafayette Art Association. A small organization that’s over sixty years old. The Association is always growing with new exhibits and classes supporting artists of all levels in the artistic community in the Acadiana Region. Volunteering at Lafayette Art Association provides me with opportunities for interaction with visitors from all over, some familiar with art and others not, but are there to experience what we have. I find that often we find common ground. Life stories are shared, and many times new friends are made.

4. TAG, The Artist Group, is a small group of fellow artists who meet regularly to share their thoughts and give feedback on in-process or finished pieces of artwork. Its goal is to support and inspire each other in our quest for growth and depth in our work.

5. Shops that support my art by featuring and selling my range of work. An assortment of shops

   supports my artistic efforts since my work ranges from fun and zany to natural materials to

   exploring nature in representations of bayous and prairies, and abstract explorations. There is

   nothing like the feeling of acceptance when a shop owner wants my work to be offered to the public.

How do you expand your art circle?

The opportunity to meet others in many situations is a vital part of growing my community. Basin Arts,The Acadiana Center for the Arts and the Lafayette Art Association offer programs, events, and exhibitions that give so many opportunities to expand my community.

What value do you see in having a creative community?

A creative community enables different points of view, new techniques, and ideas for me to express my ever complex self. Connections to other artists enrich my life.

How does your artistic approach contribute to your community?

Being an active member of Basin Arts, Lafayette Art Association, and submitting entries to local shows provides me with a chance to be part of my community. Viewers can see my ideas when I don’t have a chance to meet them personally. Volunteer work in the arts community, meeting new people and celebrating with them, selling my work puts ideas out to the public, allowing the viewers to contemplate fresh ideas. Mostly, I want people to experience a connection to my work. I love to see them smile.

Our weekly Art Circle series profiles artists throughout the community and is sponsored in part by Lafayette Visitor Enterprise Fund, managed by Lafayette Travel.