Artwork offers ‘barrels’ of hope to children

On the property of Cletta “Ducky” O’Neal in Maringouin that was once a cornfield but through the years has been cultivated and features a delightful garden hosting a variety of flowers and ferns is a cabana in which O’Neal applies her paintbrush to turn rain barrels into a piece of art. 

She is assisted by her long-time friend Ruth Bourg and Bourg’s sibling, Bruce. 

Part of the beauty resulting from their work helps children receive an education at Holy Family School in Port Allen.

O’Neal developed an interest in art when her children took art classes taught by Sister Ann Constance CSJ at Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee in New Roads.

“She was wonderful,” said O’Neal, who also took art classes with other adults from Sister Ann. 

“I’ve painted anything I see that I’ve liked: flowers, magnolias, farm and nature scenery,” said O’Neal.

She started painting on canvas, which developed into painting rain barrels. 

One day as she was cleaning her garage Ruth discovered a “hidden treasure,” a vintage turtle faucet she had packed away 30 years ago in a white box. She soon bought a 30-gallon rain barrel and was using it to water her patio plants and thought about O’Neal when it came time to paint it. 

O’Neal had moved to Maringouin and Ruth to Brusly but  they ran into each other occasionally, so Ruth commissioned her friend to paint her barrel.

“We really didn’t know what we were doing” said Ruth about the beginning efforts which, nevertheless, turned out beautifully and featured wildflowers.

When the time approached for the Feast on the Levee at St. John the Baptist Church in 2020, Ruth, an SJB member, asked O’Neal if she would like to paint a barrel to be sold. When the festival was canceled because of COVID-19, they started “beating the bushes” and discovered Holy Family Church in Port Allen had a benefit for the Eva and Jacob Memorial Holy Family School scholarship fund. 

Eva was 3 years old and Jacob 2 when they died along with their grandfather in a housefire at their grandparents’ Assumption Civil Parish home in 2010. Their parents, Kristen and Blake Saucier, are Holy Family parishioners and created the scholarship fund. Ruth called a family member and asked if they would like a rain barrel for the auction, and the reply was “absolutely.”  

Approximately $340,000 has been raised and has provided the gift of a Catholic education for 195 children.

Holy Family reported to O’Neal and Ruth the rain barrel “was a hit” at the silent auction. And others requested barrels as well.
The trio have made 100 special order barrels that are painted with a scene requested by the buyer.

People, particularly farmers, donate barrels. One donated a stockpile of 40 barrels.

It’s a three-person team effort to transform the 30-gallon polyurethane barrels that can look “rough” when they arrive to the polished artistic product that delights recipients.

“It’s a process,” said O’Neal who does the artwork.

“She’s quite talented,” Ruth said.

When the barrels come in they are pressure washed.

Bruce “kicks things off” by cutting off the top of the barrel. Then Ruth, who does the “grunt work,” applies two coats of base paints and assists O’Neal as she does the creative painting. Bruce crafts lids for the barrels out of cypress and cedar wood.

“I was born into a family of woodworkers,” said Bruce, who installs faucets in the barrels.

Bruce said Hurricane Ida provided an abundance of cypress wood, as people stacked damaged board fences. He asked the people if he could use the boards for the barrels project.

“All bad things can lead to something good,” said Bruce.

After O’Neal finishes the artwork, Ruth applies a sealant and the barrels are ready to go.

It takes several days to finish a barrel, because each coat of paint needs to properly dry before the next step.

But the trio are in no hurry, and they see what they do as “so enjoyable it’s not like work.” 

But the most satisfying part is people’s reactions when they pick up the barrels.

“Their eyes light up like it was more than they expected. Their eyes are wide open,” said Ruth.

When it comes to the Holy Family fundraiser, they are happy to do something that benefits children. Andrea Normand, grandmother of Ava and Jacob, sends a thank you note to everyone who purchases a barrel.

O’Neal and Ruth, two long-time friends who now see each other frequently, have a logo they place at the bottom of the barrels that have a large gold D and a small R within the circle of the D, which expresses the women’s intertwining friendship. And add in Bruce, and you have a creative trio.

“We were sitting in the (cabana) kitchen one day and a rooster was in that we thought that would look good on a barrel,” said Bruce about how inspiration sometimes just “shows up.”