PHANTASMAGORIA

Phantasmagoria is a retrospective look at the enigmatic artwork of Jim Sohr, a New Orleans artist who learned to paint while imprisoned at Louisiana State Penitentiary for selling marijuana. Ironically, lockdown offered unlimited time and freedom to explore his inner workings. Sequestered in the art room, Sohr discovered the masters of 20th century art. As his girlfriend messengered artwork to New Orleans art galleries, he became a celebrated artist behind bars, continuing to paint and exhibit when he was given early release.

Growing up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Sohr felt stifled from expressing his creativity. He later found validation and self-expression channeling dreams from his subconscious mind. Although artists of every genre can be inspired by dreams, there are not many who paint them in their entirety. Sohr does. From a young age in the 1940s, Sohr was attracted to books by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geissel, and the fantasy worlds of Walt Disney. By the 1950s, Disney was producing films like Alice in Wonderland, as well as the Disneyland TV show.

Those influences had long-term effects on Sohr who continues to decorate his St. Bernard Parish home with colourful ceramic cartoon figures and rag dolls. Indeed, a 29-foot yellow and blue bird stands two stories high in his living room.

Sohr initially showed talent with freehand sketches in Waukesha High School art classes. After a spring break trip to New Orleans, his imagination was set loose. The wild odyssey of his life, from the French Quarter to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury, from Angola Penitentiary to Cajun country, back to New Orleans and finally St. Bernard Parish, provided the hardships and happiness to supercharge his dreams.

Surviving several personal crises disrupting his artistic career, including Hurricane Katrina, Sohr has risen like the Zor Bird phoenix he sculpted to reemerge with new styles and techniques. His wacky, ingenious take on reality delights collectors who continually discover new interpretations of his paintings.