Matt Dawson
"Marquees and Manuscripts Along the Mississippi"
In this original watercolor painting from Alexandria-based artist Matt Dawson (whose work you can also see gracing the poster for the Louisiana Book Festival this year), we step into a wonderland of Louisiana-Mississippi storytelling. In these fantasy streetscapes, the golden age of the local movie theatre still reigns—every few steps a nostalgic return to iconic venues like New Iberia’s Sliman, Shreveport’s Strand, and New Orleans’s Joy during their heydays, showing films that put our region on the big screen, such as Interview with a Vampire, Steel Magnolias, and A Streetcar Named Desire.
Keep strolling along these sidewalks, and you’ll come upon havens of storytelling of the other sort: our local indie bookstores. Jackson’s iconic Lemuria can reach out a hand to wave at Baton Rouge’s new shop, TBR Books. Warm glows in the windows tell us what we already know of these places—they are safe, warm, and welcoming. They are portals to other worlds.
We couldn’t imagine a better way to introduce our annual Film & Literature issue, our collection of stories about stories, and the storytellers behind them. So take a walk with us—we’ve got some places we want to pop into. Read the full issue here.
About Cover Artist Matt Dawson
Matt Dawson is a Louisiana native, originally from Natchitoches he now resides in Pineville. He has been creating art for the public since 1994. His main concentrations are acrylic and watercolor. His style is reminiscent of Ash Can artists of the early 20th century. He also likes to do quirky street scenes in ink and watercolor. His art has been sold in all 50 states and 4 continents. Dawson has won several awards over the years. He's been featured on ABC, Fox, and other media outlets. Recently he was the artist for the 2025 Louisiana Book Festival. He is a resident artist at River Oaks Arts Center in Alexandria, LA. Matt is married to Amber and they have 2 daughters, Emily and Sarah. mattdawson.art
.jpg)
