08/27/2026
I was an art student at SUNO in the early 1990s when Ron Bechet introduced me to him. I had no idea how deeply Big Duck would influence my life and the artist I would become.
Through Tambourine and Fan, I painted murals for Hunters Field, Super Sunday, Mardi Gras under the Claiborne Bridge, and Craig School and Tremé, where I also taught art classesfor decades. I joined City Hall marches and worked alongside Black Masking Indians and musicians and kids from the summer camp. He helped me understand how our art, music, food, and Carnival traditions are woven together as acts of resilience and cultural preservation.
Big Duck shared stories about spending time with Miles Davis and Sidney Poitier, including how they supported the Civil Rights Movement behind the scenes. He also carried the scars of that struggle himself, having been beaten by the Klan while fighting for rights many of us now take for granted.
Big Duck and my grandparents taught me to honor our elders. They inspired my commitment to carrying their stories and memories forward through my artwork.
Because of Big Duck Jerome Smith, I do not simply see a parade or a party. I see survival, resistance, and a living tradition being passed to our youth. As he taught us, the fan reaches back to Egypt, and the woman’s womb is the first bass drum.
His lessons will continue to live through me and through the work I create.
…
Claiborne
