His works speak to the spirit through the powerful, refined and deeply expressive vocabulary of their creator. John Geldersma’s sculpture incorporates his many influences and points to his expansive vision, and we are deeply honored to feature his work as part of our 10th season celebration.

We are also thrilled to help welcome a native son home for a fall exhibition in the main gallery at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

Geldersma now lives in New Mexico, and his art both draws from and contributes to the symbolic vocabularies of the world’s cultures. He works primarily in wood and has produced a wide array of pieces in archetypal forms, from his hanging "Shamans” to his mandala-like, totemic "Spirit Poles,” which are inspired by primitive fetishes, various trans-historic ritualistic geometric designs and the vibrant cultures of his native south Louisiana.

The artist has cited his early immersion in the intersection of such divergent cultures as

French, Spanish, African- American, Caribbean, Anglo-Saxon and Native American as a major influence on his work.

The new sculpture featured on the cover of this program guide and our Season 10 poster expresses the intersection of the secular and the sacred on many levels, while illuminating the artist’s unique understanding and interpretation of the ideas and power present at Louisiana Crossroads.