Long before Carnival season arrives, Mount Carmel Academy art students have been hard at work on a large-scale, colorful installation that will transform the Sisters’ residence on Allen Toussaint Boulevard. For the past five years, Art IV students have designed, built, and installed a Mardi Gras House Float there, a festive tradition that has become one of the school’s most distinctive and ambitious art projects. Entirely student-made, the installation blends sculpture, painting, and large-scale construction into a public artwork that celebrates both the spirit of Carmel and the spirit of Carnival.

This year’s installation features 26 handcrafted, purple flowers, with two created by each of the 13 Art IV students. The number represents both the Class of 2026 and 100 years since Mount Carmel Academy moved to the Lakeview neighborhood in 1926. The purple flowers are also a nod to the senior Butterflies.

 

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Creating Carnival Flowers

Students begin by cutting and shaping petals and leaves from heavy mixed-media paper, reinforcing each piece with wire centered between two layers of paper. The wire doubles as both the structure and the vein of each form. Pieces are assembled using contact cement, then pressed with a brayer to bond the layers and embed the wire.

Once constructed, each piece is primed and painted with exterior-grade acrylic to protect it from the elements. Color is added with layered spray paint, followed by hand-painted details using UV-rated exterior mural paint and gold leaf accents.

After drying, the flowers are shaped by hand to create dimension and movement. They are assembled, adhered into place, and mounted on pre-drilled plywood backings, which allow them to be securely installed on the house and balcony. Painted foam centers are added to each piece before installation.
 

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Bringing it All Together

In addition to the 26 flowers, the installation includes several large-format artworks painted on quarter-inch plywood, including new pieces and returning favorites from previous years.

This year’s new centerpiece is inspired by historic Carnival proclamations and features a quote from Carmelite saint Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross) reflecting the Spirit of Carmel. At the center, the artwork reads, “But the best part is that the Spirit of Carmel is love, and that this spirit is very much alive in this house.” Other pieces include depictions of influential female saints riding in a streetcar, Sister Camille Anne and Ms. Simno portrayed as Carnival queens, and each class mascot dressed in festive Mardi Gras attire.

Together, the flowers and large-scale elements transform the Sisters’ residence into a colorful Carnival display with a distinctly Mount Carmel identity.

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Learning by Doing

The House Float project is led by art teacher Ms. Gillane, with support from Digital Media Arts teacher Mr. Aguirre and Facilities Engineer Mr. Casadaban. They work alongside students on structural planning and on-site installation and train them in the safe, effective use of tools such as drills and saws.

This gives students experience with large-scale, site-specific installation work not typically found in high school art programs.

“Our students attend parades every year, but it isn’t until they go through the process of creating house floats in class that they truly understand the range of skills required to make Mardi Gras happen,” Ms. Gillane said. “Through this project, students learn everything from sculptural art-making to large-scale carpentry and installation.”