My name is Lauren Widener and I grew up in Metairie and Kenner. I am now firmly planted in Old Metairie with my phenomenal husband and three amazing daughters, ages 5, 3, and 18mos. Besides photography, I love cooking, gardening, music, and playing with my family. My faith in God is very important to me and I love serving in my local church and in my community. This opportunity I have to give back to NOLA really excites me!
NOLAbet Prints
NOLAbet prints was the brainchild of my aunt, who when seeing a print I made for my mom as a Christmas present declared, "Dawlin, you got something here!" She ordered two prints and the rest is history! As I walked the streets of NOLA scouting for more letters to photograph, I realized that this was more than just a business opportunity. It became clear to me that the architecture, wrought iron, and icons that survived Hurricane Katrina symbolized the families in all of their strength, resilience, faith, and beauty, that also survived and resettled here! When I look at my "Widener" print hanging in my kitchen I think, "God put the Widener's here and here the Widener's will stay!" It is a reminder of my commitment to NOLA and her people! Somewhere along the way the phrase was coined that we are "Preserving NOLA one family at a time."
NOLAbet is short for New Orleans Louisiana Alphabet. My New Orleans Alphabet catalog includes several options for each letter of the alphabet and it continues to expand as I discover more and more architectural elements to photograph! NOLAbet offers a variety of ways to spell names and phrases using my photos of architecture, wrought iron, and icons from around the city that resemble letters of the alphabet. Customers can choose to have a surname or phrase (such as NOLA, FAMILY, HOME) spelled out and framed (the matting, framing, and shipping are included in our cost!) , or have it printed on stationary. I always design 2-3 proofs for customers and will work with them to get it exactly the way they like it. Since this is a custom product, I ask that customers allow at least 3-4wks from start to finish.
There is also a selection of pre-designed items including note-cards that say "NOLA," "MERCI," and "THANKS." The newest product we have is our "NOLA-nitials" pendants. Customers can choose their initial from the selection on the website and we will design a pendant for them! They are beautiful and unique! Folks can purchase directly from the website or they can email me for orders. lauren@nolabetprints.com Besides our website www.nolabetprints.com, you can purchase NOLAbet at Agora Galleries on Magazine and Judy at the Rink on Prytania.
NOLAbet helps Preservation Resource Center
I chose to help support the Preservation Resource Center because it the best way I can return my appreciation for the subject that I shoot! The PRC works tirelessly to restore, rebuild, and preserve this city and I am proud to be able to give what I can to help those efforts. I also
give to Lakeview Christian Center, my local church, who serves the Lakeview Community and surrounding areas in spiritual and practical means.
Most of our business comes from the friends and families of our customers. They see a print in their friends home, receive a note-card or a NOLAbet gift and then they want more! This is great but we would like to see our business grow so we can give more back to the community! At the shows I do, I often hear the regretful phrase...why didn't I know you existed!!
My favorite item by far is the N'awlins Name Print. I love designing a family's name with NOLA's architecture and then having their anniversary date in calligraphy underneath...what a statement! Newlyweds who get NOLAbet as a gift tell us it is the best gift they have received! Of course, I love the stationary and the pendants too..its very hard to choose. My favorite project has been designing prints for local area Whitney Bank branches. Certainly an honor!
What's Next
I am currently creating a Children's Alphabet that includes photos from area kids attractions and the like. My fans have requested this and the developing Children’s Catalog shows great promise! The names using the Children's Alphabet will be printed in a poster format so it can be easily framed to match the changing decor of a kids room and lifestyle. If I had my name spelled out with letter-pics from the zoo, story land, etc. it would be a nostalgic reminder of the fun I had growing up in this awesome city! I hope it will be for the future NOLAbet kids too! I hope to launch the Children's Alphabet by the end of Spring 2011. I am also working on numbers...think "504"!
NOLA Love
I come from a large family of NOLA lovers. I was taught at an early age of NOLA's history and learned to cherish Her uniqueness. I gleaned insight from the artists and historians in my family. My 2nd cousin is George Schmidt, a renowned local artist, musician, and historian and my aunt owns the Elder Hostel and People Program of New Orleans. Taking our city for granted was not an option! As a child, tagging along on tours of the city with my aunt and uncle, I can remember being smitten with NOLA's architecture and wrought iron. To this day, walking the streets of my city taking in the landscape is where I feel most at home. Who knew I would one day get the opportunity to help preserve it! So if you see a chic with kids in a stroller taking pictures of your house on St. Charles...don't be alarmed! I'm just doing my thing.
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3 comments:
That's my cousin! She's fantastic!
I have loved having my NOLAbet picture hanging in my kitchen. It is a constant reminder of my New Orleans roots and a topic of many conversations around my dinner table. You will not regret a purchase from Lauren.
I have loved having my NOLAbet picture in my kitchen. It has been a constant reminder of my New Orleans roots and the topic of many dinner table conversations. You will not regret making a NOLAbet purchase.
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