In choosing the artist who could best convey this issue’s theme of money, Acadiana Lifestyle’s search led to the work of an artist familiar to many in Acadiana, that of Kate Ferry.

The New Iberia native is a well-known graphic designer and illustrator in the region who has made a career of producing award-winning work for local and regional clients. It was Ferry’s technique with collage that proved to lend itself to a fun interpretation of money.

“I was excited to be asked to provide the cover art; it was a fun project,” says Ferry. “I don’t get a chance to do collage as often, so this allowed me to play.”

Her 40 years of experience in advertising comes through in the whimsical cover design, with its brightly-colored, creatively-placed images. “I started out by sketching some ideas working around the ‘Money’ headline,” she says, explaining her process. “Because you can’t download images of money, I took photos of actual bills of different denominations and pulled certain letters to spell the word ‘money.’ Then I came up with images that related to the subhead ‘Spend, Save and Splurge.’” The result: A pecan pie for a hat, a tiny sack of crawfish hanging on an arm like a purse, a Catahoula hound, a gold piggy bank, bling, shopping bags, a car…all come together cohesively in a sort of chaotic cohiesieness.

This is the magazine’s second Money Issue; the first, in 2022, featured artist Paul Schexneyder’s interpretation of money on the cover with a pop version of Ben Franklin. The concept was so well-received, editor Anne Songy decided to make it a tradition, and plans to ask a different artist each year to showcase his or her own unique expression of money. “Kate’s whimsical style and over-the-top treatment of her subjects is what drew us to ask her to be our cover artist,” says Songy. “Money is fraught with strong emotions, but it can also be a lot of fun. Kate expresses that beautifully.” 

When she has the opportunity, Ferry enjoys balancing her computer design work with painting, illustrating and other hands-on projects, like the making of her “well-meaning” voodoo dolls. “I started creating them in 2019 as throws for the Krewe de Canailles Mardi Gras parade. They’ve become a popular item now,” she says. 

Ferry has also shared her creative talents by leading workshops at Vermilionville in Lafayette, the Acadiana Arts Council and the Iberia Parish Library.

Chances are, you’ve probably seen some of her work without realizing it. Her whimsical voodoo dolls can be found in gift shops, and the banners hanging on the front side of The Shadows-on-the-Teche and at the Iberia African American Historical Society are recent projects. Her portfolio ranges from a mix of advertising for local tourism, political campaigns and healthcare to restaurants and state and local libraries. Still today she is most proud of her design of a three-part campaign for the Louisiana Bicentennial: Becoming Louisiana: The Path to Statehood. She begins the new year with plans to pick up where she left off on illustrating her own children’s book. We are happy that she has put her unique stamp on Acadiana Lifestyle.