Photo Courtesy of The Daily Star
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Ginger Geiger STORY BY KAYLA BERTUCCI “If it’s not a Ponchatoula strawberry, then we don’t have it in our house.” says Ginger Geiger with a chuckle. “There’s just something about its juicy flavor. It’s always the freshest of the fresh.” Ginger Geiger’s words describing Ponchatoula’s renowned fruit — those plump, bright red strawberries spilling out of an old 1949 Ford pickup truck being sold on the side of the road — is almost as alluring as her award-winning painting. A mental picture was so perfect to her that she was able to translate the images from her head to a blank canvas. In 2020, right before the pandemic swept through Louisiana, Ginger was deemed the winner of the 74
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“To finish it off, the painting is framed with the coveted Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival poster contest. Using a mixture of watercolors along with timeless and elegant state flower, the magnolia. It was honestly an honor winning this contest. her love for the good ole days, Ginger describes People come from all over for the Ponchatoula her painting as different snapshots of history that Strawberry Festival, and the memorabilia they everyone wants to embrace now more than ever. take home with them is the annual poster.” With just one glance, the poster captures a warm With painting simply being a side hobby, Ginger feeling of strawberry festivals from years past. was surprised that her first ever submission to the contest captured the heart of the judges. “I did an aerial view of the festival. On the righthand side I painted the well-known fairground Being a healthcare provider in the community, its corner signs of N 6th and W Beech streets,” she always Ginger’s number one goal: to make people explains. “Then, in the middle, you’ll find an old blue Ford pickup, and towards the top I tried who encounter her work feel warm and truly cared for. to capture everyone’s favorite carnival ride, the Ferris wheel.