New Orleans based artist Jaclyn McCabe starts each of her vibrant collages the same way.

Step one: Observe. She watches closely, listens intently, and lets the piece take her where she needs to go. Sometimes, it's to a place of whimsy and awe-inspiring beauty. Sometimes, it's a place of difficult emotions. It's occasionally both. 

That approach makes perfect sense for Jaclyn. After all, observation has been central to every chapter of her life — first as a cultural anthropologist and photojournalist, then as a life coach and an intuitive healer.

Jaclyn describes her collages (and the process of creating them) as a place to "put the emotions."

They beautifully blend lyrics by her favorite musical artists and found images from books or magazines. The results are something inspirational — and open to interpretation. She wants anyone who views her art to see and feel something wholly unique to them.

When she's not in her Bywater home studio collaging or coaching, you'll find Jaclyn exploring the bayous in her little boat, riding her bike. or taking in live local music.