Upon entering the mansion, visitors encounter a beautiful mural that spans the entire foyer. It was painted by artist Auseklis Ozols who founded the Academy of Fine Arts in New Orleans. In the year 2000, Ozols began painting the mural, which took him six months to complete. He often hides symbols throughout his works of art, and true to his style, he has hidden several symbols in the mural that pay tribute to each governor who has lived in the mansion.

In the Grand Isle section, he painted Governor Murphy “Mike” Foster III and Mrs. Alice Foster walking along the beach holding hands, as well as their hunting camp, and a sign that reads 1492-1892. The camp’s history shows Governor Foster’s paternal grandfather, Murphy J. Foster Sr., was elected governor of Louisiana in 1892. There is also a camouflage hat with the name “Mike” across the front. An avid duck hunter, Governor Foster’s hats always lay around the mansion while he lived here, so Ozols picked up one and included it in the painting. In the same corner, there are two warning flags for the two major hurricanes that struck the state in 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The rainbow, which signifies the rebuilding of our state, is a tribute to Governor Kathleen Blanco. Governor Blanco served five years as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and became the first woman to be elected as governor of Louisiana.

Look closely at another corner of the mural, and you can spot an elephant on a pirogue. David “Dave” Treen was the first Republican elected governor after Reconstruction. He was out of his element at that time. The elephant on a pirogue symbolizes him out of his element.