ABOUT ELLIOTT PERKINS:

Elliott Perkins was born in Santa Barbara, California in 1975. Throughout his childhood,  in spite of rarely being able to find his shoes, Elliott was drawn to creative pursuits of all types (and repelled by any organized sport), and his unrelenting imagination would take his studies and explorations down all sorts of wonderful and curious tangents.

Elliott moved to New Orleans to study architecture at Tulane, where he ultimately earned a Masters in Historic Preservation. Multiple trips to Cuba, the city of New Orleans, travels with family, and his own time in historic family homes helped inform his aesthetic and appreciation of a broad range of architectural styles in conversation with their environment. Elliott went to work as a Plans Examiner for the City of New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission (HDLC), partnering with homeowners and contractors to facilitate beautiful renovations while preserving the unique character of the city. Elliott served as the Executive Director of the HDLC for 15 years, helping to steward the department towards modernized, more streamlined and transparent processes; balancing integral preservation needs with the overall redevelopment of the city after Katrina; and forging important partnerships across city agencies to better serve the city’s residents.

Elliott built community and family in New Orleans and everywhere he went. He recognized the humanity in everyone, welcoming all and never passing judgment. In 2000, Elliott fell in love with Steve Bishoff, and the two have been devoted partners ever since, marrying in 2008. Steve and Ell worked to create Next to Nothing Wines, bringing a community business to a creative space that had already been dear to Elliott at Art Egg Studios. The shop and Elliott’s and Steve’s home became gathering places and safe havens for all, including their three beloved dogs, Lucy, Chloe, and Buster. 

Elliott was a creative and imaginative force with more project dreams than the world has lifetimes. A lover of life, Elliott loved to gather with friends and family, appreciating crowded dance floors and plentiful tables in equal measure. Elliott served his own delicious meals with his fingers as tongs. He loved to travel the world and meet new people, launch a wild new project (sometimes before the previous one was completed…), and revel in the wonder of his nieces’ and nephews’ curiosity. His laughter, bear hugs and presence would fill any space.

Over the years, Elliott designed and created some of the most remarkable costumes for Mardi Gras (with final adjustments well into Tuesday morning) along with all the other excuses to dress up in New Orleans. Contributions to The Elliott Club at Art Camp 504 will underwrite a Mardi Gras costume workshop to help any kid to realize their wildest, imaginative costume dreams, and to fund scholarships to ensure all children can explore their creative expressions.