Following is text, published on LiveJournal, from a response Mel Wiken gave to someone who had purchased one of her New Orleans paintings:

I was very interested to see that painting. It was done during a very prolific time, and is one of what I call my "potboilers". Back then there were numerous little galleries around the French Quarter that sold works by local artists, and I enjoyed a great deal of popularity during that time. I sold everything I painted, and I was able to let the creative juices really flow. I did a lot of things off the top of my head, and sometimes would just start painting something and see where it led.....and this is one of those paintings. I probably just painted a background, and then got interested ...