SOLVED. Artist who paints all black paintings moves to New Orleans with help of mysterious sponsor. Spoilers ahead. [s]

[Charissa]

I read this book in paperback form about 18 years ago. I think it was a book in a series but I'm not sure if it was the first one or not. Here is every detail I can remember. Some spoilers ahead... A young woman lives in the swamp of Louisiana with her aunt and uncle. She is a very talented painter. She uses mostly black paint and you have to get her paintings in just the right light to see them properly. She receives word that a benefactor will be paying for her art school tuition and has set her up with a nice apartment in New Orleans. She meets a man who is executing the benefactor's wishes. I think he is some relation to the benefactor, who is an elderly matriarch of a large, wealthy family in New Orleans. I don't remember much of the middle of the book but I do remember the ending. The large family is built on incest and the matriarch is quite overbearing. The protagonist is one of their relations. Her mother had escaped their controlling ways and hid her daughter from them before she died. They found her and paid for her schooling in an attempt to entice her into joining the "family business". At the end the matriarch is taken to an insane asylum but fights against the mittens they have put on her hands to keep her from pulling out her hair. The protagonist suggests covering the mittens with lace and pearls as the matriarch is quite vain.

I hope that's enough information for someone to tell me what the heck the name of that book was. Others have suggested that this might be Ruby by VC Andrews but after reading the description I can tell it's not. This book was not meant for a YA audience.

[Tab]

Maybe, The Crimson Roses of Fountain Court ?

The description on Amazon says: While learning her art at the lush New Orleans mansion of portraitist Jordan LaMarsh, impoverished artist Margaret Morgan becomes caught up in the bizarre secrets of LaMarsh's family.

Do you remember the cover?
Time period story takes place?

[Charissa]

Hmm, that doesn't sound like it. The book was set in modern times. I don't really remember much about the cover. It *might* have had some green on it.

[Ayshe]

How about False Truths?

[Charissa]

Ayshe that's it! I have been looking for this book for almost 20 years. You guys are awesome! Thanks so much.