ArtNELA - Northeast La. Arts and Culture

Guests enjoy the sixth-floor party at Premier Plaza during "Art With A View," in Monroe LA, Dec 10, 2009.

Some of the social events I’ve attended have been held in some odd locations.

Last year, for instance, I participated in an art sale that took place in a parking garage. And I covered a fundraiser once on the rooftop of a hospital, where everyone was told with a wink to be very careful not to stray too close to the edge. Considering that was also an international beer-tasting event, it was somewhat exciting, waiting to see who would fall off first, and hoping it wouldn’t be me.

And I can now say that I’ve been to an art show that was held inside the normally stark multiple rooms of an office building, specifically at the Premier Plaza in Monroe, which graciously opened its upper-floor office space to local artists and guests once again this year for the 8th Annual “Art With A View” art exhibit on Dec. 10.

I had a chance to see the rooms ahead of time since I was also participating as an artist and had to hang work before the event. I became very curious to see how the layout would work once people arrived. Essentially, every artist had his or her own room along a series of hallways, with a few artists exhibiting together in the larger conference rooms.

Artist Coordinator Cindy Ingram, along with some other volunteers, was in the process of covering the available walls and corners with holiday decorations when I arrived initially. As I curiously watched the place come together, I thought, hey, this could be a nice event. After all, it’s inside, it’s comfortable, it’s quiet because of the carpet, and how many art shows do you go to where each artist has their own separate, enclosed space to personalize?

Katherine Putnam, Miss Louisiana 2009, with Hope Anderson, Miss Monroe 2009, at "Art With A View" - Premier Plaza, Monroe LA - Dec 10, 2009

Refreshment tables were decorated with flowery, feathery arrangements.

The next evening’s event turned out to be even better than I had anticipated, and if anything was more interesting because of the location.

The twenty or so rooms on the fifth floor were filled with original artwork, along with some of the hallways, and fifty-six artists were participating. The variety of work alone was captivating. It was like attending the monthly Artwalk downtown, but inside, with less walking and no chance of rain. There was something for everyone – jewelry, paintings, sculpture, and photography were at every turn.

Local photographer Cindy Blanchard, vice president of the Northeast La. Camera Club, had a great idea for an “Artists In Action” presentation, too, putting artists Rusty Patterson, Margaret Ellerman and Don Holloway atop three separate small platforms in the main room, where they were at work on their respective mediums as woodworker, painter and potter.

The organizers made a very wise decision this year to charge admission—it was previously free—and turn the event into a juried exhibition and a fundraiser for the Monroe Symphony Orchestra. They also included wonderful selections of hors d’oeuvres from Thyme Savers Catering and a never-ending supply of delicious wines and cheeses, plus custom-made drinks and martinis, and all while benefiting the symphony.

Pretty much everyone had a drink or a plate of food in their hands and was dressed to impress, including recent beauty pageant winners Hope Anderson (Miss Monroe) and Katherine Putnam (Miss Louisiana) who were crowned and circulating gracefully through the crowd.

The event actually took place on two separate floors, with a party on the sixth floor from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the art show on the fifth floor from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

It seemed as though it all could easily have turned into a labyrinthine maze of confusion, with guests not knowing where to go next. But it worked out beautifully. It was as though there was just one artistic discovery after another as guests wandered into the different rooms.

Left to right: Monroe Symphony Orchestra board member Phala Wright with Clay Coutoriaux, conductor, and board member Al Peterson, at "Art With A View" - Premier Plaza, Monroe LA - Dec 10, 2009

Candles and holiday lights gave the whole place a festive atmosphere, and tables and floors were embellished with assortments of red flowers, lovely white trees and feathered arrangements.

It helped, too, that there was always a table of food or wine wherever you looked and someone there to serve it, so that if all else failed you could always refill your glass, grab a snack and move on. There were enough guests to make this a well-attended event, while also allowing everyone the freedom to move around.

The Monroe Symphony contributed to the affair by having various groups of musicians playing music throughout both floors. During my time there, I enjoyed hearing a three-piece horn ensemble, a four-piece band with a xylophone, and a pianist.

The artwork was priced to sell as far as I could see, and I noticed a few guests walking around with a purchased canvas or photo tucked under an arm, which was a good sign for the artists and the symphony.

Joe Holyfield, the owner of the building, organized and sponsored the event for the last seven years, but this year got together with the symphony to make it even better.

Artist Jan Thibault talks with visitors to her exhibit. There were nearly sixty artists participating.

“Joe’s support of the arts has helped us so much,” said Marilyn Kopke, president of the symphony board of directors. “This is our only fundraiser this year, and the event went well, really beyond our expectations.”

“This is truly Monroe at its best,” added guest Tommy Usrey, president of the Northeast La. Arts Council.

Other event coordinators were Vickie Barnes, Chuck Bradshaw , Meredith Pate and Moses Miles. Kelly Wright Taylor created the wintery decorations, and artwork was juried by Christina Gray and Scott Higginbotham.

Plans are being made for another event next year on December 9, 2010. I suggest getting tickets to both the party and the art show. For more information, search Facebook for “art-with-a-view-monroela.”

For information about the symphony, go to their website, at www.bayou.com/symphony. Their next event is a Chamber Concert at The Assembly in West Monroe, on March 20, 2010 at 7 p.m.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

Rain knocked out the end-of-day crowd at the Columbia Art and Folk Festival in Caldwell Parish, Oct. 10.

This post includes reviews on the Columbia Art Fest,  Doyle Jeter at the Masur and Robin Hood with the Young Troupe at Strauss Theater.

My first point of interest was the 54th Annual Columbia Art Folk Festival in, of course, Columbia, La. I’d post a link to the festival’s website, but there ain’t one. I drove just over an hour from Rayville with my nine-year-old, Nika, to go check out the festival. Given the location, I figured this would be more of a crafts and food event, and I was right. By the time we arrived at about 3pm, the day had turned gray and rain was spattering the street. Since the fair only went until 5pm that day anyway, a few vendors had already begun packing up, and the remaining bands were canceled.

That didn’t stop us, though. We put up our hoods and marched right in and took a quick glance down both directions of the street to see what was up. The whole fair runs about four blocks or so right down the center of the town, which has about 10,000+ folks according to Wiki. I imagine this festival is a pretty big deal for the locals, particularly since it’s been going on annually for half a century.

Jack Thompson works on an Adirondack chair.

The crowd had cleared out but we were able to talk with a few remaining vendors such as J.V.Crain of Crain’s Wood Designs, and also Carmen Head and Tonyah Meredith of Bella’s Boutique. (Again, no online links that I could find.) These folks were sticking it out until the end, which was lucky for me. I was really fascinated by the woodwork by Crain. He took the time to explain to me how his beautifully smooth and tri-toned bowls are crafted. At the Bella’s Boutique tent, which looked like a gypsy encampment with all the tinkling jewelry and clothing billowing about in the breeze, Head and Meredith told me that they were excited about opening their new store in Columbia because there aren’t otherwise a lot of places to shop there for hand-crafted clothing.

Tonyah Meredith, Carmen Head, and Johnnie Fallin of Bella's Boutique at the Columbia Art and Folk Festival in Caldwell Parish.

Other parts of the street were likely a little more enticing when they were busier. There were food tents selling selections such as pork skins, seafood gumbo and beignets — I could go for some of those right now, actually — plus craft tents with more selections of clothing, small home decorations and furniture. I saw one tent that had some some paintings from a small local art guild.

Avery Bailey, five, hangs out at the end of a rainy day at the Columbia Art and Folk Festival.

There was a pleasant atmosphere around all this despite the light rain. I had the feeling that the festival was probably the only thing happening in the area and pretty active during its sunnier moments. I caught a few shots of kids goofing around, plus one of a very cute little girl under an umbrella, which was a nice way to wrap up the trip. I’d run down there again next year if I’m still around, and would take both my nine-year-old and my four-year-old girls with me. I think they’d enjoy it.

And now, onward …

The Masur Museum hosted a talk with local artist Doyle Jeter on Oct. 13. The rain continued bearing down on us all this week, and this evening’s event found me driving the entire distance from Rayville to Monroe in a sleet, then dashing from my car into the back reception area of the Masur just after 7 p.m. to catch Jeter’s talk. I wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to be talking about, but I had a few people tell me I should catch him, so there I was. My ex-wife, Anna, is a painter and was also there with our four-year-old, Emma, who commandeered my notepad and pen to keep herself occupied. I kept having to take it from her to write notes, which became scattered between her pen images of angel people.

Emma's masterpiece. Note the freehand style. The carefully placed rosy cheeks. Genius, really.

Printmaker Doyle Jeter talks with a viewer.

Gaining some quick background on Jeter, I picked this up from the Masur’s site:

Doyle Jeter is founder of Enoch’s Irish Pub, the Eye-20 Group, the 10/20/40 Group, and the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival. He has a master’s degree in printmaking from New Mexico Highlands University, and his work can be found in private and public collections, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His most recent printmaking project is three editions of prints by Lynda Benglis. Works from this collaboration will be on view at Arender Gallery starting October 1.

Work by Lynda Benglis and printmaker Doyle Jeter at the Masur Museum, Oct. 13.

I didn’t know anything about printmaking as an art form, so I was curious to see what Jeter was up to. Printmaking … that’s like screenprinting or something, ya? Or printing photographs? I know all about that. Well, it turns out that it’s none of the above. I’m still not entirely sure I understand it, and I may look up more about the process later if I have time between this blog and everything else, but for now, and after Jeter’s talk, I know that it’s an incredibly time-consuming process that nets the artist one, unique image on paper or canvas, or whatever medium he or she chooses. And it’s time-consuming, as in 40 to 60 hours to create one piece that looks, to my photographer’s eye, like a photograph.

I was a little flabbergasted at the idea of spending that much time on one image. I spend my days shooting and sorting through hundreds, if not thousands, of “prints” of my own. But printmakers such as Jeter would likely be just as taken aback at any close comparison between photography and printmaking. I was comforted to read the Wiki description of the difference, though, which says the printmaker creates not a “print” but more of an “impression.”

This fits with what Jeter explained to the crowd of about 40. We all listened attentively as he told us many stories of his youth and upbringing in different parts of the world, his time in college, and how he came into art, and his thoughts on it, and some more stories of his family and trips he had taken. Jeter said he feels at home here, as well as in New York, Ireland and Puerto Rico, having spent various times of his life in those places.

“Music played a big role, too,” he said. “I remember my mom dancing the flamenco in the house with a rose in her mouth … I think everything that happens in life goes right into your art. The themes come back around.

“Art isn’t the critics or what people say about it. It’s sitting in your studio creating and reaching that moment, that spark of life, when you suddenly know you’ve hit it.”

He spent a few minutes explaining his technique for printmaking, using three pieces of his work as examples, and then spent his remaining time talking about a fourth piece he included from Lynda Benglis, an artist he has great affection and respect for, and who he worked with for some time. As he put it, this is a woman who, even in her sixties, can simply come along and strike at a canvas with a green crayon, and create a masterpiece.

Given the time involved in crafting one single print via the printmaking method, I’m not inclined to take it up myself, based on what Jeter discussed. But there’s something to the physicality of it that I appreciate. As a photographer, I don’t get my hands dirty in the art — there’s no steel to melt, paint to splatter, wood to carve. It’s all visual. In that respect, as I listened to Jeter talk about working “in the dirt,” so-to-speak, with Benglis, I envied the realness of what he experienced, as opposed to the digitized art form I now work in.

I spoke with Jeter afterwards for a few minutes and found out that he’s the founder of the annual Celtic Festival in West Monroe. I’ve been planning to see this festival since I first heard about it, so it was neat to meet the fellow who started it.

The Sheriff of Nottingham gets waylaid by gypsies.

That’s that … next was the Young Troupe’s performance of an energetic and updated version of Robin Hood at the Strauss Theater.

I’m planning to videotape a performance of this for the theater, and also to put a few clips on ArtNELA. Before I can do that, I have to know my cues, so I went to check out the student performance at 11 a.m., Oct. 21.

I was surprised at the energy of this gang of about forty or fifty kids, and even more so at the ability of director Steve Barton to corral it all into a show that wants to leap off the stage and into your lap but manages to keep itself just barely in check. Also, I expected quietly-voiced dialogue by shy kids, but heck no, for the most part these guys and girls fairly shouted their lines to the audience of school students and received a good deal of laughter and applause in return.

The age range of the performers goes from about six to seventeen.

There is a large cast and so much general running about in this show that it’s impossible to take it all in, but the leading actors and actresses do a fine job of keeping the attention where it belongs. Beaux Coleman as Robin Hood seems to be enjoying himself immensely both as a character and an actor, and milks his multiple introductions, which each come with their own soundtrack. Dialogue from his arch-enemy The Sheriff of Nottingham, played by Nathaneal Medlin, is offered with a nonstop, conceited ridiculousness that becomes really, really, really funny simply by virtue of its boisterous continuation. His endless, high-pitched and very unexpected yelp as he discovers Robin in the forest had the kids roaring in laughter.

The hippies go transcendental on Robin Hood at the Strauss Theater, Oct. 21.

A nod goes to Katherine Klagholz for her role as everyone’s favorite maid in distress — at least until she wallops Robin to both sides of the stage and back — and to Maddie Snead, who was very articulate and convincing as the dancing, accented Gypsy who leads the Sheriff temporarily away from Robin, and to Jacob Branson for his appropriately whiny role as the Sheriff’s sidekick, and also to Alyssa Leader who gave us just as spirited a performance as we saw from her in her minor role in Strauss’s Modern Millie recently.

I was quite amused at the shenanigans of the cast overall, as they came into and out of the various scenes, usually with a great deal of running or shouting, but never out of control (an important point). It seemed to me that Barton decided to just favor the group’s energy over the possibility that kids might trip over themselves and come crashing down the stairs at some point while entering from all corners of the theater. I think this was the right choice. The activity and energy really added a lot to the event and gave all the kids in the audience an endless amount of enjoyment, while also keeping the cast very involved physically, a necessity for youth productions.

On more than one occasion, for instance, cast members on stage would point in fright above the audience, and sure enough, the sheriff’s posse would come charging right down from the upper level, or a crowd would come barreling in from the wings. A well-chosen rock music soundtrack overlaid this occasionally, but not too loudly.

There is an amusing turn, too, from a small group of hippies that seem to have time-warped into Sherwood Forest.

The set never changes but serves its purpose well by allowing lots of room for the kids and few distractions, while also giving the audience an idea of three separate locations that include the facade of a two-towered castle. Music that overlaid various scenes was occasionally so low that it just sounded accidental, but I preferred that to the alternative, and otherwise I had no problem either hearing the kids or the music at the right moments.

Director Steve Barton talks to the audience after the Oct. 10 performance of Robin Hood.

No Robin Hood production would be complete without some swordplay and general ruckus. The choreography here between Robin and the Sheriff is handled excellently — adults can see there’s little danger of the kids getting hurt, and at the same time, it’s actually a little frightening to see them going at it and throwing themselves around. The ensemble even gets involved in the mayhem toward the end, and it looks like a  giant barroom fight, then everyone stops and, of course, Robin emerges victorious with a glaring grin. The whole bit made me remember bouncing crazily on a trampoline with my friends as a kid, pretending to be karate experts and doing back-kick somersaults. Fun and a little nutty, really, is what it was — and that’s what this show is.

Recommended for kids, for sure, I’d say six-years and older. I’ll be taking my nine-year-old to see it this weekend.

For info, call the theater @ 318-323-6681.

Next post on ArtNELA: “Strike Up The Band” at Biedenharn Gardens brings in some class-act voices for a tribute to Great Depression-era musicals. Catch the article, photos and video here shortly, as well as in the Nov. issue of Delta Style.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

Co-stars Elizabeth Bennett and William Tatum.

I was waiting as patiently as possible for the new season at Strauss Theater to begin. I had missed the last one, and all the ones before that, because I only just moved up to the Monroe area late last year. Strauss is obviously “the” theater in Monroe, so I had my hopes up ever so slightly that I would discover a gem in the same manner as Le Petite in New Orleans, or Rivertown Repertory in Kenner, La. I had performed myself at both of these theaters in the past, and seen a fair number of shows, too, and can say that they are “the” theaters in that area, if you want to see the best productions.

At any rate, since the Strauss Theater seemed to be the only game in town for Monroe, I figured it either had to be really good, with a lot of local support and enthusiasm, or it would just be a slacker theater with lackluster productions that got by simply because they were, again, the only game in town.

So, I just saw the season opening, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and whoopee baby, it turns out that the Strauss Theater is really good.

Flappers, fer real, on stage at Strauss Theater.

Having come almost a year ago from probably the most theater-saturated city in the South, I’ll admit to some desperation right now to see live theater. I would have been happy with even a fair-hearted attempt at this show, really. But the crew at Strauss showed me such a good time that I’m still laughing about some of it two days later.

Some of the community shows I’ve been to elsewhere are met with a mass exodus at intermission. Even the lavish productions at Tulane Summer Lyric don’t always hold an audience.

That’s something this show doesn’t have to worry about in the least.

The opening number, “Not for the Life of Me,” from Elizabeth Bennett as Millie Dillmount, captured my attention in a big way and really gave the rest of the show something to live up to. Bennett’s voice has that classic Broadway sound, sharp and bright and enthusiastic, handed over with a giant, I’m-giving-it-all-I-got smile. She completely set the tone for the next two hours. Her second act solo, “Gimme Gimme,” was a real show stopper, too, and she gave it just as much energy, if not more, than her opening number.

I'll be checking out the movie soon, since the stage show was so much fun.

The youthful chorus jumped in with Bennett pretty quickly for “Thoroughly Modern Mille,” and thankfully had the stage space to show off the colorful costumes by Marcy and Mary Hall, and some spins, parades, and well-rehearsed choreography by Shawnee Corbin, along with a powerful, polished group voice that filled the room. I was hooked and held my breath in hopes that the whole show was would go at this pace.

Hats off to set designer Scot Baronet for his enjoyable 3D scenes of New York which gave some depth to the stage and went well with the roll-on office furniture. I liked Millie’s use of the office desk as a sort of comical way to scoot around the stage without actually standing up. I also thought the roll-on window ledge was effective, and kudos to Bennett and William Tatum, as Jimmy Smith, for being sure on their feet and their vocals during their ledge-top dance number, “I Turned a Corner.” Tatum, for his part, was well suited as the romantic interest for Millie.

Cast members from "Thoroughly Modern Mille" at Strauss Theater, Sept. 20, 2009. Left to right: Laura Sidders, Amy Medlin, Samantha and Lauren Matherne, and Gayle Frck.

The Hotel Priscilla scenes were a riot, with Jeanine Patton as Mrs. Meers and Josh and Jacob Branson as Ching Ho and Bun Foo. Mrs. Meers, as if her makeup wasn’t enough, had an appropriately rough and twangy Japanese accent to match her later exposure as a wannabe actress, and her “oh, wee-whee” take on “oh, really,” got a laugh on more than one occasion. The brothers performance of their very unexpected Japanese-only duet, a reprise of “Not for the Life of Me,” was hilarious. We kept expecting them to start singing in English, but the fact that they didn’t made it all the funnier, as they just kept going in Japanese or whatever it was, and playing it as though we understood every word.

A song between these three later, “Muquin,” is the closest I’ve ever come to actually watching a really good Saturday Night Live skit, live on stage, from back in the day when SNL was sincerely funny.

The early duet between Bennett and Lauren Matherne, as the petite Miss Dorothy Brown, made me think of the impeccable match-up of Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in Wicked. Their voices went together perfectly and they had the smiles and characterizations to match. I couldn’t get enough of either of them.

Melissa Tucker turned in a good, hard-nosed role as Miss Flannery, and she pulls off one of the funniest lines in the show–“my family is known for our elbows,” which I’m laughing at again as I write this.

Gayle Frick deserves a note also for her exceptionally well-sung role as Muzzy Van Hossmere, the classy lounge singer who gives Millie a shoulder to lean on.

From left: Sarah Keyes, Schylar Berry and Allison Tugwell.

Possibly one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever seen on stage happened during the second act between Matherne and Troy Wold, impeccably cast as the pretentious and sporadically soused boss-man Trevor Graydon. One moment, Wold is dictating to his new stenographer, and the next–and I mean this happened in a blink–he launches into a scene right out of the recent movie, Enchanted, where he is smitten by the blinding beauty of Miss Dorothy and has no other way to express it except through SOOONNGGG!  His delivery was absolutely on target as he stood there with hand-on-heart, and Matherne’s reaction as the lovestruck hummingbird was perfect. The audience was in stitches, watching these two swirl and bound around the stage in ridiculous, squealing, musical bliss.

I was impressed with the “The Speed Test,” which had Millie surrounded by a set of office workers clad in alternating colors of stockings, and everyone tapping at the speed of typing as Millie did her best to maintain her new job as Graydon‘s stenographer.

The music director and choreographer deserve a hand for the excellent dancing and choral parts, which were a good leap better than I had prepared myself for. Getting a chorus together vocally is a challenge, but this group made it look easy, and I was constantly impressed with how big they sounded. I even wondered if they weren’t being embellished by a light overlay of vocals on the recorded music. I don’t think that was the case, however, and it was all the more impressive to listen to them sing as they danced and even did flips here and there.

From left: Morgan West, Charity Wilkins, Jacob and Josh Branson, Amy Medlin, Beaux Coleman and Nathanael Medlin.

I especially appreciated this chorus and that they stayed active during their scenes that were shared with the leading roles. It’s easy to waste an ensemble and have them stand stock-still, but this group added a whole new dimension of realism and production, especially during the Tie-One-On Club party scene and “The Nuttycracker Suite,” and also “Long as I’m Here with You.” They were an integral part of the dancing and acting, extremely energetic, and also kept life in the scenes by interacting as groups in the background while the leads moved into solo parts. I constantly had my eyes going from one part of the stage to another trying to catch all the activity, and was never disappointed.

Overall, the ensemble parts were impeccable and gave me all I could have asked for, and more. Fairly often, the energy of a local theater group can far outshine the road-wearied repetition in a large, traveling Broadway show. I haven’t seen the road version of this show, but it would be tough to outmatch the gusto this cast gives it.

Director Jon Baccarini with Jeanine Patton at "Thoroughly Modern Mille" at Strauss Theater, Sept. 20, 2009.

Director John Baccarini did a wonderful job casting the roles and has managed to find the perfect pacing. It might actually help that they’re using a recorded CD for the music rather than a live band, since this forces the speed to stay where it should, at least musically. But Baccarini never lets the cast slow down, even during scenes where you might forgive it, and this alone does wonders to keep things interesting. There’s an awful lot going on backstage, I’m sure, what with ensemble costume changes and complete walls of scenery dropping down from the ceiling, but we’re kept blissfully in the dark, so to speak. I was surprised at how much happened and how quickly, without some sort of major screw-up.

There were a few flops here and there, of course. The lights went out for a few seconds during the window ledge scene, but Bennett and Tatum wisely kept going and didn’t seem fazed by the interruption; also, I’m pretty sure there was a moment during one of Bennett’s office scenes when a verse of music got skipped, or something odd, but Bennett did such a nice job of looking busy that she made it through this without much damage, and jumped right in with her two toe-tapping chorus girls at her next opportune moment.

This was evening of theater well-spent. Baccarini has it all polished it to an enjoyable and highly entertaining musical, while also leaving room for his cast to convey that footloose, and thoroughly modern, 1920’s feel.

You can still catch this show, Sept. 24-27. Call 318-323-6681 for reservations.

The Strauss Theater’s next productions are Barefoot in the Park in November, and The Adventures of Robin Hood for children in late October.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

ULM instructors and performers at "An Afternoon in Vienna" at Biedenharn Gardens, Aug. 30. left to right: Claire Vangelisti, asst. professor of vocal studies, Deborah McClung-Gillory, associate professor, piano dept., Dr. Lynn Clark, asst. professor of curriculum, and Dr. Mark Clark, associate professor and director of opera and musical theater.

MONROE, La. | 8/30/09
Instructors from ULM performed 19th century operettas, songs, piano and string classics for An Afternoon in Vienna in the Biedenharn Fountain Room. I unfortunately missed the event, but made the tail end of the reception, where I also missed the Viennese sachertorte, but did manage a few guest shots. Events Coordinator Abbey Ebarb said there was a standing-room only crowd and they even had to turn a few people away. The museum is planning ahead for An Afternoon in Paris, April 11, 2010, from 4-5 pm.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

The Ouachita River Art Gallery, West Monroe, La. An open space where you won't get lost in a white-walled maze, and can get a nice, artistic gift for someone without having to sell your car first.

WEST MONROE, La. 8/19/09

Some quick notes: there are Twitter and Facebook pages with a modest updated listing of events for downtown Monroe. They aren’t focused on art, but the Facebook group has over 600 members, so you might make a friend, if nothing else.

Now, onward. Since I missed a stop at the Ouachita River Art Gallery during the last Artcrawl, I headed out there last week to see what they had to offer.

The gallery is located on Trenton Street in the Cottonport Historic District of West Monroe, along with the shops of Antique Alley. The street got its start as an art and antiques hub in the 1970’s and is currently operated through the Antique Alley Association which has five board members.

"The Hungry Heron" by Cindy Blanchard - quadtone print, 14" x18". I really like this print. At $35 bucks, one can hardly go wrong. I'm going to go back there and get it, just as soon as my next photo assignment rolls in ... anyone?

There’s an untitled, metal, 10-foot, floral sculpture at the foot of the street, and just across from Corner Cottage Antiques, which when I arrived had a large selection of old doors propped up against its wall. I had to grab a shot of that. A walk towards the gallery brought me past Mojo’s clothing store, The Costume Shop and Something Special II antiques.

At the gallery, I met artist and guild member Don Hudnall. His specialty is “earth guided pottery,” and his mantra is “Making Dirt Look Good.” He’s been working in ceramics for the last seven years, though he originally started in metals.

Don Hudnall of Dirt Dauber Pottery shows some of his work on display at the gallery.

“I switched over after an accident at one of the studios I shared with some other artists,” he said. “I was working on a piece and spraying sparks everywhere, and unfortunately the sparks shot across some unfinished pottery sitting on a nearby table. The other artists weren’t too happy with that at first, but as it turned out, after the pottery came out of the kiln, there were these beautiful spattered designs. So they relented, but I still ended up switching over to clay.”

“There are about 30 members in the guild right now,” Hudnall said. “We participated in the last three Artcrawls.  The nice thing about this gallery is that it offers every medium — sculpture, photography, painting, jewelry, you name it. We aren’t limited to having work from two or three artists, so instead we have 20 or 30 artists displayed. We switch up the work every two months or so, totally clear everything off the walls and start fresh.”

Guild members share duties at the gallery, with a minimum one eight-hour shift per month.

A close-up of some of Don Hudnall's work.

“We typically have one to four works displayed per artist,” Hudnall added.

I spent some time wandering around the gallery and checking out the work. Hudnall is right about the variety. It’s typical of art guilds and artist co-ops like this to have a lot more diversity, and this place is no exception. I enjoyed moving from a painting to a photo to a selection of jewelry. Anywhere you turn, you’re confronted with a different form of art.

Logistically, too, I like being able to see the whole gallery without having to wander around in a maze of white walls, wondering if actually I’ve seen everything or not. I accidentally entered a bathroom during a modern art show recently and found myself seriously thinking for a moment that it was part of the exhibit. Thank God no one was in there, or I might have gone up close to look at the details.

"Foggy Morning" by Brenda McDaniel. $1,000. Okay, I take it back about not selling the car. I bought a Honda Civic once for $300. It ran for three months. This artwork is a lot prettier and will last longer.

Anyway, nothing like that happened here. This is the perfect place to pick up a work of art as a gift. The items are priced to sell, ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred, generally.

"Foggy" by Marlene Gremillion - pastel, 22" x 18"

“Also,” he grinned, “we been told that we have the best food on the Artcrawl.”

For starving artists like myself, that’s a good enough incentive to make my way to the gallery at the next month’s event.

For info, call the gallery at 318.322.2380. They are located at 308 Trenton Street in West Monroe, and are open Tues. - Sat., 10 AM - 5 PM.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

The first stop brings me to the Mystic Art Gallery.

MONROE, La. 08/06/09

Soon after I moved from N’awlins last year, one of the first artistic events I heard about here was the monthly Artcrawl in Monroe/West-Monroe. New Orleans, of course, has its share of art walks and white-linen nights and everything else. I’ve attended a few of those, either on my own time or as an intrepid reporter-on-the-street. Those events are always well-attended, through pouring rain or blazing heat, or sometimes both.

We were lucky to have some great weather for the August 6th Artwalk here, though. I was looking forward to this as a first taste of what Monroe/West-Monroe has to offer in the way of art. Now, I had snuck down to 2nd Street earlier that week just to see what might lay ahead, and I wasn’t too enthused with what I saw. It didn’t seem like there was much going on that afternoon. All the studios were closed. I peeked in a few windows, and it looked like they were in the process of moving.

Well, I mused, maybe that’s just the way it is. You can’t expect some sort of booming art scene like what you see in a cultural melting pot like New Orleans.

So, I attended the Artwalk a few days later with my hopes somewhat toned down … and I was pretty quickly handed my hoity-toityness on a platter.

The main parking areas had been filled up. I found a spot down the street from the Coda bar, which as it turns out is a pretty popular hangout during the Artwalk. I headed straight for the farthest gallery on the map: the Mystic Art Gallery, owned by Andrea May. The place was fairly packed with over 40 people in the main room, and more spilling into the adjoining galleries. Her centerpiece for the evening was a large sun-like image that already had a red sticker on the bottom corner. I didn’t get the name of the piece but the photo of it speaks pretty well, I think. She made a good choice, and so did whoever purchased it. To the left of this work and centered in the gallery was cellist and West Monroe College graduate Hannah Underwood, intently playing various classical selections from a music book. Hannah, by the way, says she’s going to LSU in the Fall, where I assume she’ll continue playing the cello.

Summer Bennett, Kate McClelland, artisit Leah Reitzell and her husband Mac, at the Artcrawl in Monroe, April 6.

I was taken by Andrea May’s work, which covered one wall of the studio. I don’t know if this is just a phase of painting or if the work I saw was representative of everything she’s doing currently, but it was the kind of textured, stark work that I would probably put in my own home, if I had one, right there in that big room … right. Anyway, I’m not a painter, so rather than make feeble attempts at describing the work, I’ll just post the photos and let you decide.

Other sections of the gallery had paintings by Lou Kavanaugh, Leah Reitzell, a group of young artists, and sculpture by Renee Parnell.

I wanted to take sculpture when I was in college and still regret not being able to do it. The class only accepted nine students a year, and only in my last year did I luck into a schedule that allowed me to take it, and that year, the instructor broke up with the other art instructor he had been dating at the college, and moved to California to shack up with some svelte actress who played a Romulan on the Star Trek Enterprise TV series.

"Hi-Boy" by Lou Kavanaugh, at the Mystic Art Gallery.

Needless to say, I never took sculpture, which was possibly why I stopped longingly around the piece by Parnell a little longer than I might have otherwise. I stood out with a fat camera around my neck, and so visitor Beverly Comeaux introduced herself to me along with her 92-year-old mother, Ruby Albritton, and Albritton’s niece and the artist Lou Kavanaugh. They made a nice triplet, and gained a photo.

I went from there to talk with artist Leah Reitzell, who was with her two friends, Summer Bennett and Kate McClelland, and her husband, Mac.

This piece by Renee Parnell reminded me of my sculpture instructor from college who ran off with a sexy Romulan ... that was my connection, anyway.

“I’ve had some shows in Ruston, but this is my first time for the Artcrawl,” she told me. “I’m very excited.” She did seem happy about it, so I took advantage of her contagious smile and grabbed a shot of her with the assembly. She introduced me to photographer Christi Jones, who mentioned the “Heart Gallery” of photos of orphaned children set up at the Banquet Room in the Ouachita National Bank Building. I put it on my do-to list and moved on to the Arender Gallery next door, where I met photographers Brad Arender and Kate Hilburn.

Hilburn was the focus of Brad’s gallery, with her exhibit, “Pentimento: The Champs Elysees-Clemenceau.” Her photographs of graffiti-covered walls in a Paris underground tunnel looked to me at first as though they were paintings or color pencil drawings. The big clue was Hilburn casually meandering around with a pro camera in her hand, talking to visitors. That’s usually a dead giveaway that someone’s a photographer, ya know.

"Pentimento: The Champs Elysees-Clemenceau, metro wall #3" by Kate Hilburn. It's not a painting, okay? It's a photo of a Paris underground tunnel. I knew that.

Hilburn, who frequents Paris each year, said she made a point of printing the work on a unique, textured paper that mimicked the texture of the environment where she shot the photos, and to that purpose, she also framed a few images on brushed iron. She has been working as an artist full-time since the 90’s, with much of her time dedicated to the “Beating Hearts” exhibit with friend Terrie Autrey. That exhibit highlights the plight of victims of domestic violence and has received worldwide recognition.

Photographers Brad Arender and Kate Hilburn.

Visitors ponder works by Emory Nolan at the Becton Gallery, during the Artcrawl in Monroe, Aug. 6.

At the Becton Gallery across the street, musicians Vince Chow, James Simpson and Allison Huff played folk tunes, while visitors enjoyed paintings by Emory Nolan and gallery owner Margaret Becton. This gallery, like the others, was comfortably full with about 40 or more people, and had a few snack trays and drinks available.

Coming from New Orleans, I found Nolan’s subdued work familiar, with southern negro and music themes. Becton’s work, displayed near the wall of windows near the street, was a nice balance with its bright colors. I didn’t realize until I went in for a closer look that Becton’s texture was literally the texture from extra material, since it appears that she creates collages and then paints over that.

Visitors enjoy wine and art at the Becton Gallery during the Artcrawl in Monroe, Aug. 6.

The Heart Gallery around the corner consisted of sixteen portraits of children awaiting adoption. This is a volunteer project including local photographers such as Christi Jones and Joli Livaudais, among others, sponsored by the Center for Children and Families, Inc.

I headed over to Joli Livaudais Studio a block away. I had wanted to meet Joli for some time—she seems to be very successful at what she does, and being in the business myself, sort of, I’m always curious to meet photographers who actually make a living at it. Her studio is possibly the nicest photo studio I’ve ever been in, not that I’ve been in that many of them, but I enjoyed the wood floors and ceiling fans, and overall bronze-colored light that seemed to mimic that “golden hour” we photographers talk about.

Livaudais Studio might be the nicest photo studio I've ever been in. *sigh* Maybe someday I'll have one like this.

The right-side wall here featured a set of panoramic, spliced photographs by Jenny Burnham, while on the other side of the studio was a somewhat interactive set of photos titled “Introspective Mystery,” by Lauren Ward.

"Introspective Mystery," an set of photographs by Lauren Ward, at Livaudais Studio, had curious visitors enthralled with turning pages. It looks like a good way to read a book, anyway. No more of that sitting-up-in-bed stuff, just nail it to the wall.

Livaudais mentioned that she and some friends are discussing starting a monthly coffeeshop meet-and-greet for photographers around the area. I think this would be spectacular; in fact, I think something like this for media reps, artists, and musicians would be in order.

Now, if I just had that big house …

The next Artcrawl is scheduled for Oct. 1. For more info, check out the website, or shoot them an email: info@dowtowngallerycrawl.com.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

Masur Museum of Art, Monroe LA © Eric Lincoln

The Masur Museum of Art held the opening reception for its 44th Annual Juried Competition on Sat., June 27 from 6 - 8 p.m.  Director Anne Dennington introduced Mayor James E. Mayo, who thanked the crowd of about fifty gathered in the museum lobby. Juror Miranda Lash, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art, followed up with a brief address in which she talked about current art trends and explained some of what was involved in her selection of 66 out of 546 entries submitted.

Many of the works chosen for the show came from local artists in Ruston, La. Lash said she didn’t have any knowledge of the origination of the works, and that it says a great deal about this area that so many of these artists are represented.

While hesitant to single out any particular piece, Lash did give a “hats off” to the new conceptual photographers and video artists.

“It’s a strong show overall, and I’m very happy to be a part of it,” she said. “I really wanted to be able to exhibit a mixture of mediums, such as sculpture, painting, ceramics and photography … to spotlight not just technical proficiency but freshness and originality, as well.”

“I smiled upon works that provoked, not merely pleased.”

The show runs from June 30 to Aug. 15. Call (318) 329-2237 for information.

That’s it for the reporting. I enjoyed the talk from Miranda. She’s a very vibrant lady who seems to me to represent the very art form that she curates: modern and contemporary. As it turns out, I know her husband, Jim Mulvihill, Director of Communications and Marketing at NOMA, from last year when I used to shoot special events for the Times Picayune. Small world, as they say. I suppose I could joke that I’ve moved up since then … um … up north, that is.

Foreground: Brandy Wolfe's "We Don't Want To Know," mixed media, 2008.

I attended this show with my ex, her husband, and three small kids, so distractions were bountiful and I spent most of my time trying to get a few photos of the organizers and quotes while also keeping my four-year-old occupied. She thought using my notepad to draw on was a great idea, which meant I had to memorize half the conversations I had instead of writing stuff down. I think I got those quotes from Miranda pretty straight, though.

The Masur is a great little museum. I talked with another artist there who said he drove down from Arkansas just for the show, and that this is one of his favorite museums. Well, no wonder. It used to be a house, but somehow the staff has managed to make it something of a cross between an art gallery, museum and, of course, someone’s home. I kept getting surprised by turning to go through a door and finding out I was in a kitchen. Hey, is this part of the art …? Oh. No, I guess not. The only thing missing is an adorable, well-groomed friendly dog wandering the hallways, like you always see in those neighborhood bookstores.

Anyway, I’m very excited to have my work in this show. I think Mrs. Lash has really done what she set out to do. The works offer an overall sense of youth and freshness, and a glimpse of the path modern art is taking.

From left: Curator Evelyn Stuart with Juror Miranda Lash (NOMA) and Director Anne Dennington. © Eric Lincoln

Artist Dara Engler, middle, discusses her work with guests. © Eric Lincoln

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

 

Welcome to the launch of ArtNELA, the blog for arts and culture in and around Northeast Louisiana.

Please read the About page first.

The plan is to cover everything within a couple of hours driving distance of my home base, which should get me to Ruston and Shreveport going west, Delhi going east, and other locations here and there. I’ll have three or four suggested key activities listed on a regular basis, along with reviews of art openings and events, and, if I can swing it, brief interviews with artists. I’m also planning to include descriptive articles with photos of events I’ve been able to attend. I’m excited about this blog because it finally gives me a chance to do three things I enjoy, all at once: write, shoot photos, and travel while exploring into the art community. Okay, maybe that’s four things. I also like fiddling around on computers. Five things. Ah, it’s all coming together, now, just like the oracle said it would …

Tonight’s suggested event, and the catalyst for the creation of this blog, is being held at the Masur Museum of Art, June 27th, from 6-8 p.m. Pieces from around the country will be shown at this opening reception, for the museum’s 46th Annual Juried Competition, which drew in submissions from all over the country. Work from over fifty artists, chosen by NOLA curator Miranda Lash, will be displayed from June 30 to Aug. 15. I have a panoramic photo of the Afton Villa Plantation that’s included in this particular show.

There you have it. The first update to a blog that I hope will become a pleasurable go-to spot for anyone trying to figure out what to do and where to go for some art in Northeast Louisiana. Check back and see what’s going on. I plan to update this site as frequently as I can find activities and culture going on around here.

I have built it. They will come.