Mary Tutwiler

Breaux Bridge ArtWalk this weekend

by Mary Tutwiler

Post turkey blowout, once you lever yourself off the sofa, there are alternatives to the mall. Breaux Bridge is hosting an ArtWalk and Merchant’s Open House featuring over 30 artists working in every medium from chain saw to celluloid. The main streets of the small Bayou Teche town offer great walking and people spaces, and the historic buildings that line the streets are filled with shops and restaurants.

Highlighted at this year’s art walk is glass artist Ginger Kelly.

Kelly moved to Breaux Bridge from Mandeville two years after Katrina. Born in Northern California, she spent many years in Seattle, working in the area’s large art-glass community.  Her works include glass jewelry, tableware, drinking glasses, vases, tabletops and other usable glassworks. Other artists exhibiting at her gallery will include jeweler Christy Decker, glass blower Jesse Kelly and photographer Harriet Bloom.

Rue de le Pont Galerie and Studio will feature painters Lue Svendson and Sidney Creaghan. At the Coffee Break, Connie Castille and Allison Bohl, co-producers of “Raised on Rice and Gravy,” will screen their documentary film.  Also at the Coffee Break will be sculptor Kelly Guidry, and folk artist and brothers William Sonnier and Shine Sonnier better know as Leroy’s Boys, blacksmith art by Coco Brown, clay and wood by Lori Henderson, and photography by Susan Sibille.

At Impressions, Rheta Grimsley Johnson will be on hand for a for a book signing of her new book “Poor Man’s Provence” and Chef Colt Patin will be signing his cookbook “Real Cajun Real Good.” Folk artist Boogie Hebert will be exhibiting at Main Street Antiques. See Karen Simon’s photography at Simon’s Pharmacy and Liz Juneau’s landscapes at Al Simon’s Cajun Microwaves .

A Friday night reception begins at 6 p.m. on Nov. 28, followed by the Saturday Art Walk and Merchant’s Open House on Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 332-8500, or go to the website at www.breauxbridgelive.com.