ArtWalk hits downtown Lafayette this weekend. As usual, there will be galleries, resturants, shops, and clubs along the streets of downtown offering live music, food, drink, and the most unquantifiable of all substances, art. Herman Mhire is this month’s featured ArtWalk artist. Never one to slack, he’s got two exhibitions, running in tandem this week. The first exhibit, “Hyperface,” is at the Galerie Eclaireuse. If it weren’t Herman Mhire, the content of this exhibit might get filed under the “What the F?!” It is comprised of computer manipulated photographic portraits that are often so grotesquely altered that subjects appear to be trapped in a devilish, technicolor vortex residing somewhere between Teletubby trippiness and Caucasoid vision quest. In keeping with the weirdness, the second exhibit, featured in the main room at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, is entitled “Altered States.” In it, he creates “provocative and often disturbing hyperfaces, which elicit a viseral response from the viewer.” Sounds interesting. A Lafayette native, Mhire was named a Distinguished Professor of Visual Arts and served as Director of the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum at the University of Louisiana Lafayette (retired 2005). He is also the Founding President of Festival International de Louisiane, served as Director of the Louisiana Association of Museums, and in 2004 he was named a Chevalier of Arts and Letters by the Minister of Culture of France.
ArtWalk is August 8 from 6 - 8 p.m. in downtown Lafayette.
Acadiana Center for the Arts
101 W. Vermilion St. / 233-7060/www.acadianacenterforthearts.org
Herman Mhire: Altered States
Herman Mhire’s passion lies in creating images he’s never seen before. Mhire transforms straightforward, photographic portraits into provocative and often disturbing hyperfaces that invite the viewer to search for clues about the altered states of his fictional characters. He creates these images in order to elicit a visceral response from the viewer and to stimulate curiosity without communicating an immediately identifiable meaning.
Jeni Battaglia Guidry: In Reach
Patterns in nature have been a strong influence in Jeni Battaglia Guidry’s work. Beginning deep down with the roots, a foundation to remain grounded. The process of growth incorporates renewing, rebuilding, reconstructing, and reconnecting all the pieces back together again.
Lafayette Charter High School Art Exhibit
The Lafayette Charter High School art exhibit features work from the photography students and CLK-IT Academy. The photographs focus on both New Orleans and Avery Island. In 2008, the students went to New Orleans to see the art exhibit, Prospect I. While there, they toured Jackson Square and documented their experience. Earlier this year, they took a photography field trip to Avery Island. The work of CLK-IT Academy focuses on computer literacy and digital photography.
Louisiana Crafts Guild is featuring works by Louisiana basket weaver Emma Hughes in a one woman show in The Vault. Meet the artist, who has mastered and taught the art of basket weaving, at the opening reception from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Louisiana Folk Roots presents its monthly Jam Des Amis. The jam is open to the public free of charge, and those folks who don’t play an instrument are welcome to stop by and enjoy the music. For more information, contact Louisiana Folk Roots at 337-234-8360 or e-mail [email protected].
Adrian Fulton’s Fine Art Gallery
302 Jefferson St. / 658-3274
Fulton’s art captures timeless Emotion and Expression. Fulton was recently commissioned to paint a portrait of solider and former NFL Cardinals player, Pat Tillman, who died in Afghanistan. The work entitled “Faces of Courage” will be on display. Also, the gallery features Fulton’s artwork “Justice on the Fleur”, which was recently published for the cover of the Louisiana Bar Journal. The artwork is available in limited edition 11x17 prints and print on canvas.
Architects + Artists Gallery
200 Jefferson St. / 234-4166
E’volution BeauSoleil highlights the evolution of the design/build process for the BeauSoleil Home and Team. This exhibition of process boards and models which chronicle the two year pursuit undertaken by the Team includes photographic documentation of the BeauSoleil Louisiana Solar Home and Team by Philip Gould. In addition, Louisiana art work available for purchase was selected by Team BeauSoleil to accompany the BeauSoleil Home at the 2009 Solar Decathlon. The exhibit represents Louisiana’s rich culture and traditions and will be hung and displayed in the home during the Solar Decathlon competition in October. Following the competition, the art will be returned to the patrons.
Artmosphere
902 Johnston St. / 233-3331
Artwork by Brandon Faulk, Jim Roy, Sarah Camilla, and Aaron Harris are featured in a variety of mediums.
Cité des Arts
109 Vine St. / 291-1122
Marcella Simien presents an exhibition. The artist describes her work as, “conceptual, subjective, and very personal…exploring subject matter that some people would usually avoid discussing”.
Francis Pavy Gallery
210 Gordon St. / 232-6682
Open Studio.
Gallery 549
549 Jefferson St. / 593-0796
Donald LeBlanc exhibits new, miniature wooden sculptures, acrylic paintings and graphite drawings on wooden panels along with several of Frederic O. Daspit’s iron oxide-finished sculptures.
Galerie Eclaireuse
535 ½ Jefferson St. / 234-5492
Herman Mhire’s exhibition, HYPERFACES, encompass new works created from straightforward photographic portraits made in his studio. He subsequently manipulates these portraits in his computer in order to create images he’s never seen before, images that invite viewers to search for clues about the psychological states of his fictional characters. He feels compelled to create these images in order to elicit a visceral response from the viewer, and to stimulate curiosity without communicating immediately identifiable meaning.
Galerie Lafayette
538 Jefferson St. / 233-2589 / www.jeffersonstmarket.com
A.J. Hebert, Kelly Guidry and Thad Morgan are artists successfully representing the local Louisiana culture using three very different approaches. A.J. Hebert’s work combines raw talent and passion to create breathtaking portraits that connect with his audience on a deep emotional level. Kelly Guidry uses both subtractive and constructive techniques to create his “Modern Primitive” works of art. His totem-like forms are reminiscent of the art created by primitive cultures. Thad Morgan’s vibrant artwork is an expressive exploration of hues and tones that he calls Modern Fauvism. His work seamlessly blends color and weight, creating wonderfully fluid pieces that stick with a viewer long after they leave the gallery. All there artists are extremely active within the local art community and work with local charities as often as possible.
Gallery R (at The Russo Group)
116 E. Congress St. / 769-1530
Scott Allen Stagg: Personal and Unique Portraits
Scott Allen Stagg shows his creation of intimate and unique portraits that resonates with the observer on a personal level. More than just a drawing of a face, he captures the soul behind it to represent the real beauty in art. The 8”x10” or 11”x14” portraits are accessible, affordable and make great gifts for friends or family.
Lafayette Science Museum and Planetarium
433 Jefferson St. / 291-5544 / www.lnhmpmuseum.org
Look for the Lafayette Science Museum’s solar telescope in the ArtWalk area of Jefferson Street for a safely filtered view of the sun until the sun goes down behind a building. 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. (more or less!)
Lounge Art Gallery
402 S. Buchanan St. / 236-5570
Modern Sign Concepts is showcasing their new Vinyl Canvas Prints in a creative way to get your mind noticing the importance of signage. The show titled, “Let the Good Signs Roll”, features photos of local signs that have been staples in south Louisiana, including Judice Inn, Cafe’ Des Amis and Black’s. The photographs were taken by VINYL’s owners, Mallory Chastant and Emily Marine. The pair custom built the frames and gallery wrapped the canvases as well. See these signs come to life in the lounge Gallery. All prints are for sale and are discounted for ArtWalk. For more information visit VINYL’s website: www.thevinylpage.com or call 337.984.8223.
Pottery Alley
205 ½ W. Vermilion St. / 267-4453
Pottery Alley will be closed for August ArtWalk.
Sans Souci Gallery
219 E. Vermilion St. / 266-7999
Sans Souci Fine Craft Gallery features sculpture in metal and wood by Kelly Guidry. Guidry’s work is a combination of both subtractive and constructive sculpture. He uses a chainsaw and other power tools to create winged hearts, dragonflies, queen bees and more. The exhibit opens during the Second Saturday Artwalk on August 8th and is ongoing through September 9th.
Stan’s Downtown
116 E. Vermilion St. / 231-6901
A.J. Hebert Art Show, “painting is my passion”, Hebert says, “I started drawing at age two, every painting provides me with the opportunity to create a work of art that exhibits both beauty and timelessness. It’s exciting to consider the possibility that one day my paintings may become a cherished heirloom, providing deep meaning for many generations to come”.
Whoojoo Stained Glass
532 Jefferson St. / 269-9310
Exhibiting paintings by David Alpha, metal works and enamels by Annette Aucoin, glass works by Craig McCullen, photography by Colleen Lastrapes and Janet Nehrbass, clay and pottery by Tanya Schulze, and metal sculptures by Russell Whiting.
For more information on ArtWalk, contact Gina Aswell at 337-291-5566.