Sweet southern belle Dale Kennington of Alabama welcomed patrons at the opening reception of her impressive exhibit, "Mythologies," at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard Art Museum. Guests sipped wine and nibbled on appetizers from Abacus while studying her sculptural paintings displayed on Japanese shoji screens. Her depictions of human figures are so lifelike they look as if they could step out of the paintings and into the world. Enjoying the exhibit were artist Camilla Drobish in a festive jacket from Birdie's Boutique with her daughter, fellow artist Kai Drobish, and museum patrons Jolie and Robert Shelton.
Pretty Christa Billeaud and rugged John T. Landry warmly greeted guests at the Winter 2011 exhibit of Darnall, Sikes, Gardes & Frederick's Art for All Seasons. While a steady stream of patrons perused the artworks throughout DSG&F's spacious office, Billeaud and Landry mingled and shared tidbits about their paintings. Billeaud, a forensic nurse by day, took painting lessons from self-taught artist Pat Venable for 15 years. She has only recently started marketing her works, ranging from religious to still-life to landscapes. One of her most talked-about paintings at the show was "Cowboy by the Campfire," inspired by famed Marlboro man Tom Selleck. On the opposite end of the art spectrum was Landry, a former car dealer and retired UL director of development, who was inspired to paint while sitting on the porch of his duck camp sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the sunset. That very sunset was brilliantly reproduced on note cards and displayed with Landry's paintings of colorful indigenous fish and stunning swamp scenes.
Artists Camilla Drobish and
Kai Drobish
Chere and Bruce Coen, artist Shawne Major
and Dina Rhymes
Artist Dale Kennington
Mark Tullos, Kris Wartelle and Robert
and Jolie Shelton
Artist John T. Landry, and Diane and Jay Frederick
Becky Gardes Sonnier, Steve Sonnier
and Jeanne deValcourt
Chris and Gretchen Vincent
Christa Billeaud with "Cowboy by the Campfire"
Paula Dronet and brother John T. Landry
Steve Sonnier, Bonnie Camos and Theresa Rohloff