Many states have a hub of artistic endeavors: a colony where artists of all types tend to congregate, work, and sell their creations. For Louisiana, this area is the French Quarter in New Orleans. In addition to the creative nucleus of the Vieux Carre, Louisiana has several high quality museums and galleries throughout the state, and an incredible amount of festivals, many of which include the visual arts.
New Orleans Art
New Orleans has several ways to enjoy great art- through its museums, galleries, and festivals. The flagship museum is the New Orleans Museum of Art, which houses over 40,000 works. The permanent collection includes important works in French, American, African, and Japanese art, along with photography, glass, and more. Featured works include those by such notable artists as Degas, Picasso, Braque, and more. The museum is also home to a five-acre sculpture garden that has over 50 sculptures in a beautiful garden setting.
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, which includes a large collection of Southern and New Orleans artists, houses over 3,000 works of art from all mediums. The Contemporary Arts Center, located in an old warehouse, hosts rotating exhibits of the visual arts. The Newcombe Art Gallery, located uptown in the Garden District, offers free admission to the museum, and has a collection of 19th and 20th century artists. The gallery also has a rotating collection of contemporary artworks, and a large pottery collection.
The Diboll Gallery at Loyola University hosts rotating art exhibits by Loyola students as well as a collection from the Belgian Congo. The African American Museum is located in Treme, the oldest surviving black community in the United States. The museum features a variety of mediums, including paintings, bead-work, textiles, masks, and more.
The Cabildo, located at the historical site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer of 1803, tells the story of Louisiana's history. In this location, the size of the United States doubled in one fell swoop. Some of its most significant pieces include engravings by John James Audubon and portraits of historical figures. The Historic New Orleans Collection, located in the French Quarter, is a study into the history of the area, and includes artwork, photos, and many other artifacts in its numerous galleries.
After passing through the Cabildo, visitors can enter the Arsenal. The current exhibit is a joint one with National Geographic, and offers photographs of the Hurricane Katrina aftermath by David Burnett.
New Orleans has several other historical museums that include artworks, but one of the most interesting spots for art lovers to visit is the Degas House. Once the home of the famed French Impressionist Edward Degas, the house is now a bed-and-breakfast, and is open for tours by appointment. It is located on Esplanade Street, a few blocks from the French Quarter.
In addition to museums, New Orleans is home to over 200 art galleries, many of which are located in the French Quarter. Several local museums also own significant collections, including the Windsor Court Hotel, Harrah's, and the Renaissance Arts Hotel. Visitors can take part in several local tours which highlight art and artists, and can visit many of the local historical homes to see additional artwork.
Perhaps the most organic way to experience art in New Orleans is to stroll through Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Reminiscent of the banks of the Seine in Paris, artists display their works in the open air, often painting local scenes while you watch! This art colony varies in number, but has had as many as 300 artists at one time.
More South Louisiana Art
The Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge is located on the bank of the Mississippi. The museum owns several significant collections, including the second largest group of works in America by the Croatian sculptor Mestrovic, and a rare gallery on Ancient Egypt that includes mummies and other artifacts. The main permanent collection includes a large amount of work by Southern artists. Special exhibits have included Chinese ceramics and New Orleans artists.
Also in Baton Rouge is the Shaw Center for the Arts, which houses an art museum with 17,000 square feet of exhibition space. The center also houses the LSU School of Art Gallery, which showcases student artwork. The LSU Museum of Art also features fascinating exhibits.
Art is subjective, and for a ride on the odd side, visitors can take in the art cars at the annual Baton Rouge Art Car Parade held each April. Owners decorate, paint, and design their own creative ideas onto rolling canvases. Over 40 cars participate, with a few rolling art bicycles as well.
The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette houses an ever-changing collection of special exhibits. In the past these exhibits have included works by Andrew Wyeth, exhibits on Louisiana artists, photographers, sculpture, and more. Alexandria is home to the Alexandria Museum of Art which has a permanent collection ranging from antiquity to present day, along with changing exhibits such as the works of Marc Chagall. In Opelousas visitors can go to the Opelousas Museum of Art, housed in the Wier House on the National Register of Historic Places.
North Louisiana
Shreveport is home to Centenary College, where the Meadows Museum of Art is located. The museum has a collection of over 1,500 works, including many by French artist Jean Despujols, and others by artists such as Mary Cassat and regional artists. There are also rotating exhibits on display. The R.W. Norton Art Gallery is also located in Shreveport, and is set in a stunning 40-acre park with over 13,000 azaleas, offering artwork spanning four centuries.
Monroe is home to the Masur Museum of Art, located in a historic Tudor style home on the Ouachita River. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In Natchitoches, one can visit the Old Courthouse Museum. Upcoming exhibits include works by the famed Cajun artist George Rodrigue, the artist of well-known 'Blue Dog' painting, in addition to other exhibits on a rotational basis.
Festivals
Louisiana is famed for its festivals celebrating everything from local foods, to music, history, and culture; art is no different. Arts festivals throughout the state include the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival; the Red River Revel Arts Festival in Shreveport; White Linen Night in New Orleans; the Fresh Art Festival in New Orleans; the Oak Alley Arts and Crafts Festival in Vacherie; and many more across the state.
Art lovers visiting Louisiana are sure to find a variety of artistic styles and venues for viewing art. Whether directly from an artist in the French Quarter, or viewing art in the home in which Degas created, or visiting any of the high quality museums, Louisiana visitors are sure to find interesting and significant artwork to experience.
