Exhibits at Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, 2010-11

ONGOING MONDAY-FRIDAY:

Dioramas, exhibits, collections, gardens and tours. The Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday except for holidays, certain election days and weather closings. Some special and traveling exhibits in the gallery are open only Monday-Friday.   
 

Special & traveling exhibits include:

"Remember in Shreveport When -- The Exhibit"

July 25-August 13, 2011 in the West Wing Gallery

"Of Waters' Edge," Acrylic Paintings by Tom Pressly

April 3-June 17, 2011 in the West Wing Gallery

See details at Museum News: Pressly Exhibit

Acrylics on River Birch Tree Bark by Fatemeh Faye Mirfakhraee

July 25, 2010 - January 30, 2011
 

"Life on the Bark" Acrylic on Birch Bark by Fatemeh Faye Mirfakhraee

From the case notes: "Life on the Bark, Acrylic on birch bark -- Fatemeh Faye Mirfakhraee." Born in Tehran, Iran, Mrs. Mirfakhraee moved to Shreveport in 1975. "Growing up in a different climate, I was not familiar with the trees in North America. One autumn afternoon after a storm I noticed something strange on the ground -- it was not a leaf or hard bark. Unrolling the twisted material and wiping off the cobwebs revealed a soft, flexible bark from a recently planted River Birch tree. I was astonished by the natural beauty and rich pink coloring of the bark. After storing the bark between pages of a book for several days, I attempted to paint for the first time in my life using a magnifying glass. The effect of natural light -- the shadows and colors the light creates on the subject, is the most fascinating aspect of my work." "Nature Provide Perfect Canvas." Fatemeh Fay Mirfakhraee. Birds & Blooms. Reiman Media Group, Greendal, WI. Vol. 12, No. 6, December-January 2007, p. 39.
 

In the Cases:

John James Audubon prints from private collection & Audubon "Birds of America" ironstone plates from the Lucille Webb Day collection

From the case notes: " 'John James Audubon in Louisiana, 1821' (A Summer of Birds, John James Audubon at Oakley House. Danny Heitman. Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 2008) Audubon travelled down the "Great Flyway" over the Mississippi River and through Louisiana observing more species of birds than in any other region. In the summer of 1821, he lived at Oakley plantation, near present-day St. Francisville. During his stay in Louisiana, Audubon worked on over 50 paintings, published in his Birds of America project." Continuing from the case notes: " 'A Selection of Octavo Bird Prints by John James Audubon' from the First Octavo Edition of The Birds of America, 1839-1844. Lithographs printed and hand colored by J.T. Bowen, Philadelphia. The best-known ornithological and zoological artist of all time, John James Laforest Audubon's ambitious and eventually popular "Great Idea" of making and publishing his own drawings of all the birds of North America resulted in the most monumental and perhaps most "American" natural history works ever published. "His desire to make his work more affordable and widely available resulted in production of a miniature publication, the first edition compresed only 1,200 sets. One-eighth the size of the original engravings, the "octavo" lithographs exhibit a remarkable degree of attention to quality and detail. The camera lucida reduced the size of the images from the originals which Audubon then drew onto lithographic stones. The reduction required some compositional changes to accommodate the smaller size."
 
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Clementine Hunter, Folk Artist

From the display notes: "Clementine Hunter (1886-1988) is a renowned African-American folk artist. She lived and worked at Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches Parish, La. Self-taught, Clementine painted her first painting, "Bowl of Zinnias," in 1939 with discarded paint tubes from a resident artist at Melrose. Her works depict daily plantation life scenes from cotton picking to funerals and baptisms."

Upcoming Exhibits & Events

JULY 2011

July 2-August 13—"Remembering Shreveport When - The Exhibit," an oral history opportunity, photo fair, exhibit, music and Shreveport-area trivia game; in the West Wing Gallery and in the Rotunda

AUGUST 2011

August 21-September 15—Shreveport Art Club Juried Show 

SEPTEMBER  2011

Continuing through September 15—Shreveport Art Club Juried Show 
September 23-December 16—"George Rodrigue: Louisiana Governors and Russian President Gorbachev Portraits Exhibits 
September 23— Glitz & Grits fundraising gala, sponsored by the Friends of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum; Exhibits: "Russia on the Red: Fabulous Faberge," a contemporary collection of Russian artifacts made in Louisiana, as well as a special exhibit and appearance by world-renowned Louisiana artist George Rodrique and Mrs. Rodrique.

OCTOBER 2011

TBA—Alex Caldwell of Vivian Alexander, egg decorating workshops
TBA—"Russia and the Czars; Russia Under Communism; Russia Today," Louisiana State University in Shreveport lecture series 
October 20-November 6—State Fair of Louisiana (enter Museum from Fairgrounds) 

NOVEMBER 2011

Continuing through November 6—State Fair of Louisiana (enter Museum from Fairgrounds) 
November 6 through December 30—Community Foundation 50th Anniversary: Philanthropy and Private Collections 

DECEMBER 2011

Continuing through December 30—Community Foundation 50th Anniversary: Philanthropy and Private Collections 
December 1-31 (excepting holidays)—Greening of the Museum, Russia on the Red 

Recent Past Exhibits

Pat Sewell's "Consider This"  

January 16-February 26, 2011

See also, feature in The (Shreveport) Times

Secretary of State Tom Schedler and the Friends of LSEM, Inc. announce the opening of an extraordinary and colorful exhibit of paintings and mixed media artworks by Pat Sewell. The collection, titled "Consider This," will be presented to the public at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum on Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011 from 2–4 p.m. with a reception honoring the artist. Light refreshments will be served.

Born in a small cotton town on the Red River in central Louisiana, Pat Sewell was the son of a family doctor. Sewell earned a medical degree with a specialty in psychiatry. From his life experiences and his personal and professional relationships, he translates visually and literally artwork that is “experience processed.” Each piece of artwork uses written observations or aphorisms to describe it. According to Sewell, “The writings about the art and their titles are short takes illustrating how our makeup and outcomes make sense and are inextricably linked.”

Sewell is married and lives on Lake Bistineau, Louisiana,where the landscape also provides inspiration for his artwork. His family connections to Clyde Connell, noted Bistineau artist, also provided direction and influenced his work.

Sewell describes the collection as “… paintings and sculptures offered for illustration, insight and fun.”

The exhibit will be on display at the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum until Feb.26, 2011 in the West Wing Gallery. The public is invited to view the exhibit during regular museum hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The museum is located at 3015 Greenwood Road, between Hearne and Jewella Streets.

Admission is free and tours are available by appointment. For more information about the Friends of Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, Inc. go to www.friendsoflsem.org. For the Secretary of State’s Museums Program, please visit http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/museums.

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 "Portraits in Bronze & Fired Clay: Capturing the Human Spirit"

Oct. 10-Nov. 30, 2010
Opening Reception, Oct. 10, 2-4 p.m., and Trolley Tour/Gallery Talk, Nov. 18, 5:30-7:30 p.m., West Wing Galllery

Educational materials and lesson plans available for Grades 5-12

Portraits in Bronze and Fired Clay Exhibit Flyer

Grades 5-12 Lesson Plan:  Louisiana History and the Arts, Portraits in Bronze, Iberville-Bienville

 
Sculptor Michelle Drane Smith will exhibit 30 sculptures in clay and bronze with likenesses of historical figures such as naturalist Caroline Dorman and French explorer Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville.  The exhibit of sculptural portraits features a forensic analysis and comparison of portraits of the historical Le Moyne family, including Iberville and Bienville.  See news feature.

Shreveport Art Club Annual Member Show

Aug. 22-Sept. 12, 2010
 
  
"Little Indian Creek," 3rd Place, Photography, by Carolyn Pitts and "What's Left is Right," 1st Place, Watercolor, by Judy Horne, in the Shreveport Art Club 2010 Annual Member Club Show. First place in Oil and Best in Show was awarded to "Laura's Blue Tattoo," by Betty Robertson. "Singular Beauty," by Bob Horne received 1st Place in the Photography category.
 

Don Edwards "Flooded Timber" & Ark-La-Tex Animal Artists Show

July 11-Aug. 8, 2010
 
 

"People: Portraiture by Neil Johnson"

May 2-June 27; Observed the 30th anniversary of Neil Johnson Photography; Opening reception Sunday, May 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. with poster signing by Neil Johnson and music by Jazziana. Gallery talk on portrait photography by the artist on Thursday, May 20, 5:30-6:30 p.m.  Trolley Tour on Thursday, June 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Exhibit featured portraits by Shreveport photographer Neil Johnson.  See the feature in The (Shreveport) Times. Also see snapshots of the opening reception.
 

"History of LSU Architecture"

April 5 - 25, 2010
Featured 32 panels and related artifacts illustrating the development of the campus in Baton Rouge
Secretary of State's news release: "Louisiana State Exhibit Museum Next Stop for Exhibit Chronicling LSU's Architecture."
   

"The Purse and the Person"

February 14 - April 18, 2010
Educational Flyer for "The Purse and the Person"
News article: "It's in the bag: Exhibit tells all about purses," The (Shreveport) Times.

Triumph Over Tragedy: The Great Depression & New Deal Era in North Louisiana

September 19, 2009 until February 2010

 

Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and the Friends of the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum hosted several events as part of "Triumph Over Tragedy: The Great Depression and New Deal Era in North Louisiana," which opened Sept. 19. 2009. Exhibits included artifacts from the Museum’s collection, as well as contributions from local collectors. Guest Curator was Jan Pettiet of Yesterday’s Lady, whose extensive collection of vintage clothing and accessories highlighted the displays.

 

The opening kicked off the EYE-20 Creative Corridor initiative, a united effort of three North Louisiana Arts Councils: Bossier Arts Council (BAC), Northeast Louisiana Arts Council (NLAC) and Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC). The goal was to unify the communities along Interstate 20 and ensure access to high quality programs in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Depression and New Deal Era.  The Museum, which opened in 1939, also celebrated 70 years of operation. 

 

The exhibits included vintage 1930 window displays (pictured below) covering many aspects of home life and fashion. A replica of Shreveport's Feibleman's Department Store, a Sears Roebuck outlet, gave viewers the opportunity to “shop around” for items from the era. A Depression-period living room creates the ambience of everyday life. There were also showcases with home appliances with distinctive Modern design elements as well as examples from the railroad and airline industries. The displays included men's and ladies' everyday fashion windows, as well as a “red carpet” event to celebrate Glitz & Grits.

 

The biennial fundraising event Glitz and Grits accompanied the exhibit opening. The party featured Buddy Flett and his band, as well as headliner Hubert Sumlin, famed blues guitarist.

 

Don Edwards Wildlife Paintings and Mural Exhibit 

Dec. 13, 2009 through Jan. 24, 2010

John James Audubon: American Artist & Naturalist

 
February-April 2009
John James Audubon, artist and author of Birds of America, is an icon of art and nature. His ties to Louisiana are strong, and many of his famous works were inspired by his time in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Although the LSEM exhibit is no longer on display, the Museum's educational materials for teachers are still available. See Audubon Exhibit Educational Materials.
 

Amanda Gordon Dunn

August 16-September 13, 2009; Opening reception: 2-4 p.m. August 16
This solo exhibit features Denver sculptor Amanda Gordon Dunn. Dunn's sculptures are pulsing with color, oozing with resins and bursting with tension created from fabric and steel. This combination creates a contemporary elegance that dances with lights and shadows. Dunn received a B.F.A. in fiber in 2006 from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Md., where she received a presidential scholarship and awarded the Barbara L. Kuhlman Award, the Ira Basler, Jr. and Mary Basler Memorial Scholarship and the Dale Burton Scholarship in Fiber. Since graduation, Dunn's solo shows have been complete sellouts. Her work has appeared in juried shows as well, with the most recent being the Nylon Show at the Preston Contemporary Art Center in New Mexico. Amanda Gordon Dunn is the granddaughter of Rachel Williamson and Forrest Dunn of Shreveport.

See also August 10, 2009 article in The (Shreveport) Times and Amanda Gordon Dunn

Zama Dexter: Retrospective & New Works 2009

See photos of this and other Museum exhibit receptions and events at Flickr. 

For further information, to become a Friend of LSEM, to volunteer or to contact us, call 318-632-2020 or email info@FriendsofLSEM.org.

See also

Past Exhibits
Exhibit Reception Photos