ANN CONNELLY FINE ART

2012-02-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

This week at the gallery.......

2012-02-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

Small framed pieces at the gallery.....

Works by Robert Bean

RB144 Cabbage Oil on Linen Mat Board 12" X 12"

RB156 Cafe du Monde Oil on Canvas 18" X 24"

RB163 Pomegranite Oil on Canvas 9" X 7.5"

RB168 Green Bottle Vase with Mums Oil on Canvas 12" X 10"

RB169 Glass Vase wth Flowers Oil on Canvas 12" X 10"

Works by Karoline Schleh

KS602 Waterscape/Waterfall No. #1 Mixed Media on Clayboard 6" X 6"

KS606 Orange Brush Mixed Media on Clayboard 6"X 6"

KS608 Waterscape/High Seas #4 Mixed Media on Clayboard 6" X 6"

2012-02-04T13:32:00.000-08:00

New works by gallery artist Elise Morris.......

EM137 Whispered Tangle Oil & Acrylic on Canvas 33" X 36"

EM136 Weathing Clarity Oil & Acrylic on Canvas 44" X 48"

EM138 Blooming Gust Oil & Acrylic on Canvas 33" X 36"

EM135 Slight Billow Oil & Acrylic on Canvas 34" X 64"

2012-02-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

New work by gallery artist Billie Bourgeois.......

BB166 Floral 1 Graphite & Charcoal on Paper 12" X 9"

BB165 Yellow Cow Oil on Panel 24" X 24"

BB164 Red Orchard Oil on Canvas 36" X 36

2012-01-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

New work by gallery artist Mel Dewees...

MD107 Untitled Mixed Media & Resin on Panel 48" X 48"

MD108 Untitled Mixed Media & Resin on Panel 60" X 54"

2012-01-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

New works by gallery artist Joyce Howell.......

JPH121 Untitled Mixed Media on Panel 38" X 36"

JPH122 Untitled Mixed Media on Panel 38" X 36"

JPH123 Untitled Mixed Media on Panel 36" X 36"

2012-01-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

Thank you Colleen Fava & Country Roads magazine for the lovely article on the artwork at the new Renaissance Hotel.......

Country Roads Magazine
January 2012

A Marriage of Art and Commerce: Local imagery presented in unexpected ways—in an unexpected setting
Written by: Colleen Fava

Imagine an art exhibition of iconic Louisiana imagery: the Mississippi River, jazz music, Delta cuisine, the flora and fauna of the bayou—all unexpectedly presented and thoughtfully installed throughout a 260,000-square-foot space, where custom designed or carefully selected wall and floor coverings, accent pieces and furnishings, seamlessly reinforce the thematic elements present in the paintings, photographs and sculptures.
The collection features hand-blown glass sculptures by James Vella, artist and creator of Vella Vetro Art Glass of New Orleans; floral photographs on polycarbonate by fine arts photographer David Carlysle Humphreys of Baton Rouge; a four-piece oil on panel waterscape by current Baton Rouge resident (and New Orleans native) Jill Hackney; a “Triptych Painting of a Crab” by New Orleans painter Billy Solitario; and a commissioned wall-mounted/ceiling-suspended installation of hand-formed polycarbonate, “Birds,” by Baton Rouge sculptor Brad Michael Bourgoyne.

Original paintings by LSU interior design alum Doug Detiveaux and Austin artist Doug Kennedy, as well as exceptionally produced prints of Demond Matsuo’s highly textured “Icarus” series paintings and photography by Eleanor Owen Kerr, Dede Lusk and Mitchell Naquin also hang.

This multi-modal, visual narrative of Louisiana was curated by Ann Connelly Fine Art of Baton Rouge and is on indefinite display in the capital city. The revelation is where this ambitious collection of indigenous art is showing: The Renaissance Baton Rouge, a newly opened luxury hotel.

The Renaissance, itself, is replete with all of the amenities and services expected of luxury accommodations. Guest rooms are furnished with king or double queen beds, flat-screen televisions, iPod docking stations and Aveda bathroom amenities. The hotel features a concierge lounge, a top-of-the-line business center, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, a fully equipped fitness center, a full-service spa, a resort-style outdoor pool and courtyard, a Grand Ballroom and a casual, yet upscale, restaurant and wine bar named for the town of Tallulah, Louisiana.

Renaissance is an upscale Marriot brand with only 145 locations across 33 different countries and is distinguished by emphasizing the local personality and culture of each hotel’s home city. The Baton Rouge location is born of local legend, past and present.

The building was first conceived in the 1980s as a dormitory for Swaggart Ministries, but was never fully realized. The property was purchased in 2004 by Wampold Companies, a Baton Rouge-based real estate development and property management firm. Wampold’s commercial holdings include many of the most recognizable office buildings in the capital city, including the Shaw Building on Essen Lane and the Chase Building, City Plaza and II City Plaza in downtown Baton Rouge. CEO and owner Mike Wampold is well-recognized for his active role in the Baton Rouge community. The Renaissance project was guided by Wampold’s vision to honor Louisiana commerce and culture through a visual narrative.

Ann Connelly, the project’s art consultant, said, “Mike was highly involved. He attended every single meeting regarding art and design.” Connelly is clearly impressed with Wampold’s attention. She said, “This was no small project. We made eight formal presentations.”

The project team worked tirelessly reviewing artists around the globe to capture the visual story conceived of by the owner. In due course it was realized that they needed to look no further than their own backyard. From the real estate development to the interior design, from the fine art direction to the fine art production, all of the major players in this endeavor were past or present residents of the Pelican State.

Connelly worked closely with Elizabeth Griffin of Wampold Companies and designer Doug Detiveaux of Gensler Architects to select and integrate the artwork with the interior architecture and design. Ultimately, the team managed an exceptionally executed aesthetic. The architecture, interior design elements and fine art pieces create a cohesive, yet unpredictable, visual celebration of Louisiana culture. The repetition of iconic imagery in unexpected media and spaces throughout the hotel creates an elegant juxtaposition of classic representations and modern abstractions.

Traditional local imagery is presented in unusual ways to tell the Louisiana story. Musicians wielding brass instruments appear on canvas, but also etched in the white glass base of the restaurant bar. Black-and-white photographs of magnolias, azaleas and camellias are printed on five-foot-wide polycarbonate and are also reproduced in the deep swirling colors of the carpet. Representations of the Mississippi are captured in print as well as in the fabricated metal installed in wood panels behind the front desk.

Perhaps the most unexpected repetition was inspired by that most famous predator of the Southeast. A hand-blown, three-piece glass alligator installation is mounted on the wall across from the grand ballroom. Design elements reflecting the textured skin of the reptile appear repeatedly throughout the building, from the tiled seat backs of chairs in the lounge to the custom wallpaper in guest quarters.

What distinguishes this hotel from its luxury counterparts is how thoroughly the space embodies its purpose through aesthetics. Through the process of presenting the visual history of Louisiana culture, the Renaissance has written itself right into the iconography.

Lobby: Large format painting - collaborative piece by Gensler designer Doug Detiveaux and gallery artist Doug Kennedy

Ballroom Prefunction: Large format collage by gallery artist David Humphreys

Meeting Room Corridor: Hand formed acrylic birds by gallery artist Brad Bourgoyne

Detail of Birds

Meeting Room corridor: Large format painting by Billie Solitario

Detail of large format painting by Billie Solitario

Waterscape on panels by gallery artist Jill Hackney

Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel
7000 Bluebonnet Boulevard
(225) 215-7000

2012-01-14T15:03:00.000-08:00

New works by gallery artist Bernard Kilchmann
January 17 - 31

PAGES

BK164 Untitled Oil on Canvas 37 1/2" X 47"

BK165 Untitled Oil on Canvas 43 1/2" X 56"

BK166 Untitled Oil on Canvas 37 1/2" X 49"

BK167 Untitled Oil on Cnavas 42" X 60"

2012-01-09T15:10:00.000-08:00

This week at the gallery....

2011-12-13T14:28:00.000-08:00

Gallery artist Jacqueline Dee Parker and husband Dennis Parker featured in 225 Magazine this month...

In conjunction with the feature article in this month's 225 Magazine on this seriously talented duo, the gallery will be exhibiting a small group of Jacquie's pieces from December 5 - 16.

2011-12-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Please join us for a Pop-up Exhibition by gallery artist Winifred Ross Reilly and Hayden Reilly

Opening: Thursday, December 8^th, 5:30 – 7:30

Coates’ Guest House – Hyacinth and Lee

2011-12-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

The gallery was very excited to be part of a Fall 2011 Color Forecast Party hosted by Delisa Arnold of Arnold & Associates Interiors, Mike Chennault of Knoll, Don Barksdale of Mannington Commercial Floors and Shane Griffin of 3Form showcasing the design industry's fabulous new color palettes....

(Hanging birds created by gallery artist Brad Bourgoyne - be sure to check out his installation at the new Renaissance Hotel on Bluebonnet that were created using 3Form product)

Child's Bertoia Diamon chair by Knoll, vases by gallery artist James Vella

Steve Losavio, Michael Chennault (Knoll Representative)

Don Barksdale (Mannington Commercial Floors) & Ann Connelly

Chaille Percy (Honeywell), DeLisa Arnold (Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc.), Carter Leake III (Bank of St. Francisville) & Yvonne Marquette (LSU)

Gallerina Nanci Gaddy (r) and her BFF Brenda (l)

Shane Griffin (3Form)

Danny (Stafford Tile) & Ann Connelly

Danny, Rani (Home Rogers & McDaniel), Andre and Nanci

Shane Griffin, Don Barksdale & Kriste Rigsby (Grace & Hebert Architects)

The team at Arnold & Associates Interiors, Inc.: Adline Lewis, DeLisa Arnold, Christie Simoneaux, Ercelle Anthony, Missy Begue, Elizabeth Babin & Dan Swetman

2011-11-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

This week at the gallery............

2011-11-16T11:54:00.000-08:00

ART WINE DESIGN night at the gallery.........

Gallerina Lynda Gaiennie

Music by Michael Foster Project

Artist Cynthia Giachetti, Ann Connelly

Artist Brad Bourgoyne and children

Artist Demond Matsuo, Paul Connelly, Dennise Reno

Rod Parker, gallerina Lynda Gaiennie

2011-11-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

Please join us Thursday, November 10th for ART WINE DESIGN - an evening of art and a celebration of the fall season.......

A s s u r e d F l o o r i n g B e l l a B r i d e s m a i d T h e B u l l d o g T h e F r o n t D o o r

H O M E R o g e r s a n d M c D a n i e l H o t l o c k s J e a n n i e F r e y R h o d e s

L D L i n e n s a n d D e c o r / C o z i I n t e r i o r s M a rc e l l o ’s W i n e B a r, C a f e a n d S t o r e

M o n o c h ro m e f u r n i t u r e + d e s i g n S p e c t r u m S o u t h d o w n s G y m
S t a f f o r d T i l e a n d S t o n e To m a t o

featuring at the gallery

New works by ceramics artist Cynthia Giachetti

"My work deals with a profound sense of loss and the potential for metamorphosis. They are reminiscent of geology and archaeology's concerns with the layering of time, place, absence, presence and process. I have an obsession with history and how related natural phenomena from the past can be revisited in the present. The artifacts and materials in my work appear to be held motionless and represent the evidence of recurring cycles that enter into our contemporary midst. My work over the past several years has dealt with human frailty, the mystery of existence and the continuum that exists between conflicting ideas, such as the cycle of life and death. I use flowers, birds, insects and domestic wares to draw upon images from different life experiences that symbolize loss, tragedy and renewal. My immediate environment always influences what I create. The intentions of these investigations is to create wondrous congeries in the hopes of re-enchanting what was once lost. I uncover, restore, pile, weave and build motifs in a repetitive, ritualistic manner and often produce work that as spiritual overtones. Art for me is both an investigative and spiritual practice."

Cynthia Giachetti was born and raised in Northern California. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the University of California at Davis in 2002 where she studied painting with the renowned Wayne Thiebaud and ceramics with the esteemed Annabeth Rosen. She received her Masters of Fine Arts at Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2007. She has shown in various places across the country including, California, Louisiana, Kentucky, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Florida, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston. She is currently teaching art at Baton Rouge Community College in Louisiana. She received a grant and completed an installation for Project Row House in the spring of 2009 in Houston Texas, working collaboratively with the local community. Also in 2009, Miss Giachetti work was featured in the prestigious NCECA Clay National Biennial and was selected as “the exhibition's most formally impressive piece,” by Ceramics Art and Perception publication. In addition, she recently received a grant for an installation for the Houston Contemporary Arts Museum entitled Hand + Made Contemporary: The Performative Impulse in Art and Craft in May 2010. This installation at the CAMH, as well as a studio visit is featured in the 2010 fall issue of Ceramics Monthly Magazine.

and

lovely small works of art that are perfect for personal or corporate holiday gift giving......

Gallery artist Donna West

Framed paintings by gallery artist Donna West - Oil on artist board, framed size 20" X 16", images sizes vary, $458 - $478

DW655

DW665

DW652

Gallery artist James Vella

Hand blown mirror glass wall-mounted "flowers", 3-1/2" to 6" diameter, $85 - $110 each

Gallery artist Caroline Coe

Hand cut antique and vintage paper butterflies mounted on linen, custom frame, 8" X 6" ($150), 8" X 5" ($125), 5 1/2" X 5 1/2" ($110)

2011-10-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Becky Vizard featured in Neiman Marcus Christmas Book...

We are beyond excited that our good friend Becky Vizard of BViz Design (see her gorgeous pillows in the post below) has been selected as designer of one of eight fantasy gifts for the Neiman Marcus 2011 Christmas Book

see interview with Becky here

"Ever wish you could cross your arms, bat your eyes, and escape to a serene place all your own? Well, your wish is our command. Our "Dream Folly" is inspired by the classic 1960s TV show I Dream of Jeannie. Starting with a sturdy 18-foot-diameter yurt—a structure invented centuries ago by ancient Mongols—"Dream Folly" is the ideal simulation of a genie's posh bottle. The purveyor of this haven is Rainier Yurts. Founded over 100 years ago, the Seattle-based company first provided tents and camping supplies for prospectors headed north for the Alaskan Gold Rush. Today, many would agree that procuring your own "Dream Folly" is the equivalent of striking gold. The structure consists of a mixed-grain interior lattice system, a Sunbrella® exterior lining, and a plexiglass door and dome. The roof is made from vinyl-coated polyester with an acrylic top coat for extra durability. But it's the interior that goes beyond your wildest, most decadent dreams. Let's start with the pièces de résistance: a bevy of one-of-a-kind, down-filled pillows from renowned designer Rebecca Vizard. For the uninitiated, Vizard built a workshop in her rural hometown of St. Joseph, Louisiana, where she and a group of craftsmen create these plush accessories—all by hand—from the finest textiles. To give you an idea of the remarkable workmanship, artisans meticulously remove embroidery and trim from antique garments, tapestries, and scrollwork, dating as far back as the eighteenth century. These exquisite "appliqués" are then hand-embroidered onto velvet cases and accented by sequins, beading, and hand-bordered metallic galon and corded trim. In addition to the pillows, Vizard designed every detail of this space and selected colors to evoke the bubbles of a warm, soothing bath. The room's other noteworthy embellishments include linen wall coverings by Coleman Taylor Handpainted Textiles in Montgomery, Alabama, and a custom, handcrafted crystal chandelier from New Orleans-based Julie Neill Designs. Since we're in the business of granting wishes, you can choose a different color scheme and decor from the ones depicted here. But why bother? There's no improving upon perfection. Simply ask for this dream getaway, and we'll have it installed on your estate grounds in the blink of an eye. For every retreat sold, Neiman Marcus will donate $5,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The "Dream Folly" stands 12'5" tall with an 18' diameter. "

2011-10-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ann Connelly Fine Art and BViz Design at Watkins Culver Antiques & Design in Houston...

The lovely ladies of Watkins Culver - Nelta Culver and Kim Nathan along with Becky Vizard of BViz Design. Watkins Culver's showrooms are located in the Bissonnet/Kirby corridor of Houston and they can also be found online at www.watkinsculver.com

Beautiful antiques, BViz antique textile pillows, botanicals by gallery artist Winifred Ross Reilly and paintings by Elise Morris

Painting by gallery artist Elise Morris. Hand blown mirror glass flowers by gallery artist James Vella

Framed hand blown mirror glass flowers

Framed mirror glass flowers - detail

Watkins Culver custom seating with antique Fortuny pillows by BViz and hand cut antique and
vintage paper butterflies by gallery artist Caroline Coe

The Annex at Watkins Culver - more gorgeous antiques, pillows by BViz, artwork by gallery artist Jamie Meeks

Becky Vizard of BViz Design.

Becky scours Europe and the Near East in search of amazing antique textiles that are

then handmade into pillows in her hometown of St Joseph, Louisiana. Her pillows have adorned the pages and

covers of major shelter magazines and can be found in beautiful interiors the world over.

Check out her website: www.bviz.com

A lovey BViz Suzani pillow

A collection of BViz Suzanis

Beautiful pink BViz Suzani pillow

2011-10-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

The gallery is excited to announce that we have just completed installation of the artwork for the new Renaissance Hotel at Bluebonnet.

We were so pleased to have been selected as the art consultant to develop artwork concepts for all the major public and meeting spaces and for the opportunity to work alongside the fantastic team of Wampold Companies, Gensler Architects/Houston and Marriott Design in Bethesda.

We invite you to stop by the hotel to experience what we believe is one of the most exciting new spaces in Baton Rouge.

2011-10-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery.....

Hand blown mirror glass flowers by gallery artist James Vella

2011-10-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

An exhibition of works by gallery artist David Humphreys......

2011-09-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Isidore Newman School and Ann Connelly Fine Art presents
Demond Matsuo & Karoline Schleh
September 13 - October 13

2011-09-27T08:59:00.000-07:00

New works by gallery artist Elise Morris.....

EM131 Wading in Grace 48" X 60'

EM132 Infinite Divide 48" X 60"

2011-09-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

The gallery exhibition of new works by George Marks has been extended through Septmeber 24th.......

An exhibiton of George's work “Nineneuf9” was also recently featured at
The Acadiana Center for the Arts
Side Gallery: George Marks Nineneuf9
August 13 – September 3, 2011
George Marks’s exhibition includes selected pieces from an ongoing series which Marks as the main character within environments representative of the landscape and culture of South Louisiana. The pieces are orchestrated to fit a continuous installation, while each individual piece is a stand-alone improvisation. As in past work, his medium is inextricably webbed to his sense-of-place message, incorporating a combination of materials and techniques. Although self-portraits, these works are a shared experience, allowing for personal and tactile associations – each may relate to a specific, personal memory for any viewer.

George is also featured in this month’s issue of Our Louisiana magazine:

Fresh Perspectives an artist and innovator creates new cultural venues

available on newstands now

2011-09-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

NEW WORKS BY GALLERY ARTIST GEORGE MARKS
September 6 - 20

Our Lady of the French Table GM786 Mixed Media on Canvas 72" X 72"

The Giver 1 GM782 Mixed Media on Canas 72" x 52"

The Giver 2 GM785 Mixed Media on Canvas 72" X 52"

Our Lday of Perpetual Sarcasm GM787 Mixed Media on Canvas 72" X 72"

The Poet GM784 Mixed Media on Canvas 72" X 52"

Cotton Series GM783 Mixed Media on Canvas 44" X 40"

Cotton Series GM788 Mixed Media on Canvas 44" X 40"

George Marks
by Scott FinchGeorge Marks is a contradiction. His work is simultaneously ordered and spontaneous. Carelessness and rigid geometry mingle on the canvas. Passages of drawing in the work range from sensitively rendered figuration to loose impetuous scrawls. His palette is generally warm and harmonious, but searing thin stripes of color may awaken the calm. All of his pieces are deliberately orchestrated to fit together into a continuous installation, and yet each is also an improvisation.
The truly radical thing about Marks’ work is his process. Although, he simply labels his work with the obfuscating little phrase “mixed media on canvas”, he has developed a vocabulary of materials and techniques that are unduplicated. This rich and complex combination of materials may of course be appreciated in its own right, but for Marks this is not the point. Rather, the medium is inextricably webbed to the message. Nothing is done for a strictly decorative purpose.
Each material brings forth specific tactile associations, each recalls a memory, each assembles a part of the meaning of his work. He is a collector of textures, colors, and surfaces. He collects mental images of crumbling stucco on abandoned houses, trees rushing past his car window, and electrical conduits snaking around the corners of buildings. Sights like these are remembered and drawn upon to evoke the beauty in things that others might cast aside as imperfections.
His work brings forth far ranging art historical associations such as Edgar Degas to Barnett Newman, Richard Diebenkorn, and Donald Judd. What sets Marks’ work apart from many other modern painters, however, are his roots to the landscape and culture of South Louisiana . His work is never void of content, no matter how abstract the few simple notations become. His work recalls the flat broad vistas of that which each of us unconsciously knows by heart.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Marks is a resident of Louisiana and received his Fine Arts Degree from Louisiana State University . He resides in his hometown of Arnaudville , Louisiana .

2011-08-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery.......

An exhibition of works by gallery artist

ELISE TOUPS
August 13 - 26

ET139 Untitled Oil on Canvas 24" X 24"

ET138 Untitled Oil on Canvas 24" X 24"

ET137 Untitled Oil on Canvas 36" X 36"

ET142, ET143, ET144 Untitled Oil on Canvas 48" X 48" each

2011-06-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

July 1st - July 15th

New works by gallery artist Charles G. Smith

Banana Tree, Off the Beaten Path, Oil on Canvas Board, 11" X 14"

Spring Leaves, Oil on Canvas Board, 9" X 12"

Untitled, Oil on Canvas Board, 18" X 24"

Untitled, Oil on Canvas Baords, 11" X 14"

(Additional new works available at gallery)

2011-06-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery.....

2011-05-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery.....

New works by gallery artist Jamie Meeks

JM172 Encaustic, Mixed Media on Panel 27.5" X 23.5"

JM176 Encaustic, Mixed Media on Canvas 36" X 36"

JM173 Encaustic, Mixed Media on Panel 41.5" X 31.5"

JM179 Encaustic, Mixed Media on Canvas 40" X 30"

2011-05-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery.........

Books of Ryan's work are available for purchase at the gallery

2011-05-04T14:32:00.000-07:00

May 5th - May 17th

New works by gallery artist Amy Dixon

Chair of Neutrality Acrylic on Artist Board 12" X 12"

Lunch at Napoleon House Acrylic on Canvas 16" X 16"

Early Morning Chatham Acrylic on Canvas 36" X 48"

(more images available under artist's page)

2011-04-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery..........

New works by gallery artist Meredith Pardue

Selected Works

Untitled 30" X 22" Mixed Media on Paper

Untitled 48" X 48" Mixed Media on Canvas

The Labor/9 of 10 10" X 8" Mixed Media on Canvas

The Labor/10 of 10 10" X 8" Mixed Media on Canvas

Tropical Series IV, #5 12" X 12" Mixed Media on Canvas

2011-04-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

New works on canvas by gallery artist Lisa di Stefano........

LD519 15 1/2" X 13"

LD520 15 1/2" X 13"

LD521 15 1/2" X 13"

LD518 15 1/2" X 13"

LD522 15 1/2" X 13"

2011-04-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

This week at the gallery........

New Works by Jacqueline Dee Parker

2011-03-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Teach for America Event at the Gallery

Last night Ann Connelly Fine Art was pleased to have the Teach for America - South Louisiana event for supporters and community partners at the gallery.

"One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education."

"Teach For America provides a critical source of well-trained teachers who are helping break the cycle of educational inequity. These teachers, called corps members, commit to teach for two years in one of 39 urban and rural regions across the country, going above and beyond traditional expectations to help their students to achieve at high levels."

http://www.teachforamerica.org/

2011-03-22T13:06:00.000-07:00

Please join us this week for

Baton Rouge Uncorked
www.batonrougeuncorked.com

Eat, Drink, and be Charitable!

www.batonrougeuncorked.com

2011-03-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Selections from the Michael D. Robinson and Donald J. Boutte Collection/LASM

Featuring Ann Connelly Fine Art Artists

Collect what makes one happy, LASM exhibitor says

By Robin Miller

Arts Writer

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Ed Pramuk is teaching Michael D. Robinson to appreciate orange. It’s not Robinson’s favorite color. That’s an understatement. Robinson despises orange.

Robinson may or may not mention this in his 2:00 p.m. discussion on Sunday, March 6, at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, but the chances are strong. Orange does not make him happy, and he’s the first to say the most important element in collecting art is to choose pieces that make you happy. “That and price,” Robinson said. “You also need to consider the price, because you have to be able to afford them. You don’t want to go into debt over a piece of art that you can’t afford.”

Robinson is the LSU College of Art and Design’s senior director of development. His gallery talk falls on the final day for the exhibit Selections from the Michael D. Robinson and Donald J. Boutte Collection at the museum. The exhibit is a sampling of the collection of more than 400 pieces of contemporary art that Robinson and his partner Boutte have collected for four decades. And included in that collection is Ed Pramuk’s 1974 painting “Orange Bridge.” It hangs next to another Pramuk piece “Attic Sun,” in the LASM’s Colonnade Gallery. The dominant color in “Attic Sun,” by the way, is red. Somehow, the red in one had a way of toning down the orange in the other. “We love these paintings,” Robinson said. “And we always hang them together.” But the orange issue persists. “I’m learning,” Robinson said.

Pramuk is one of the 32 represented in this show, many of which are also featured in the museum’s Soupcon Gallery. Museum curator Elizabeth Weinstein chose the pieces for the exhibit.

Other artists are Jenny Authement, Emerson Bell (1932 - 2006), David Carpenter, Michael Crespo, Clark Derbes, Lisa di Stefano, Michael Daugherty, Steven Durow, Lin Emery, John Geldersma, Rolland Golden, Rosemary Goodell, Franike Gould, Nancy Harris, Robert Hausey, Frank Hayden, Randell Henry, David Horton, Aaron P. Hussey, Ross Jahnke, Christopher Johns, Ida Kohlmeyer, William Lewis, George Marks, Jonathan Pellitreri, Hunter Roth, Steve Rucker, Hunt Slonem, Van Wade-Day and Michaelene “Mikey” Walsh.

Though the collection isn’t exclusively limited to Louisiana artists, artists either in or with connections to the state have created the bulk of the work. Weinstein specifically sought to feature Louisiana-connected artists in this exhibit.

Now Robinson walks through the galleries, looking at his pieces in the museum’s setting, thinking of the stories behind each. And missing their presence in his home. “I really do miss them” he said. There are spaces where they’re supposed to be, and I can wait to put them back.”

He pauses to glance at one wall from ceiling to floor. The wall has plenty of space for other artwork, which also makes him think of his house. Robinson is running out of wall space. “And I like to hang artwork from the ceiling to the floor,” he said. It makes him happy, which is the whole point. Robinson and Boutte even hang artwork in the garage so it can be seen when driving in after work.

They also get to know the artists behind the work, befriending many of them. “We had dinner with the Durows last week in New Orleans,” Robinson said. “We love them. And we’ve visited with Hunt Slonem in his New York studio.”

Which brings up another component of art collection. “It’s important that you keep the receipt for your piece and information about the artist,” Robinson said. “Keep it all on file. A lot of people don’t do this, and they regret it later.”

Robinson began the collection in 1969 with a painting by David Horton. “The first sculpture in the collection is by Frank Hayden,” he said. “I knew him too. He was a great person. And all of these pieces has its own story.” Like the Durow sculpture, for instance. It’s untitled, a suspended sculpture made of glass and wood. “We saw this in the office of the Brunner Gallery, when the gallery was in the Shaw Center,” Robinson said. “It was later on exhibit in the gallery and we bought it.” Then there’s Ross Jahnke’s woodcut print of the big tennis shoe. It usually hangs over the computer in Robinson’s home. “Ross used to be our neighbor,” Robinson said. “We rarely buy prints, but we loved this. And we loved Ross’ painting of the Adirondack chair, which is also in this exhibit.”

Michael Crespo sold Robinson his piece, “The Mooncalf’s Lesson,” only a week before the artist’s death. Robinson had always admired the piece and kept inquiring about it.

Robert Hausey, meantime, refused to sell his painting, “Lady and the Pelican,” to Robinson. The piece features a lady in a blue bathing suit in a diving stance. It hung in the office of a co-worker who is retiring. “I said, ‘I’m going to miss looking at my blue lady’” Robinson said. Robinson asked if he could buy the pieces from the co-worker only to learn that the co-worker didn’t own the painting. It still belonged to Hausey.

“I asked Bob about buying it, and he said, ‘No,’” Robinson said. “I said, ‘You won’t sell it to me?’ He said, ‘No, I won’t sell it to you. But I will give it to you.’” And that was that.

Speaking of retirement, Robinson is planning to retire from the College of Art and Design in May. His office is filled with collected pieces, some created by students in the LSU School of Art.

“And we’re going to have to find a place for those pieces,” Robinson said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do about wall space.”

Now, collectors don’t have to be artists, themselves. Robinson doesn’t draw or paint. “I never have,” he said. But, he loves art, and his love led him to this collection. It’s a part of him.

He isn’t always on the lookout for pieces, but they always have a way of catching his eye.

That is, all but the orange pieces. And Ed Pramuk is working on that.

2011-02-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

This week at Ann Connelly Fine Art………

February 1, 2011

"Perspectives" Exhibition at Shaw Center

In conjunction with the Ernest Gaines Award for Liteary Excellence artworks by seven African-American artists from Louisiana including Emerson Bell, Eric J. Brown, Randell Henry, Demond Matsuo, Larry Nevil, John Scott and Christopher Turner will be on exhibition at the Shaw Center through the month of February. The exhibition is co-curated by Derek Gordon, CEO of The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge and Ann Connelly, Ann Connelly Fine Art

January 28, 2011

Gallery Artwork Featured on New Cruise Ship

Oceania Cruise Line launched the maiden voyage of its new luxury ocean liner Marina featuring artwork by gallery artists Chuck Voelter, George Marks and Meredith Pardue. The commissioned works are featured in the ship's restaurants and public spaces.

Oceania’s Marina Cruise Ship

Lalique Staircase

Owner's Suite

January 15, 2011
Intaglios at the gallery…..

19^th C European Touring Intaglio on Belgian Linen with Gold Gesso Frame

January 1, 2011

January 1, 2011
Introducing new gallery artist Hayes Friedman

We are pleased to announce the recent inclusion to the gallery of Washington, DC artist Hayes Friedman. Hayes, a nationally recognized artist, has been greatly admired by the gallery for years. She works primarily in oils on canvas or panel using multiple layers to create a very refined surface quality.

Artworks currently available at the gallery

Adana and Grayson Oil on Canvas 60" X 60"

Seated in Sienna Oil on Canvas 50" X 50"

Odile and Odette Oil on Canvas 50" X 50"

Hayes Friedman Biography

Hayes Friedman was born in 1942 and has been working as a figure painter since the seventies.

Hayes studied drawing from in situ sculpture in Greece and Italy, and holds graduate degrees in fine arts and the history of art from The American University. The many tertiary aspects of her education include medical school anatomy, Cycladic figure study and post masters study in aesthetic theory and tensions and abstractions in figure painting.

A retired professor of drawing and painting with thirty years cumulative and overlapping experience at the university and college level, Hayes was inducted into Who’s Who Among Americas Educators in 2002.

Primarily, but not exclusively, a big format painter, her unique and reductive choices result in highly charged yet extremely quiet imagery. Surface distractions decoration,everything extraneous is eliminated, and what remains is deceptively simply painting which exudes a moody, isolated beauty.

Her haunting images have been exhibited over 250 times in museums, colleges, universities, public forums and private galleries, and her work is represented in an impressive number of permanent collections, both private and public, in this country, Europe and South America. Hayes Friedman’s paintings have been written about and photographed extensively for major publications.

November 10, 2010

November 8, 2010

Ann Connelly Fine Art & Bviz Design in Houston

Artworks from Ann Connelly Fine Art and pillows from Bviz Design are being featured in a 3 day show at Watkins Culver Antiques and Design of Houston – 2308 Bissonet St./Houston, TX

image via Cote de Texas Blog

November 1, 2010

New works by

Donna West and Robert Rector

November 1st - November 24th

Exhibition Opening Night:
Thursday, November 18th 6:00 - 9:00
in conjunction with Southdowns Village ART WINE DESIGN OPEN HOUSE

November 1, 2010

October 1, 2010

New exhibition at the gallery.....

Lindsay Feuer

Kate Blacklock

Brad Bourgoyne

Cynthia Giachetti

Rigsby Frederick

Steve Martin

Eric J. Brown

Dennis Parker

Rachael Lagarde Bordelon

Becky Vizard

September 1, 2010

Winifred Ross Reilly at Isidore Newman School - New Orleans

"Hosanna Tropicana Banana" Silk Screened Aluminum Panels 16" X 9" ea.