ARTWALK: They All Asked for You
The song “They All Asked for You,” made famous by the Funky Meters, was one of my favorites as a kid. I’d dance around the kitchen and imagine all the wonderful conversations I would have with the animals in the Audubon Zoo, who were anxiously awaiting my arrival. The Funky Meters had a point; though I didn’t find talking animals in the zoo, I did find them in each piece of contemporary, homegrown animal art. The painted creatures of Louisiana are engaging in a dialogue with the viewer, a conversation that can happen through the vehicle of art. In this month’s Art Walk, read about an altruistic pet photography studio, an artist in the autumn of a prodigious animal painting career, a prolific potter challenging pet practices, and a German-born painter with a rabbit rescue mission in mind.
Mel’s Art
Melanie Wallace, born and raised in Berlin, Germany, has been a Louisiana resident since 1994 and an animal artist since the tender age of seven. As a shy young girl, Wallace avoided the playground and found her center in a world of brilliant colors and swirling lines. “One day, I went to an after-school program and saw an older girl painting a picture of a horse. It was the most beautiful thing to me, and I decided I wanted to be able to do it. I started drawing, and I remember that first picture I drew and redrew until I got it right. Once people saw what I could do, the positive feedback encouraged me to make more art. I haven’t stopped since,” says Wallace. “Now, it’s my outlet, a way for me to relax and have fun.” Wallace sells originals and giclees and also does commissions. Her pet and wildlife portraits are done in either acrylic paint or colored pencil, mediums that allow her to capture the most detail. She is passionate about each of her subjects, pouring love and hard work into each animal representation. Wallace also gives back; when you buy a piece of Mel’s Art, you’re also helping an animal find a home. “My motto is ‘art with heart.’ Five percent of everything I do goes to Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue. They’ve rescued close to 500 rabbits so far, and it’s inspiring to help a group that’s making such a difference.”
Mel’s Art | Prairieville, LA | 225-223-4010
melsart.com
Sisters Studios
Paula Royce and Terry Scheller are kindred soul sisters, related not by blood but by 40 years of friendship and a common mission to make the world a brighter place. Their pet and family photography studio in Mandeville is one of the happier products of Katrina. A few months after the storm, Royce and Scheller set up a studio in the back of the Good Dog Naturally pet supply store to do Santa photos for the first Christmas after Katrina. Much to their surprise, customers lined up down the block, eager for a photo to hold on to or send to relatives and friends. “It was such a tremendous response,” Royce says. Royce and Scheller worked out of the back of the store, fulfilling a growing demand until they expanded into their own studio space in 2009. In addition to their booming pet photography business, they started offering children and family sessions. The Sisters have also been involved in various charities since they got on their feet post-K. One of their latest endeavors has been to offer free photography sessions for military families. Royce and Scheller are also excited to be a part of the Shelter Me project sponsored by PetSmart. They’ve been working with photographer Nanette Martin to photograph every new dog taken in by the LASPCA and East Jefferson Animal Shelter each week for 16 weeks. After they photograph each pup, they post all the pictures on the web within 24 hours, which greatly increases the chances for these pets finding homes. “It’s very different than spending a few hours with a client and their pet in a nice, quiet, air-conditioned studio. We have to get these guys in and out because there are so many, and they are also harder to photograph because they’ve been on the street, some of them for years. We try to catch their best features. We want people to see into those eyes and make a connection. That’s the difference a good photograph can make.”
Sisters Studios | 3979 Hwy 190 | Covington | 504-430-5957
sistersstudios.com
Meadows Museum of Art: Selected works by Bethany Krull
Intricate and Complex: The World of which We Are a Part is the theme of the 2011-2012 season at the Meadows Museum of Art, part of Shreveport’s Centenary College. Throughout the year, museum-goers can enjoy a wide range of sculptures, paintings, photography, and installations by contemporary Louisiana artists working around themes of sustainability and the relations between humans and the world around them. The museum staff has also developed an exciting array of public programs crafted around each exhibition, all of which are free of charge. From August 21-November 6, selected porcelain sculptures and installations by rising ceramic artist Bethany Krull will be on display. These pieces are taken from her three series: Dominance and Affection, Signal, and In Servitude, which all revolve around the animal and human relations and perceptions. Krull explores the way humans interact with pets, the signs that occur within nature when animals are distressed, and humankind’s perception of the smallest of species, insects. “In today’s increasingly nature-deprived society, our most intimate connection tends to be with plants and animals that we ourselves have drastically altered through the process of domestication. We shower our pets with love, at the same time we cage and contain them, and it is this reverence existing side-by-side with complete control that I am interested in illustrating in my work,” says Krull. Her delicate porcelain sculptures are rendered in exquisite detail, their emotional presence stunning, unifying two worlds with one powerful symbolic language.
Meadows Museum of Art | Cenetenary College | Shreveport
318-869-5169
centenary.edu/meadows
Ron Atwood
When you look at Ron Atwood’s meticulously detailed wildlife paintings, you would never suspect that he’s never stepped foot into an art class, yet over the years, he’s brought joy and beauty into the lives of thousands of happy clients. “I’ve always had talent, always knew I could do this, and over a period of time, you just put yourself to the test,” says Atwood. “I’ve been making a living as an independent artist for over 40 years.” For 30 years, he had his own gallery, which he retired from three years ago. Now, he is happy working on his songbird series, which he started in 2010, and as many commissions as he can keep up with. When he paints an original, it’s usually sold faster than he can finish it. “It makes you feel good that you have something people want. People want an investment, something that they know they can get a return on their money with. The best way to do that is to buy an original. Once you have one, you’ll never want a print again.” Atwood has done hundreds of commissions for collectors across the country, and in the past 10 years, he’s stepped up his productivity even more. “I realize I won’t have this hand-eye coordination forever,” he says. “I am the best I can be. That’s my motto. I’m just happy I can provide something that makes people happy.”
Ron Atwood | Shreveport, LA | 318-927-2443
ronatwoodart.com
Rate This Story
1 vote
