The arts are heating up in Ruston
Ruston’s art scene has a lot to offer. Experience something unique, expand your mind, connect with community, and get inspired by these upcoming arts events in town.
February 21st at 5pm is the artist talk for Master of Fine Arts candidate Pankita Patel in the Moffett Gallery of the FJ Taylor Visual Arts Center. In her thesis exhibition “Communicating Through Multi-Sensory Loss”, Patel aims to improve communication between people who are blind, deaf, mute, and any combination of these three. Patel designed a product known as “Dot Dot” which consists of a tactile keypad and a tactile Braille display. “Dot Dot” can receive and send messages to all types of phones. It can convert any translation of voice, text, and Braille interchangeably. The different modes of “Dot Dot” will allow differently disabled people to communicate by sending and receiving the message according to their ability and desire. The exhibit will continue through Feb. 25. For more information about the lecture or exhibit, call the School of Design at 318.257.3909 or visit the School of Design at design.latech.edu.
February 22nd at 6pm is North Central Louisiana Art Council’s Annual Member Meeting at Ruston Artisans, 203 W Alabama Ave. All current and future NCLAC members are invited to celebrate another year of the art council, its members, artists, and supporters.
February 24th at 7pm is NCLAC’s Independent Film screening of “Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in School.” The film takes a deep dive into the lives of Black girls and the practices, cultural beliefs and policies that disrupts one of the most important factors in their lives – education. Alarmingly, African American girls are the fastest-growing population in the juvenile justice system and the only group of girls to disproportionately experience criminalization at every education level. “Pushout” is being presented in partnership with Grambling State University and Delta Sigma Theta public service sorority. The screening is available to all online by visiting nclac.org/film-screening. Due to COVID restrictions, the in-person screening for "Pushout" is invitation only.
February 25h at 5pm is the closing reception for “Many Infinities: Intimacy and Other Things” at Creative Exchange, 112 W Alabama Ave. Artist Khalilah Maryam Al-Amin Kersey (KMAK) is an artist and writer from Convent, LA. She has always been a creator to some extent and has always enjoyed the processes more than the result itself. Currently, she has been focusing on what she believes she does best: making beautiful things. “Many Infinities: Intimacy and Other Things” features a combination of digital paintings, traditional paintings, and poetry.
Now through February 28th is the extended sale of NCLAC’s 50@50 Small Works Show at Creative Exchange, 112 W Alabama Ave. This year was a successful return of the in-person 50@50 Small Works Show. Artworks are still available for purchase of $50 per piece. View the available works online at nclacgallery.org/5050-2022. Support area artists by collecting their art.
Now through March 26th is the 2021 North Louisiana Virtual Residency Exhibition presented by Ross Lynn Charitable Foundation and NCLAC. Sixteen artists in 8 pairs have spent nearly 10 months collaborating via the internet to produce new artwork spanning a wide range of concepts and mediums. You can browse, read, watch, and listen to the works and the artists sharing about the experience at nclacgallery.org. Follow the exhibition highlights on RLCF social media outlets, on Instagram @rlcf.residencies and Facebook @RossLynnFoundation. The show will run from February 1st through March 26th, 2022. The exhibition is a culmination of artists from across the globe collaborating together in groups during a virtual residency program that began in 2021.
Written by Madeline Marak, Executive Director