Masur Museum, with artist Greely Myatt

Here are the details about the upcoming visit and exhibition by Memphis artist Greely Myatt at the Masur Museum. This is an exhibition not to miss! All the programs take place at the Masur Museum of Art, 1400 South Grand Street in Monroe. For more info call 318.329.2237 Not Again?!                          

Work by Greely Myatt

On View July 2 – October 11, 2014

Studio 318 with Greely Myatt:

Special Patrons and Board Event in June:

Members with a Single Patron Membership or higher will be contacted with the details.

Members’ Reception and Artist’s Talk:

September 18, 2014

6:00 to 8:00 pm

Open to all members of the Masur Museum of Art.

Community Art Project:

September 19, 2014

3:30 to 5:30 pm

Open to the public, FREE admission. Come help Greely Myatt with an interactive crowd sourced work of art. Any visitor is welcome to contribute to this project throughout the whole exhibition, but Greely Myatt will be available at this time to lead the project himself. Visit with the artist while helping create a work of art for the exhibition.

Studio and Professional Practices Lecture by Greely Myatt:  

September 19, 2014

5:45 to 6:30 pm

Open to the public, FREE admission.

Artist’s Bio: Greely Myatt was born in Mississippi in 1952. His earliest experiences with art were intuitive, improvised with everyday materials, and well outside the auspices of an educational institution. These formative experiences continue to drive his art-making approach. He is the Sculpture Program Coordinator for the Department of Art at the University of Memphis. Myatt holds an MFA from the University of Mississippi, Oxford, and a BFA from Delta State University, Cleveland, Mississippi.

In a way Not Again?! is a homecoming for Greely Myatt. The second solo exhibition of his career took place at the Masur in 1979. Since then he and the Masur have grown a great deal. Not Again?! is also a fitting metaphor for thinking about Myatt’s studio practice. He is interested in the cyclical nature of life and symbols. Myatt often gives found objects and well-worn cultural cues new life while making art. His subject matter varies drastically from a painstakingly realistic depiction of an ice cream cone dropped mid-lick to an esoteric examination of how the Underground Railroad used quilt patterns to communicate in code. As a result viewing this exhibition is like life itself and runs the gamut from humor to tragedy; sometimes simultaneously (if you like ice cream). Specific subject matter aside, Myatt is most interested in communication as the theme within his work. He constructs art much like an author writes a sentence. In a sense, his materials provide a vocabulary and the means of fabrication becomes the punctuation that holds his work together; giving it a particular emphasis or sensibility. His titles often convey specific ideas about a work of art’s intended meaning, but as with most things it is up for debate. When different elements of a particular work of art are examined, things can change.

Not Again ?! will feature several new works of art including one site specific installation in the River Galleries. Myatt has exhibited his art in many venues including the Alexandria Museum of Art, Alexandria, Louisiana; The Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, Georgia; Frist Art Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Hunter College, New York, New York; Honolulu Academy of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii; Institute of Contemporary Art Boston, Boston, Massachusetts; Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, Tennessee; Portland Contemporary Art Center, Portland, Oregon; The Running Horse Contemporary Art Space, Beirut, Lebanon; The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

A N(ick)LAC Post - Claiborne Jubilee

Another week has passed, my second as an intern with NCLAC, and I've begun to slowly become accustomed to things. I returned to the office Monday to help with the newsletters we're getting ready to mail to our members, and while I was there I realized that that was around my fifth time inside the Dixie. I have lived in Ruston my entire life, have passed by the building countless times, but rarely have I actually been inside and seen the art display in the front, the stage and the seats. It was only just reopened in the late 90s, but still, I think I've done a disservice to myself by not coming here more often. It really is a beautiful place. Also, I began reaching out to other parishes as part of NCLAC's community outreach to see if we could help in any way. I reached out to Ms. Cynthia Steele, a nice lady who helps run the Claiborne Jubilee, an annual arts and crafts event in Claiborne Parish where they celebrate the art and artists of their parish. I could tell she was very enthusiastic about art, and she loved speaking with me about NCLAC, who is just as passionate as she is about helping bring art to the community. Currently she has been trying to set up a few classes with their local Boys and Girls Club, one of the classes featuring sewing and woodworking, as well as a program where the participants take “useless” items such as aluminum foil and transform them into art.

Learning that Ms. Steele does this for her community is enlightening because there are probably more people who do the same for their community. With that in mind combined with the summer usually being pretty eventful, there is a lot to look forward to.

Tess Talk: Dugdemona Woodcarvers

Today's post is by Tess Stickney, NCLAC Gallery Coordinator Intern.Tess is working with our exhibitions this summer, including Dixie Lobby shows, Dog Days Art Crawls and Peach Art Exhibit.

It was late one summer afternoon in downtown Ruston and families of incoming freshmen were roaming the streets and store fronts. Louisiana Tech University and the city of Ruston hosted their first Dog Days of Summer, a series of events introducing students and families coming through orientation to the community by way of walking tours and art crawls. With maps in hand these adventurers wandered the local businesses in town, making one of their stops the Dixie Center for the Arts. Inside the lobby they would find  the walls and tables covered in years of woodcarvings by the Dugdemona Basin Woodcarvers Guild.

This group of artists have worked together for over twenty years in Jonesboro, Louisiana, beginning as a small interest group and growing into a collective of woodcarvers. The exhibit displays a variety of styles and techniques in wood carving, and it also shows the fun a creative side of this ancient art. Reliefs of eagles, walking canes with lovable characters such as E.T. and Uncle Sam, and Louisiana themed bowls, sculptures, and reliefs line the walls of the Dixie. The talents of its members shine through these works of art, especially in pieces like a walking cane entirely made up of carved train cars moving downward. If asked to pick which piece is their favorite in the show, they cannot simply pick one. They can, however, pull out a small Kodak photo album and flip through a few photographs of pieces that could not fit in the show, such as a totem pole that was a collaborative effort by the group.

The night ended with hundreds of maps being colored in and just a few cups of lemonade left, but the room was never empty with people to view the work. If you missed out on the first Dog Days of Summer, don't worry. This exhibit will last through the month of June, including the Ruston Peach Festival. Come see the wonderful art created by these local artists and celebrate twenty-five years of art with them.

The next Dog Days Art Crawl date is Wednesday, June 18, from 7-10pm. Stop in and see the Guild's work! July dates are the 9th and 30th, with featured artist Nina Stephens of Dubach.

Peach Art Exhibit Drop-Off Day This Thursday...Art Talk Monday

Today's Art Talk Monday is by Laura Hunt Miller, NCLAC Executive Assistant. I hope everyone has his or her Peach Art Exhibit entries ready, because we are less than a week away from “check in day!”

Children can compete in one of three Youth Categories for $20 to $75; Ages 9 and Under, Ages 10 to 13, and Ages 14 to 17. Adults may compete in 5 categories for $50 to $150; Drawing, Painting, Photography, Original Crafts, and the Miscellaneous Categorythat covers everything from printmaking and collage work, to digital art works and more.

Youth entrants may submit a total of 2 works per a child, for $10. Adults may enter no more than 2 works per a Category, for $20 per a Category. Anyone with a current NCLAC membership may receive $5 off his or her entry fee. If your family has a NCLAC Family Membership, then each family member that enters a piece into the Peach Art Exhibit may receive $5 off!

If you want to enter work into the Peach Art Exhibit, bring your work to the Ruston Civic Center at 401 North Trenton Street, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Thursday, June 19^th. If you do not already have an entry form filled out, there will be spare forms available at the Civic Center. Each work that is submitted must have a “Form A,” which will be given to the volunteers registering work into the show, and a “Form B,” which should be attached to your artwork in some way. If your piece is 2-dimensional please attach your form to the lower right back corner of your work.

Do not forget! ALL works that are intended to hang on the wall for display MUST HAVE a wire or sufficiently strong string (not hemp-like twine) properly attached to the back of the work. Duct tape and fishing wire are NOT proper methods or materials.  The example given here is the method we prefer entrants use to make sure their work does not fall off the wall during the show. Yes, is has happened before.

NCLAC would like to thank all our sponsors that make it possible for us to provide our local artists with this show and prizes. Thank you Community Trust Bank, The Peach 99.3, Kit Gilbert’s Studio 301, The Fashion, Bank of Ruston, Ponchatoulas, Catherine & Winston McVea, Kelly Moore Bag, Janine & Richard Lewis, Elizabeth English, Stitchville, Fine Line Arts Supply & Print Lab, Dawn & Edwin Pinkston, Donnie Bell Design, Kathy & Chris Stone, The Children’s Shoppe, David Hedgepeth Interiors, Nora’s Flowers, Nancy & John Wallace, Saul Zalesch, Pastry Moon, Frame of Mind, and Tom Boniol & Cathi Cox-Boniol!

A N(ick)LAC Post - Farmers Market

Today begins a new series of weekly posts by one of our summer interns, Nick Davis. Nick is working for us doing community research, so that we may better serve the needs of our region. 

Last Saturday, NCLAC was proud to have been present at Ruston's Farmers Market along with the numerous other vendors who came out to provide the community with their local produce. We volunteered at the station to give the kids present a little distraction with our arts and crafts. They created fish with paper plates, cherry blossom trees on construction paper and fish bowls with fish of their own hand prints.

However, the day was not necessarily a breeze as, early on, there weren't many people present due to the potential of rain. But as the day grew brighter and more people arrived, parents brought their kids and some kids dragged their parents over to the station to create something of their own.

It was more than apparent that the kids were enjoying themselves, whether they were focusing intensely on painting a red fish stripe or smiling joyfully as they dappled blossoms on their trees. This is the goal of NCLAC. We want to help build a culture and appreciation for the arts and it starts by reaching out to the surrounding areas and giving everyone a chance to be creative. Together, we can help establish a stronger presence of the arts in our communities.

NCLAC will again be present at the Farmers Market this upcoming Saturday. We invite you to come out and support the local vendors and their produce. And while you're there, come over and have some fun with art at our station.

Thanks so much to Laura Maggio, who donated her time and skills for three weeks at the NCLAC tent while Hillary Clary was away. Wonderful work, Laura! Thanks also to our other kids' tent volunteers: Marguerite Hogue, Bonnie Ferguson, Ariel Bzdil, and Martha Hartwell. Volunteerism is the Tony's for life! (tony chachere's that is....it makes everything better!)

Art Talk Monday: Keep the Arts Afloat!

This week's Art Talk Monday is written by Jessica Slaughter, NCLAC Executive Director. It’s the time of year when we at the North Central Louisiana Arts Council hold our Keep the Arts Afloat campaign. We’ve been doing this now for over fifteen years, and many of you know “it’s time” when you see Board President Peter Jones walk in for a visit holding a stack of tickets. These “tickets” keep our organization afloat, and give you the chance to win $5000.

You see, Keep the Arts Afloat is NCLAC’s primary fundraiser. It allows us to fulfill our mission in the region: to foster opportunities for creative expression, to establish a strong presence of the arts, and to share our cultural heritage. We believe the arts are a necessary enhancement for everyone, and that our lives and communities are made more vibrant through the presence of the arts.

We work within our mission in many ways. For one, we provide opportunities for artists to present their works, which in turn, gives the public the chance to enjoy and experience the art. Performances, readings and exhibitions fill our office calendar each year, and we post these online so that people can find interesting, cultural ways to spend their time. We also strive to inform artists of additional opportunities available to them. Information about grants, exhibition opportunities, competitions and more are disbursed to our member artists, as are potential commissions and contract job opportunities.

Next, we work for our region’s children, providing an introduction to art they may not receive at home or school. We’ve been offering summer arts camps for twenty-plus years, and when we see children return each year, from first through sixth grades, we know we’re doing it right. We also partner with the Dixie Center for the Arts and Ruston Civic Symphony Society each year on a School Performance Series, where a musician provides an exclusive educational performance for Lincoln Parish sixth graders.

NCLAC is very proud to assist wonderful community partners, such as Pine Hills Advocacy Center, where we coordinated an “artful renovation” through murals last year. We partner with the City of Ruston each year during our Holiday Arts Tour, and work with merchants to build our cultural economy and boost holiday sales. Seeds of Light in Homer, public libraries in Jonesboro, Arcadia and Farmerville, and the Boys and Girls Club of North Central Louisiana are additional groups with which we partner. We always enjoy art booths for children, so this summer we are offering art projects each Saturday at Ruston Farmers Market.

There are so many ways in which we work for the arts in our region. I’ve run out of room in this week’s article, and didn’t get to speak about Peach Art Exhibit, art crawls, the community variety show, or internships. If you want to know about these programs and more, explore our site at nclarts.org

Would you like to help Keep the Arts Afloat in north central Louisiana? Here are the details: we offer 250 tickets, for a $100 donation each, and in turn one lucky donor receives $5000 when we hold our drawing at the Peach Art Exhibit. If you’d like to make your donation, call or stop by our office inside the Dixie Center for the Arts at 212 North Vienna St. in downtown Ruston, (318)255-1450, or visit with a Board Member. We will have a winner…and it could be you! Either way, you can rest assured your donation will make a difference. We appreciate your support.

Dog Days of Summer - Art Crawls in downtown Ruston

Galleries and arts businesses will be participating in downtown Ruston’s Dog Days Art Crawls: June 4^th and 18^th, and July 9^th and 30^th. Arts enthusiasts are invited to each location to view work by local artists, enjoy live performances, and more. Participating sites include: Kelly Moore Bag, Makers Union, North Central LA Arts Council at the Dixie Center for the Arts, PAIR Gallery, Studio 301, Pastry Moon with Frame of Mind, Fine Line Art Supply with Stitchville, and Main Street Exchange.

Each location will feature its own art-happening, which will vary by location throughout the summer. Dog Days Art Crawl hours are 7-10pm, and the activities are free of charge.

Here at the Dixie Center for the June dates, NCLAC will be featuring fine woodworking by the Dudgedemona Woodcarving Guild of Jackson Parish. Members of the guild use techniques such as turning and carving to make beautiful art objects for the home.

Across the street at PAIR Gallery, Gallery Director MC Davis has assembled a show titled Local Art at Local Prices, featuring work by many of our region's artists...priced to sell.

Each of the participating locations will be open late, so enjoy these warm Wednesday nights and come out for the Dog Days Art Crawls!

For more information, contact the NCLAC office at nclac5@gmail.com, or by phone at (318)255-1450. For more details about activities, contact each location directly.

Art Talk Monday...on Tuesday

This week's Art Talk is written by Laura Hunt Miller, NCLAC's Executive Assistant Summer break is underway and parents everywhere are looking for ways to keep their kids occupied. If you have young ones ages 1^st through 6^th grade who love the arts, NCLAC’s Summer Art Camps are a great way for your children to spend a week this summer!

This summer NCLAC has three Summer Arts Camps: Ruston Camp 1, June 23-27; Ruston Camp 2, July 14-18; and Jonesboro Camp, July 7-11. For $65 dollars per child, your children will be supplied a daily snack, and instructed in 2D, 3D, and drama classes from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Monday through Friday the week of their camp session.

Local full-time drama instructor Beckie Huckaby will teach campers how to “become theatrical characters” during their drama classes, while Ruston Camp 1 and Jonesboro campers will make “accordion books” out of the 2D art projects they create in recent LA Tech MFA graduate Matthew Knopps’ classes. Ruston Camp 2 Instructor Lauren Dixon will teach her students how to create their own beautiful Impressionist “Monet Gardens” with acrylics and watercolor paints. These are just a few of projects in store for SAC campers! On Friday parents, family, and friends are invited to see the projects the kids have completed during their camp week, along with a theatrical performance the children have prepared in their drama classes. This is always a great confidence booster for the campers, and a fun event for the whole family.

All campers must be pre-registered for their camp session to assure space and materials are available. To register your young ones call the NCLAC office at (318) 255-1450 during our office hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or go to our website “Applications & Forms” page at www.nclarts.org/applications/ to download a registration form, and mail it to NCLAC, or drop it off at the Dixie Center for the Arts in Ruston, at 212 N. Vienna Street. We hope to see you and your campers this summer!

NCLAC would like to thank all of the Pick Your Picasso sponsors who donated a free week of camp this summer to kids who would have otherwise been unable to take advantage of this great creative summer learning experience. Thank you Ruston Kiwanis Club, John Emory Jr., Elizabeth English, Peter Jones, KLS Physics Group, T.L. James & Company, Hazel Hunter, Julie Roane, Shelly and Edwin Edgerton, Benjamin Denny, Yvette and John Broocks, Tom Boniol and Cathi Cox-Boniol, Jonathan Donehoo, Ruston Sunrise Kiwanis, Brittany Spencer, Carolyn Lewis, Julie Hardie Kaczvinsky, Diane and Dean Dablow, Nancy and John Wallace, Beth Holland, Quota International, and Dorene and Richard Kordal.

Peach Festival Art Exhibit - One Month Away!

  Today's Art Talk Monday is written by Laura Hunt Miller, NCLAC Executive Assistant.

     It’s almost time for NCLAC’s 27^th Annual Peach Art Exhibit!  Artists of all ages may enter their artwork into the show on Thursday, June 19^th, at the Ruston Civic Center, between 9am-4pm. Every year this is a fantastic showing of our region’s talent, including crafts, photography, paintings and drawings.

     If you are interested in entering artwork in the exhibit, there are three Youth categories, and five Adult categories that are outlined on the PAE Entry Form, which can be found on the NCLAC website here, or on the Ruston Chamber of Commerce website. And remember, all 2-dimensional works must be framed and wired to hang on the wall to be eligible to enter!

     The Peach Art Exhibit Opening Reception will be held at the Civic Center on Sunday, June 22^nd, from 3-4pm, where we'll present awards. The show will remain on display through the weekend of the Peach Festival.

     NCLAC would love to thank our 2014 PAE Award Sponsors who are providing for this year’s awards: Community Trust Bank, The Peach 99.3, Kit Gilbert’s Studio 301, The Fashion, Bank of Ruston, Ponchatoulas, Catherine & Winston McVea, Kelly Moore Bag, Janine & Richard Lewis, Elizabeth English, Stitchville, Fine Line Arts Supply & Print Lab, Dawn & Edwin Pinkston, Donnie Bell Design, Kathy & Chris Stone, The Children’s Shoppe, David Hedgepeth Interiors, Nora’s Flowers, Nancy & John Wallace, Dianne Douglas & Saul Zalesch, Pastry Moon, Frame of Mind, and Tom Boniol & Cathi Cox-Boniol. 

**The following piece is now past-tense. However, you may contact Main Street Exchange's owner, Jane Watts, for an appointment to see her shop: mainstreetexchangeinfo@gmail.com 

Happening this weekend is an artist’s reception for Ed Pinkston at Main Street Exchange Occasional Shop in Ruston. Pinkston is exhibiting a range of works, including current abstracts as well as drawings from his time spent teaching in Rome. Shop hours this weekend are 10- 5pm Friday and Saturday. As a special treat, tomorrow you can mix and mingle with Ed at “Coffee with the Artist,” from 11-noon. Located at 122 S. Trenton, this unique shop is open two weekends each month. The shop always features an artist, and supports a charity.  This month’s proceeds go to the Junior Auxiliary’s Methodist Children’s Home Project.

**Going till June 19! There's still time to sing!

Also of note, area women are getting the chance to attend a free singing school offered by Piney Hills Harmony Chorus of Sweet Adelines. The sessions began May 15 and will continue each Thursday through June 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian Church of Ruston, 212 N. Bonner. Participants can attend any or all of the sessions free of charge.

Sessions include instruction on expressiveness, breath control, resonance, vocal placement, dynamics, vowels and other topics. The class is conducted in a group setting, and chorus director Sheila Nugent describes the approach as "user-friendly." Women of all ages and with all voice ranges are welcome; the ability to read music is not required.

In addition to learning techniques to improve their singing, participants will learn – alongside the chorus – a cappella versions of "Life Is a Highway," "Bless This House," "Lazy Day" and "God Bless the USA."

More information can be found at www.pineyhillsharmony.org or by calling Nugent at (318) 237-3331.

Between 13 Beings - LA Tech Studio BFA Exhibition

It’s time again for Louisiana Tech’s Annual BFA exhibition, and you're invited!

You are invited to the upcoming show, “Between 13 Beings,” featuring work by thirteen graduating seniors of Louisiana Tech's School of Art. The reception will be held Thursday, May 15th, from 5 to 7 p.m. The exhibition and reception are free of charge and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

 

The exhibition includes a full-range of media, including paintings, drawings, printmaking, photography, digital arts and mixed media.

 

  

 

These thirteen talented artists will be showing some of their incredible work:

Ashley Baker

Michael Broussard

Ariel Bzdil

Hillary Clary    *NCLAC intern!

Thomas Faulkner

Ellen Frautschi

Shane Greer

Sienna Haralson

Madison Kunz

Jennifer Nasser

Mike Nelson

Jordyn Riedmiller

Kelvin Spears    *NCLAC volunteer!

The event will be catered by restaurants from our surrounding area, including:

Social Bites

Jonny's Pizza

Arby's

 

 

Head to the School of Art Building after work and see the show!

Art Talk Monday... Ruston Reflections

Today's Art Talk Monday is written by Jessica Slaughter, NCLAC Executive Director.

I was filled with so many positive emotions last week at Ruston’s first Downtown Gallery Crawl. I simply could not stop smiling. As a former resident of Monroe, and as an arts-worker, I am very familiar with the Downtown Monroe Gallery Crawls. They are fun, they’re well attended, they get great publicity-- and they use a LOT of Lincoln parish talent. So when Bonnie Ferguson of Pastry Moon told me a couple of months ago that she and some other arts-businesses were planning a Spring Gallery Crawl in Ruston, I was thrilled. In working for NCLAC, and with my relationship to Louisiana Tech’s College of Liberal Arts, I see firsthand the abundance of talent we have in our area. We have the artists, we have a beautiful downtown, and we have a community of people who support cultural programming, so it’s befitting that we should have art crawls.

One of my favorite NCLAC events is our long-running Holiday Arts Tour. One reason I enjoy it so much is that it allows me to interact with our artists and merchants in a personal way, and I get to invite others to share this experience. I feel a tremendous sense of pride in being a Ruston resident, and I really enjoy working downtown. For many of you, though, downtown isn’t part of your routine. You work elsewhere, you shop across town, you get caught up in life’s tight schedule, and before long you realize the flowers have changed in the planters and there are two new shops you didn’t know existed.

So back to the Crawl. Being with the public in our lovely downtown on a beautiful Louisiana spring evening looking at art, listening to music, and visiting with creatives was just what I needed. Apparently it was what many of us needed, as I’ve heard people talking about it all week. Ruston’s first Spring Gallery Crawl was a wonderful blend of community and university, and there was a mix of people both familiar and unfamiliar. I felt so proud for the arts-related merchants who joined together to build this evening. I was pleased with our residents, in that crowds of people came out to show support, many of whom made unique purchases that directly affect the lives of people in our community. I was excited for the artists who sold artwork. I was happy to be able to bring my kids to an event that was fun for me as well as them. And when it was over, I was grateful to be in MY town, not on the road driving home from Monroe.

There are plans underway for other Ruston “art crawls,” and NCLAC will help inform you of these in our weekly Art Talk article. If you missed last Friday’s event, be sure you don’t miss the next one. And if you attended last week, thanks for helping to make such a perfect night for so many, myself included. 

National Call for Entries - NightVisions V

The Flagstaff Arts Council invites artists to submit entries for NightVisions V. The exhibition will run from Sep. 20 - Oct. 29, 2014. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2014.

 

 

Here is a brief summary:

More than two-thirds of Americans live where they can no longer see the Milky Way galaxy because of light pollution. We have grown so isolated from night that in much of our culture it has become alien and fearful. NightVisions V seeks to re-open our positive connections to the natural night and to bridge the divide separating artistic from scientific perception, promoting the idea that science and art are two intertwined aspects of human experience.

 

More information about the Flagstaff Arts Council organization and the call for entries and application can be found on their website

NCLAC Needs Your Help to Keep our Kids Creating!

 

The North Central Louisiana Arts Council is holding an Art Supply Drive and it needs your help!

Every year NCLAC works hard to provide year-round opportunities for kids of all ages to participate in art-inspired events, from making their own seasonal crafts and tie-dyed clothing, to basic drawing and painting classes.

NCLAC relies on donations to furnish most of its art supplies, and this summer it anticipates exhausting its supply as it holds a series of children’s arts and crafts projects at the Ruston’s Farmers Market, held each Saturday morning in downtown Ruston.

NCLAC needs unused packages of construction paper, drawing paper, newsprint paper, fabric markers, fine tip markers, fat tip markers, Sharpie markers, acrylic paint, watercolor paint, tempera paint, foam brushes, oil pastels, chalk pastels, scotch tape, masking tape, Elmer’s glue, glue sticks, and baby wipes. Any donation is very much appreciated, big or small!

Donations may be brought to the NCLAC tent at the Ruston Farmer’s Market from 8:30-11:30am on Saturdays, or to the Dixie Center for the Arts Lobby from 10am-2pm Monday-Thursday.

Please call 318-255-1450, or email nclac5@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Art Talk Monday

This week's Art Talk Monday, mentioning last week's theatre performance at LA Tech, and THIS WEEK's musical performance of Jazzland at the Dixie Center for the Arts.  I want to tell you about two great opportunities for entertainment in town that you shouldn’t miss! First up, this weekend Louisiana Tech’s Department of Theatre is performing  The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This show is a long one-act musical comedy written by Rachel Sheinkin, with music and lyrics by William Finn, and directed by Cherrie Sciro, Coordinator of Theatre at LA Tech. As the winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, this show follows six students of Putnam Valley Middle School as they compete in the annual spelling bee. However, this is not the average contest as audience members will be selected to participate in the bee. With the competition on, it is a fight to the finish as only one student can be v-i-c-t-o-r-i-o-u-s. The show opened on Wednesday, and will run through Saturday, May 3. Call the Howard Auditorium Box Office at (318)257-3942 for ticket information. Musical comedy at Tech is not to be missed!

Next, on Friday, May 9^th, the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of North Louisiana will present their annual fundraiser JAZZLAND. All funds generated from the event will go directly to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Louisiana.

Starting the show will be Dr. Larry Pannell and the Grambling State University Faculty Jazz Ensemble.  Dr. Pannell formed a talented group of former and current Grambling State musicians from all over the country.  “Their jazz stylings were the hit of last year’s JAZZLAND and we are excited they have agreed to come back this year!” Janet Wilson, Director of Resource Development of the Boys and Girls Club, said. “This may be my favorite performance ever at the Dixie! They are playing everything from Barbara Streisand’s, The Way We Were to Al Green’s Lets Stay Together. This group is amazingly talented and if you miss THIS CONCERT- you are really missing something GREAT!” 

Headlining the evening is Marc Broussard, a singer-songwriter hailing from Lafayette. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots. In his career, he has released five studio albums and one EP, and has charted twice on Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks.  Marc and his band are known for their relentless touring and high energy shows that have won them legions of fans.

Tickets ($30 balcony seats and $40 floor seats) may be purchased online at on the Boys and Girls Club’s website, www.bgcncl.org and at the Boys and Girls Club located at 300 Memorial Drive, Ruston. Doors open at 6:45pm and the show begins at 7:00. An after party sponsored and held by Sundown Tavern will immediately follow.

So there you have it, folks. Two more top-quality arts performances right here in Ruston. And as a reminder, tonight is Ruston Community Theatre’s performance of All Because of Agatha at 7pm, as well as the Spring Gallery Crawl from 6-9pm, and the MFA reception for Construct  from 6-8pm. Visit our blog at nclac.wordpress.com for more details.

On tap this weekend...

Looking to make it an art-full weekend? Here's a list of happenings: VISUAL ART - Friday (tonight!)

BFA opening reception, Construct, at Rawle Enterprise Center, 6-8pm, 509 West Alabama. Annual show featuring graduating students in LA Tech's Photography program. Featured artists: Whitney Caskey, Austin Elgin, Morgan Kee, Hannah Merritt, Charles C. Rhea, Kevin H. Reddic Jr., Shradha Sharma-Bhandari, Cecily A. Stevenson

Ruston's Spring Gallery Crawl, on and near West Alabama in downtown Ruston, 6-9pm. Featured locations/artists: Makers Union- featuring the works of Mary Boothe Dunn; Percussive Arts Institute of Ruston (PAIR) - a student showcase performance followed by a talk about upcoming events, activities and class offerings; PAIR Gallery- presenting The Art of Music, an exhibition showcasing local art based on the concept and process of music; Fine Line Art Supply - featuring the intaglio work of Hillary Clary; Pastry Moon - showcasing the work of Whitney Caskey; Frame of Mind - presenting the cooperative works of the Artist Alliance from Louisiana Tech University.

THEATRE - Tonight (and beyond...at least for a couple more days)

All Because of Agatha, Ruston Community Theatre's spring production, directed by Billy Chandler. 7pm Friday and Saturday, 2pm Sunday. $12 for adults, $6 for students, at the Dixie Center for the Arts. In All Because of Agatha, set in 1974, Duff and Joan O’Hara relocate from California to Salem, Massachusetts. The historical property the real estate agent shows them has a suspiciously low price. They learn that in 1692 Agatha Forbes, accused of witchcraft, was burned to death right where the house sits, but before she died she swore she would come back every year on that date and terrorize the occupants right out the front door. In short, the house was haunted. Joan, a big fan of the occult, thinks that a resident witch is a great, challenging addition to the house and she persuades Duff that this is the perfect place for them. So of course Joan plans a party for the September date when Agatha will allegedly appear.

The cast includes actors Anna Alexander, Debbie Allen, Kevin Cuccia, Dusty Hampton, Hilary Hileman, Brenda Mitchell, Dixie Mitchell, Heather Peterson, Terry Stepp and Michael Tannerhill.

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, LA Tech Department of Theatre's spring musical, directed by Cherrie Sciro, at Howard Auditorium on the LA Tech campus. Tonight and Saturday at 7:30. General Admission $20, Students with ID $10, Youth & Seniors $15, Groups (10 persons or more) $10/person. Winner of 2005 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee follows six students of Putnam Valley Middle School as they compete in the annual spelling bee. However, this is not the average contest as audience members will be selected to participate in the bee. With the competition on, it is a fight to the finish as only one student can be v-i-c-t-o-r-i-o-u-s!

Coming up Friday! in this week's Art Talk Monday

This week's Art Talk Monday is written by Jessica Slaughter, NCLAC Executive Director Friday night there will be several facets of our artistic community on display simultaneously, which will make for a wonderful weekend. We have such a rich artistic environment in our region, with a wealth of professional artists as well as student artists.  We are lucky to be a “university town” with such great programs in the arts. Theatre, music, visual arts, architecture, and literature each add considerable depth, beauty and warmth to our cultural landscape. In addition, we have many professional artists living in our region who create music, paintings, quilts, sculpture, photographs and more. Some of these artists travel and exhibit worldwide. It’s easy to take one’s home turf for granted, and to miss opportunities for experiencing the wealth of talent we have in our own backyard.  Next Friday is an opportunity not to miss this talent.

The annual BFA Photography Exhibition will be having its opening reception at the Rawle Enterprise Center, 509 West Alabama Avenue, from 6 till 8pm. The show, titled Construct, features work by: Whitney Caskey, Austin Elgin, Morgan Kee, Hannah Merritt, Charles C. Rhea, Kevin H Reddic Jr., Shradha Sharma-Bhandari and Cecila A. Stevenson. The exhibition will be on display through May 23^rd, weekdays from 8am till 5pm. More information about this can be found by emailing Dorene Kordal at dorene@latech.edu  This reception and exhibition are free to the public.

Drive down West Alabama into downtown Ruston for a Spring Gallery Crawl, from 6-9pm. The public is invited to view new work from local artists, live performances, and enjoy tasty snacks and beverages. Each of the galleries and arts businesses is nestled conveniently on or near West Alabama Avenue, so visitors can park, walk and enjoy the spring evening. The following locations will be participating: Makers Union- featuring the works of Mary Boothe Dunn; Percussive Arts Institute of Ruston (PAIR) - a student showcase performance followed by a talk about upcoming events, activities and class offerings; PAIR Gallery- presenting The Art of Music, an exhibition showcasing local art based on the concept and process of music; Fine Line Art Supply - featuring the intaglio work of Hillary Clary; Pastry Moon - showcasing the work of Whitney Caskey; and Frame of Mind - presenting the cooperative works of the Artist Alliance from Louisiana Tech University. For more information about the Spring Gallery Crawl, email shop owner Bonnie Ferguson at pastrymoonsoaps@yahoo.com or visit any of the galleries during normal business hours. This gallery crawl event is free to the public.

In addition to the visual arts and music that have been mentioned, NCLAC’s partner, Ruston Community Theatre, will be holding its spring production, All Because of Agatha. The comedy, which tells the story of a couple, a haunting, and a bewitching party, begins at 7pm. The performance will also be held on Thursday, May 1, Saturday, May 3, and Sunday (matinee performance.) Tickets are $6 for students, $12 for adults, and they are available at the Dixie Box Office, (318)255-1450,as well as at the door the night of the show. While in the Dixie Lobby waiting on the performance, be sure to note the artwork on display, as it is a collection of works from the Bienville Parish Talented Art Students, taught by Caleb Clark. NCLAC coordinates with the Dixie Center for the Arts to display artwork from regional art groups.

All too soon it will be hot and steamy, and we won’t want to be out and about. Enjoy the Louisiana springtime, enjoy the fun happenings that are scheduled, and enjoy what our special town has to offer.

Three opportunities for Louisiana Artists...

Here are a few opportunities for exhibitions around the state...

First, just next door to Lincoln Parish, the Monroe-West Monroe Convention and Visitors Bureau is holding their annual Wish You Were Here photo contest. Here's a link to the details. The deadline is April 30. Top cash prize is $300. Surely some of our photographers out there have amazing photos that have been taken in Ouachita Parish. Find them and submit!

Next, The Walls Project is holding a Call to Artists for its 2015-16 projects.The Walls Project began as a small grassroots movement in Baton Rouge in 2012 and has grown into an organization whose mission is to stimulate the creative arts economy across the globe by delivering public art works that inspire urban and rural beautification, dialogue and unity. The Walls Project uses a collaborative approach with local communities, where partners select from a pool of juried artists and work with an experienced Design Team to create public art works ranging from abstract-figurative-realistic murals to large-scale sculptures. 

Their search is on for world-class muralists, sculptors, LED lighting and 4D video projectionists to add to the Walls' current pool of artists. Selection is based on a range of criteria including conceptual and aesthetic quality and feasibility of project completion; artists with documented public art projects will be given primary consideration. Visit this link to apply. 

Finally, it's time for Art Melt! Forum 35's Art Melt is the largest multi-media, juried art exhibit in the state of Louisiana. Now in its 11th year, Art Melt strives to promote professional artists throughout the state of Louisiana while providing an opportunity for the public to experience the best of local fine art, music, and performing arts. This show is open to Louisiana resident artists only. This year's deadline is June 1st. First place award is $2000. Here's how to apply. 

A Haunted Weekend is just around the corner...this week's Art Talk Monday

RCT Unveils Witchy Comedy

All Because of Agatha

By Hilary Hileman, Board Member Ruston Community Theatre, actress All Because of Agatha 

Ruston Community Theatre’s next production, the witty comedy All Because of Agatha, written by playwright Jonathan Troy, will debut at The Dixie Center for the Arts on May 1^st and run through May 4^th and is sponsored by Woodard & Clement Law Offices.

In All Because of Agatha, set in 1974, Duff and Joan O’Hara relocate from California to Salem, Massachusetts.  The historical property the real estate agent shows them has a suspiciously low price. They learn that in 1692 Agatha Forbes, accused of witchcraft, was burned to death right where the house sits, but before she died she swore she would come back every year on that date and terrorize the occupants right out the front door. In short, the house was haunted. Joan, a big fan of the occult, thinks that a resident witch is a great, challenging addition to the house and she persuades Duff that this is the perfect place for them. So of course Joan plans a party for the September date when Agatha will allegedly appear.

The cast includes actors Anna Alexander, Debbie Allen, Kevin Cuccia, Dusty Hampton, Hilary Hileman, Brenda Mitchell, Dixie Mitchell, Heather Peterson, Terry Stepp and Michael Tannerhill.

After All Because of Agatha, Ruston Community Theatre has one remaining production for the season: The award-winning musical The Sound of Music, which will run from July 10-13. Tickets for each of RCT’s productions are $12 at the door for adults and $6 for students/children. Visit RCT’s website at www.rctruston.org, on Facebook at www.facebook/RustonCommunityTheatre, and on Twitter @RustonCoTheatre.

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The NCLAC office would like to announce our summer interns: Hillary Clary, Art Education; Nicholas Davis, Community Engagement; Tess Stickney, Gallery Coordinator; and Rosalynne Fluty, Graphic Design. These young talents will be out and about in our community, working hard for their futures. Welcome aboard!

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Next week, the NCLAC office will be gone to Baton Rouge for Culture Connection, the Office of Cultural Development’s annual assembly of Louisiana’s culture stakeholders. This is a general assembly in which Louisiana’s cultural workforce meets to discuss the state of the arts, as well as hold break-out meetings and workshops in our respective fields. Those convening include professionals in the fields of archaeology, arts, French language, historic preservation and more. The agenda also includes addresses from state and national leaders, the Louisiana Culture Awards, and visits with legislators.

Art Talk Monday: It's Summer Arts Camp Time!

This week's Art Talk Monday is from Jessica Slaughter, NCLAC Executive Director. NCLAC is excited for the upcoming summer months, because summer equals art camps! For over twenty years we have been offering art camps in our region, with talented teachers and interesting projects. This year we have three camps scheduled: Ruston 1, June 23-27; Jonesboro, July 7-11; and Ruston 2, July 14-18. Our camps are for students who will be entering 2^nd through 7^th grades in the fall. Each camp runs Monday through Friday, 9am-noon, and the camp fee includes all supplies and a daily snack. $60 covers tuition if you pay and register by May 1^st; $65 is the camp fee after May 1^st.

We have wonderful teachers lined up this year, including some who teach in area schools. Lauren Dixon of Dubach School will be teaching at Ruston 2, and Adrian Gibson, from Talented Art in Ouachita Parish, will be teaching at Ruston 1. Artist Matthew Knopps will be back again, as will fiber artist Rachel Johnston. We are excited to welcome Beckie Huckaby of Cedar Creek School, who will be leading our Drama classes. Bethany Raybourn of Farmerville High School will be working as camp coordinator again this year, keeping everyone fed and on track. There are other teachers, assistants, and NCLAC interns who will be working diligently to ensure each camp’s success.

This great team will be leading campers in two-dimensional art, three-dimensional art, and drama. Each week when camp ends, we hold a “Final Friday” presentation, where campers display the week’s artwork and hold a short performance they’ve prepared in drama. Friends and family are invited, and it’s a perfect way to end a week full of creativity.

We are very appreciative of the support we receive from our local partners who provide space for our camps. First Baptist Church of Ruston is offering classrooms for the Ruston camps again this year, as is United Methodist in Jonesboro. We work hard to keep our camps affordable for children, and the donation of classroom space is a huge asset in this goal.

One of my favorite things when organizing these camps is rounding up our volunteer assistants. Each year we have parents call and say, “My child has aged out of camp but has loved going for so many years. Can he/she assist?” For me, this is the mark of a successful program: parents trust us to care for and inspire their children, send them to us year after year, and then when they get older, the teens want to come back and volunteer to continue the art camp tradition. It’s a lovely cycle.

So, if your children or grandchildren attend NCLAC Summer Arts Camps each year, now is the time to register! And if your kids have never attended a NCLAC Summer Arts Camp, this is a great year to begin!

You may download a registration form here from our site, nclarts.org, or call our office at the Dixie Center for the Arts, (318)255-1450.

Marc Broussard to be Featured at JAZZLAND in Ruston

From our friends at the Boys and Girls Club of North Louisiana. This will be a great concert, so mark your calendars for May 9. Ticket purchasing details are found below: The Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of North Louisiana will present their annual fundraiser JAZZLAND, a benefit concert for the Boys and Girls Club on May 9th at the Dixie Center for the Arts in Ruston, LA. The concert will feature noted Southern-rock/soul artist Marc Broussard and open with a performance from Dr. Larry Pannell and the Grambling State University Faculty Jazz Ensemble. All funds generated from the event will go directly to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Louisiana.

Tickets ($30 balcony seats and $40 floor seats) may be purchased online at on the Boys and Girls Club’s website, www.bgcncl.org and at the Boys and Girls Club located at 300 Memorial Drive, Ruston. Doors open at 6:45pm and the show begins at 7:00. An after party sponsored and held by Sundown Tavern will immediately follow.

Marc Broussard is a singer-songwriter hailing from Lafayette, La. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots. In his career, he has released five studio albums and one EP, and has charted twice on Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks.  Marc and his band are known for their relentless touring and high energy shows that have won them legions of fans.  They have performed sold out shows in thousand plus capacity venues around the country, have been regulars on the festival circuit and have toured with such artists as Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, Ronnie Raitt and Willie Nelson, to name a few.

 “We are very excited to bring such a talented artist to Ruston,” said Jazzland committee chair Karen Gordon. “We hope Marc will help us sell out the Dixie and raise as much as possible for the Boys and Girls Club.”

Starting the show will be Dr. Larry Pannell and the Grambling State University Faculty Jazz Ensemble.  Dr. Pannell formed a talented group of former and current Grambling State musicians from all over the country.  “Their jazz stylings were the hit of last year’s JAZZLAND and we are excited they have agreed to come back this year!” Janet Wilson, Director of Resource Development of the Boys and Girls Club, said. “This may be my favorite performance ever at the Dixie! They are playing everything from Barbara Streisand’s, The Way We Were to Al Green’s Lets Stay Together. This group is amazingly talented and if you miss THIS CONCERT- you are really missing something GREAT!” Dr. Pannell graduated from GSU with his undergraduate degree and his Masters degree in Music from LA Tech University. He went on to study at The American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, IL and he and a classmate were the first Black men to graduate from the institute.

For more information please visit www.bgcncl.org or call 318-255-2242.