Art Gallery
One thing that we do every six weeks is host an art gallery opening. Yes, we are an art gallery, kind of. We don’t have stark white walls and an empty shell of a space for viewing, but we do have tons of original art. This all started in July of 2012 and has grown continually since then.
After moving back from NYC and spending enough time in the store to decide I really wanted to be here forever, I noticed our artwork. It was pretty, but it had no soul. Everything was a reproduction that had been found at market and could wind up in multiple stores, or you could even end up having the same thing as your next door neighbor. I decided this was simply not ok, especially not in Mississippi where we have a huge wealth of talented artists. So after putting every piece of reproduction art on sale at a serious discount, I found 5 local artists with varied styles to be a part of our first gallery. It was amazing how it all came together. They delivered beautiful abstract paintings, realistic still life paintings, amazing photography, and somehow it all came together like a giant puzzle and filled our store. We had a huge turnout at our first cocktail reception….who doesn’t like a free drink or two after work and a chance to visit with their friends and potentially do some shopping while they are at it?
After our first successful show, we started rolling them out every six weeks. This is a lot of work, but because it changes so frequently the store always looks fresh and different. In retail, different is good, it keeps everyone on their toes and you notice something new each time you walk through the door.
This keeps me constantly on the road… for some strange reason, I tell every artist I will pick up and return their artwork to them. It can sometimes be a logistical nightmare to make it happen but let’s just say I have seen parts of Mississippi that the rest of you may not have!
Then comes the hanging! Lagniappe is an old house and that is what I love so much about it. Its cozy and it brings the art to life. People can visualize the art in their home because of the way we put it together. We pick the best looking combination of furniture, lighting, and artwork to make it look amazing. Making the artwork look its best means we have to rearrange nonstop and also means a plethora of holes in our walls. I am afraid to see what the painter will charge to repair them all. Last art gallery we rehung 76 paintings within a span of two days. I considered the up and down on the ladder and the stretching to new heights a workout. I thank God on days like those that I am tall!
Hanging a final piece before the show…..
Kathy laying out the grid in the great room, or “puzzling” as we have started calling our art hanging.
I love having access to all these artists and bringing their work to the Delta. When we started the art gallery, Mom and I said we would buy one of each artists work between the two of us. Sadly that was an expensive habit and we ran out of wall space in our homes, but we did snag some pretty amazing artwork before we ran out of money.
Our last show marked our second anniversary of our art gallery! We introduced the Delta to seven new artists: Lois Arrechea, Katherine Reed, Sarah Robertson, (a mother and her two daughters), Emyo (aka- Emily Ozier), MC Davis (Mary Catherine Davis),Don Norris, and Judy Vandergift. It was a great show, and our guests commented this one may have been there most favorite one yet! I am not sure if it was these artists in particular, the combination of artwork, or the way we rearranged the store, but six paintings found new homes. We will have these pieces in store until September when we launch our next show. If you missed it, stop by at anytime to see these artists, plus our “regulars” that we keep around all the time!
Walk in our front door where you are greeted by Emyo’s artwork mixed with a few pieces by Stephanie Eggelston Harrover, Ellen Langford, and Cameron Knight Watson.
Downstairs our great room boasts larger pieces by Bradley Gordon, MC Davis, and Cathy Hegman.
Above the mantle hangs “Duck Dog” by Sarah Robertson, this will surely find a home in one of the Delta’s many hunting cabins.
Our colorful hallway has a mix of bold colors and several artists including Lee Gibson, John Robinette, and Jamie Tate.
Downstairs wall holds a mix of pieces by Judy Vandergrift, Grace Buchanan, Joan Griswold, and Lois Arrecha. The center table includes photographs by Don Norris.
Check out our artist page for a list of some pretty fab artists that we keep in store, and some that have come and gone, luckily we keep in touch with all of them and can get you whatever you may need!