City hosts annual art walk

Photo by: Breaux Bridge Area Chamber of Commerce

BREAUX BRIDGE – On Nov. 29, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, all of downtown becomes a vibrant artists’ quarter when the Breaux Bridge Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual Art Walk and Merchants’ Open House, featuring the works of some 30 artists ranging from folk to funk, from chainsaw sculpture to worked metal and from functional to aesthetic, and including film and literary works.
“With the Thanksgiving weekend being traditionally a time when family comes ‘home for the holidays,’ we wanted to offer visitors and natives alike a welcoming option to the hectic shopping experience,” says organizer Liz Simon Dejean.
Highlighted at this year’s art walk is celebrated glass artist Ginger Kelly, who has built a cottage industry in creating and manufacturing functional but artistic glassware.
Born in Northern California, she spent many years in Seattle, working in the area’s large art-glass community. She moved to Breaux Bridge from Mandeville two years after Hurricane Katrina.
Her works include glass jewelry, tableware, drinking glasses, vases, tabletops and other usable glassworks. Other artists exhibiting at her gallery will include jewelry artist Christy Decker, blown glass artist Jesse Kelly, and photographer Harriet Bloom.
Rue de le Pont Galerie and Studio at 123 Bridge Street will feature the work of landscape artist Lue Svendson whose paintings capture a feeling of warm realism with old world artistry in an impressionistic style. Fellow artist Sidney Creaghan will also be featured.
Filmmakers Connie Castille and Allison Bohl, co-producers of the documentary short “Raised on Rice and Gravy,” will be headquartered at the Coffee Break on North Main Street. Castille, a native of Breaux Bridge, received her BA in Philosophy in 1996 and her MA in Folklore Studies in 2007 from UL at Lafayette.
Also at the Coffee Break are native sons Kelly Guidry, wood sculptor, and folk artists and brothers William and Shine Sonnier, better known as Leroy’s Boys.
Other works displayed at this popular gathering spot include blacksmith art by Coco Brown, clay and wood by Lori Henderson, and photography by Susan Sibille.
At Impressions on South Main Street, Rheta Grimsley Johnson will be on hand to sign her book “Poor Man’s Provence.” And local chef Colt Patin will be signing his cookbook “Real Cajun Real Good.”
Another featured artist will be Breaux Bridge native Boogie Hebert. Inspired by the memory of his late father, noted artist Earl Hebert. Boogie’s strong light, bright colors and lively composition might be influenced by the work of his dad, but the primitive style is all his own. Main Street Antiques will exhibit Hebert’s work.
A photography exhibit by Karen Simon, also a native of Breaux Bridge, will be featured at the walk. The series of photographs entitled “Racounter” depicts familiar images of her hometown and can be viewed at Simon’s Pharmacy on North Main.
The roster of featured artist also includes: Liz Juneau (at Al Simon’s Cajun Microwaves. South Main) with oil-on-canvas landscapes; Susan Carver, metal work artist (Flowers & Flowers on North Main Street); fine art jewelry by Liz Juneau (Upstairs Frames and Photos, South Main); hand-painted books by Season Bivens (Upstairs Frames and Photos); Cassidy Breaux, acrylics on large canvasses (Le Napoleon Antiques, Bridge Street); watercolorist Linda Moncla (the Clock Shop, Bridge Street); black and white artist Corey Scott Fischer (Precious Past Antiques, South Main); pottery by Tori Alexander (Jeanne’s, Bridge Street); photographer Susan Leger (Angelle’s Ice Cream Parlor, South Main).
The Art Walk and Merchants’ Open House will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downtown shop owners offer refreshments for shoppers as they browse through unique gift items for that perfect Christmas gift.
For more information, visit www.breauxbridgelive.com.