Louisiana Contemporary Opening Kickoff

Invite Only Friday Night Opening—Susan, Tatham and I attended the opening of the Ogden Museum's Louisiana Contemporary 2022 last night. We got a chance to see all of the wonderful art that was selected by Juror Valerie Cassel Oliver to represent contemporary artists from around the State of Louisiana at this year's exhibit. And let me tell you, wow, what a show!

We were especially proud to see where Susan's painting Tennis Court was hung, just outside in the hallway of Halis Gallery to greet everyone that enters and say goodby to everyone departing. She also sits facing the glass wall that looks out onto the 5th floor balcony. This gives her tons of wonderful light during the day that she looks so great in.

Rubbing elbows—Of course, most people we saw last night we didn't know but we did get a chance to meet artist Peter Barnitz and his wife who knows our daughter Tate through their sorority at Loyola University.

Saturday Morning Tour—We were back up again this morning at 11am to take the first tour with Ms Cassel Oliver and hear how she came to select the works for the show. To our surprise and delight, the tour formed in the afore mentioned hallway right in front of Susan's Tennis Court painting.

So, after brief introductions by Ogden Executive Director William Pittman Andrews and Juror Valerie Cassel Oliver, I got the courage up to raise my hand and kindly ask Ms Valerie if my wife Susan could go first since we were all gathered there already and she warmly agreed. 

Susan then stepped up (with a lump in her throat and a tear in her eye) and gave a two minute brief on her background and how she came to create Tennis Court. Valerie followed up with her thoughts and impressions on the painting and why she chose it, which was what the three of us have been dying to hear for two weeks!

We then continued in this format around the Helis Gallery, letting each artist in the room speak about their work with Valerie following up with her thoughts.

Here are the artist that spoke at our 11am tour today with the best link that I could find on Google to represent their work. I tried to link to the actual piece when possible:
Musa Alves, Central City Cowboys
Julie Glass, Removal of R.E. Lee Memorial
James Goedert, Stan Danley's Stress Ball Stand
Rozalyn Lecompte, Mercy
Joshua Mintz, I Can Hear Your Dirt
Kelsey Scult, Short Film, dehydrated orange peels, resiin, thread
Paige Valente, Black Truck

The tour was very uplifting and almost church-like to me. Susan and I felt like we were 20-something again and back at the Art Institute listening to critiques of other artist's works and taking an art history lecture all at the same time. It was also interesting to put a face and personality to each work of art that I had seen the night before.

Again, we hope that you will come and see Susan's Tennis Court at the Ogden Museum soon. Tonight is also coincidentally White Linen Night and they are expecting a large turnout for this evening. The exhibition will be up until January 6, 2023.

We at Haven have also created several promotional merchandise pieces for the Ogden Museum Gift Shop that will be for sale next week including T-shirts, hand sculptures and canvas prints. I plan to feature them here on our next post so stay tuned.

Finally, if you would like to see more paintings by Susan Havens-Morris, contact us for a private showing at our studio on Orleans Street by calling 504-657-2851 or send us an email at office@havenamerica.com. See ya soon!