Tucked among Square 46’s mix of restaurants, apartments and retail is a new art gallery launching this week. At a grand opening this Thursday, July 21, local art shop Mid-City Artisans is debuting Gallery 46, located one floor above its store. After or before a meal at neighboring Bistro Byronz and Tap 65, diners will be able to stop by for a dose of art.
Mid-City Artisans had previously been using the upstairs space for events and classes, and it’s now been converted to a gallery that will be home to colorful, eclectic art shows. The displays of local and national artwork will rotate throughout the year. The gallery’s first show, premiering at the opening reception, will feature Lily Tobin Broussard’s “All Things Swamp” sculpture series and Terry “TBorn” Farrell’s “Water Dimensions” painting series. The artists’ work will be displayed and available for purchase through Aug. 20.
Equipped with movable panels, the second-floor space is reconfigurable and will also be home to the Art Learning Center. That space will be used for year-round, all-ages art classes, team-building exercises and birthday parties. There is even a craft room where, for a flat fee of $5, kids can put the inspiration they have gathered from the gallery to use.
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Owners George and Maria Harris opened Mid-City Artisans back in April 2021 as a shop, gallery and creative space for local artists. They say the main difference between Gallery 46 and Mid-City Artisans is that Gallery 46 will not be restricted to Louisiana artists. Having the space will allow the owners to host art talks from national artists. Their goal for Gallery 46 is creating an enriching, family-friendly art experience that might expose viewers to new styles and forms of art.
“I like to showcase someone who does things a little out of the ordinary,” George says.
This is certainly true for Tobin-Broussard and Farrell, whose works both feature eclectic hues patterned onto wildlife. The whimsy in their pieces blends well with the wall-to-wall colorful atmosphere of Gallery 46.
Next, the gallery will debut the “Pink, Painted, Prayer!” exhibit Aug. 13 at the Art Learning Center. Also in the works is a college student exhibition that will be open to students within the region, as far as Houston, Shreveport or Mobile.
Starting in January 2023, the owners intend to pick two or three “spotlight artists” per year, local artists whose work will be on exhibit in the space. Throughout the rest of year, shows will be public, meaning that they’re open to artists from anywhere in the country.
The July 21 grand opening and reception will run from 5:30-7 p.m. There will be food, drinks and live music, as well as the opportunity to meet and converse with the artists.
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Gallery 46 is inside Mid-City Artisans at Square 46, 516 Moore St., Suite 101.
Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays; 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Wednesdays; 10 a.m.- 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sundays. It is closed Mondays.
Stay up to date on classes and gallery openings through the Mid-City Artisans’ website and social media pages.