Hurricane Hunters presentation headlines Katrina +10 exhibit at OOMA

Col. Sean Cross, between a video screen showing Hurricane Katrina  and a horse sculpture

Accompanied by slides, videos and a genuine dropsonde, three members of the legendary Hurricane Hunters entertained and informed a crowd of about one hundred visitors at Biloxi’s Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art on Sunday, May 31, 2015 as part of the museum’s retrospective on the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s recovery from 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. The storm chasing 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi moved there in the mid-19703 from Puerto Rico.

The program opened with Lt. Col. Jon Talbot, Chief Meteorologist, describing the mission of Hurricane Hunters.

“We do exactly what pilots are trained not to do—fly into severe weather,” he noted. The information gained from these flights provides forecasters with data on the hurricane which is used to make more accurate forecasts as to strength of winds, potential storm surge and changes in direction. The crews fly WC-130J aircraft specially equipped with digital equipment to collect and transmit data. The sturdy planes are not beefed up structurally for hurricane service; they are already tough birds in their normal configuration.

Talbot explained the 53rd is not large in size compared to other Air Force agencies, but performs a very important task. He shared a great deal of statistical data on Hurricane Katrina, including her ranking as the sixth most intense Atlantic hurricane to date as measured solely by central pressure of 902 millibars (hPa) and the third most intense land-falling hurricane to date (920 millibars (hPa)).

Shots of the interior of the aircraft and views of the eyewall of a hurricane as seen from within the eye gave dramatic testimony to the dangers faced by the fliers. Talbot displayed a dropsonde, a data-collection device dropped by the pilots to parachute into the storm and relay data from the surface.

Lt. Col. John Talbot and a dropsonde

Perhaps the hardest hitting visual came in the form of a time lapse montage entitled “Evolution of a Monster” detailing the growth and path of Katrina between Aug. 24 and Aug. 29, 2015 through satellite imagery.

Major Sean Cross added his first-hand accounts of flying into the storm multiple times over the days they tracked her. What he saw led him to warn family and friends to leave immediately because, he said, the Gulf Coast “is going to be changed forever.” When a friend indicated he would ride out the storm in Biloxi’s Back Bay area, Cross told him to “write your name on your forearm in Magic Marker” so his body could be identified when it was found if he didn’t survive the storm.

Cross stressed the importance of each person who lived through Katrina passing on the stories of the horrors and damage to the next generation so they won’t make the mistake of underestimating an approaching hurricane.

The final speaker, a retired Hurricane Hunter, described the build-up of storm surge prior to the storm’s landfall. He related how the early strength of the storm started a wall of water toward the coastline. Even when the storm weakened, the surge maintained its motion. He labeled Katrina as a “CAT 3 storm that made landfall accompanied by a CAT 5 storm surge.”

Although the Hurricane Hunters program was a one-day special event, the museum has many special events coming up through the duration of the Katrina+10 exhibit. Running from May 21 through September 12, the program includes multi-media presentations by the Miss. Department of Transportation, Miss. Power and Light, the Sun Herald newspaper and WLOX-TV.

Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art

386 Beach Blvd.

Biloxi, Miss.

Originally appeared 05/31/2015 at http://www.examiner.com/article/hurricane-hunters-presentation-headlines-katrina-10-exhibit-at-ooma

Photographic gems show natural beauty in Crosby Arboretum exhibit

Works by Abita Springs photographer Lana Gramlich adorn Picayune’s Crosby Arboretum through May 31. Gramlich’s nature photography hangs in the expanded gift shop area, with matted prints available for sale. The exhibition opened with a reception on March 7.

Gift shop and customer service manager Kimberly Johnson spotted a visitor walking around with a big camera, a very big camera, and struck up a conversation. The visitor was Gramlich and the connection was made. Now some of the photos she took that day hang around the room.

Many of the images on display show aspects of the Crosby Arboretum, joined by photos of other natural treasures. A stunning view of the Pinecote Pavilion dominates one wall of the exhibit. Gramlich has donated the print to the Arboretum for permanent display.

Gramlich’s award-winning photography spans a number of years. She began taking photos as reference material for her art, but realized the photos themselves were the art. Her work has appeared in numerous books and magazines. Her photographs echo her philosophy of finding the serenity in nature and capturing it for others to enjoy.

Working in both landscape and still life formats, she shares the tranquil beauty of places like the Crosby Arboretum with those who can’t get there in person. Her wildlife shots bring the savage beauty of creatures such as alligators into focus for viewers from the safety of a print.

The Crosby Arboretum celebrates the diversity of life in the Pearl River Drainage Basin. With this elegant photography exhibit the celebration moves into the fine arts realm. The gift shop features nature themed works by local artisans. Gramlich’s photographs make a natural addition to this natural gem tucked away in Picayune. Admission to the exhibit is free to both members and nonmembers, with admission to the Arboretum.

The Crosby Arboretum

370 Ridge Rd.

Picayune, MS 39466

Originally appeared 03/09/2015 at http://www.examiner.com/article/photographic-gems-show-natural-beauty-crosby-arboretum-exhibit

Ocean Springs jewel: The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education

The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education sits a few blocks east of Washington Avenue, the main street visited by many tourists in Ocean Springs, Miss. Yet the Mary C., as it is known locally, could well be considered the heart and soul of the art shops, restaurants and other attractions on Washington and elsewhere on the Gulf Coast. Within its walls wait hundreds of opportunities each year for shopping, learning and entertainment. Whether you’re looking for education, music, food or just beautiful art, the Mary C. can fill the bill.

The stately building was constructed in 1927 as the Ocean Springs Public School building. Named for the first female public school superintendent in Mississippi, it honors her legacy as a progressive educator and provides a center for arts and classes of all kinds.

The building alone is worth a visit. It has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. A loving restoration which began as a dream in 1998 has become a reality, thanks to the efforts of the Friends of the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center. The architectural features of the structure have been preserved as much as possible and more modern decorative additions have kept the art deco flavor of the original period.

Besides the historic interest of the building, the Mary C. houses the Ocean Springs Historic Museum. Visitors can follow the history of the area through displays, artifacts and documents of the Ocean Springs area. Admission is free.

The Duckett Gallery offers a spacious two room art gallery with exhibitions of meaning to the area. Local artists as well as artists who create locally-themed art have been on display in the gallery. Exhibits are open to the public at no charge. Drawing, painting, ceramics and sculpture are among the media which might be found in any given show. Check the website for the current exhibit theme and artist.

What was once a school auditorium now houses the Trent Lott Performing Arts Theater, a stage for productions in many categories. Concerts, plays, ballet, recitals and more are offered in the modernized yet charming theater. With over 380 seats, the site can accommodate many types of events. The playbill changes regularly, so check ahead. The theater can be rented for private functions, as well.

Other facilities include the Scharr-Ello Studio, a professional-grade audio and video recording studio; visual arts room; performing arts room and many community gathering rooms throughout the building.

Best of all, the Mary C.’s ever-changing spectrum of classes means educational tourists will find opportunities for a meaningful vacation. Learn to spin yarn from alpaca wool, cook a gourmet meal, throw pottery, draw human figures, act, dance like a Broadway hoofer or paint -- these subjects and more show up on the classroom schedule at the Mary C. What’s happening during your vacation? Check the website or email the facility for the latest information.

Other events at the Mary C. include the Ocean Springs Art and Antiques Market, held on the first Saturday of the month. The grounds became a bazaar, with food, art and antiques available up and down the campus. Admission is free.

Remember, admission to the building, the Ocean Springs Historic Museum and the Duckett Gallery are free. Classes and performances have fees attached, with Mary C. members receiving a discounted price in many cases. Visit the website, subscribe to the newsletter or follow the Facebook page for the latest offerings.

The Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center of Arts and Education

600 Government Street

Ocean Springs, MS 39564

Originally appeared 08/05/2014 at http://www.examiner.com/article/ocean-springs-jewel-the-mary-c-o-keefe-cultural-center-of-arts-and-education

Art exhibits to enjoy during your visit to Mardi Gras

Although visitors come to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, there’s a lot more to the Crescent City than parades and partying. Take time to enjoy the museums and free venues for art around town for a delightful change of pace. Beyond the art galleries in the French Quarter, visitor can find many artistic treasures in the city. Check venue hours during the hectic days of the Carnival season to avoid disappointment. Here are a few to get you started.

Jackson Square

The artists surrounding Jackson Square present a colorful introduction to the New Orleans art scene. The eclectic genres available assure something for everyone. Browse along fence to see the work of up to two hundred artists, operating on licenses granted by the city. Looking is free, and visitors might find the perfect piece to purchase as a souvenir of the visit.

Woldenberg Park

Across Decatur Street from the square, climb the steps to the Riverwalk and turn right along the path to visit another free venue, Woldenberg Park, sixteen acres of green space and art leading toward Canal Street. The park operates under the auspices of the Audubon Foundation which also operates the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, among other attractions. Sculptures and mobiles dot the park, giving art lovers an open-air viewing experience along the bank of the Mississippi River. Watch river traffic glide by for a glimpse of reality art in motion.

Dutch Alley

Tucked away behind the buildings lining Decatur Street at Dumaine, a circular fountain hosts a band in silhouette. The characters captured there welcome visitors to Dutch Alley, a combination of open-air art exhibit and art gallery. Step into the alley and meet Jacques the Butcher by Eric Kaposta, who greets visitors entering the Alley.

Ogden Museum of Southern Art

Go beyond the boundaries of the French Quarter and into the Warehouse District to enjoy art created by a wide spectrum of southern artists. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art boasts multiple floors of paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography and installation art. The reasonable admission fee coupled with the variety of artists makes the O an excellent destination for any art lover. The Confederate Museum next door will interest history buffs.

Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans

Stroll across the street from the Ogden Museum to reach the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans and another reason to love the Camp Street museum corridor. Park once for access to both art centers, plus the National World War II Museum.

New Orleans Museum of Art and Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Venture out of the French Quarter and Central Business District for a visit to a New Orleans legacy, the New Orleans Museum of Art. Although the traditional museum facility requires an admission fee, the stunning open air Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at NOMA does not. More than sixty sculptures dot the peaceful garden, including the iconic Hercules the Archer which stood at the main entrance to the museum for decades.

Originally appeared on 02/24/14 at http://www.examiner.com/article/art-exhibits-to-enjoy-during-your-visit-to-mardi-gras

The work behind that beautiful piece of glass - artist Clair Etzold

Glass artist Clair Etzold heats things up in her studio as she creates beautiful and functional fused glass items for sale to appreciative customers. She markets her fused glass creations, as well as glass mosaics, at The Art House Artist Cooperative, part of the Ocean Springs Art Association in the Gulf Coast town of Ocean Springs, Miss. The multi-step process she performs yields one-of-a-kind treasures of shimmering glass.

Etzold’s kiln provides the heat necessary to fuse individual pieces of glass into a single piece of art. The time and temperature determine how completely the pieces will fuse. This decision influences the texture of the finished product. Some are heated until completely smooth, while others keep a bit of the original texture of the components by undergoing a different combination of heat and time duration.

A variety of tools allow Etzold to cut the shapes she needs for her project from sheets of colored glass. By combining varied shapes and colors, she can create glass sculpture with different textures and patterns. A grid beneath the work area catches small shards of glass and makes the surface safer to work on.

A single sheet of glass can contribute its color to a number of finished pieces. Etzold began working with fused glass in 2009 and loves the variety of effects she achieves. All of the glass used in a single project must have the same COE, or coefficient of expansion, or the finished piece will have weak spots and may break apart. All of the parts must react to the kiln’s heat at the same rate for best results.

 Once scored and cut to width, a colored glass bar is ready for trimming to the appropriate length for the product that Etzold envisions. She has complete control over the size and shape of the components and can use tools such as these running pliers to fine tune the piece with diagonal as well as straight lines.

Large circular scores take place on specialized cutter with an adjustable cutting arm. By setting the desired radius, Etzold can score larger or smaller circular parts for her project.

Shaping forms stand on a shelf in her studio, ready to assist Etzold in shaping her pieces. The first fusion joins the component parts, with the possibility of a second fusing to add additional texture or detail. The final, or slumping, process gives shape to the flat fused glass.

Etzold places a flat square of fused glass into the kiln, positioned over the slumping form. As the kiln’s temperature softens the glass, the piece will take on the shape of the form and become a decorative dish.

The finished product can meet several uses. Always suitable as a straightforward art piece, the finished projects can also serve as beautiful dishes, business card holders or nearly any other small container need the purchaser may have.

Different temperature and lengths of time in the kiln result in different fusions. This open bowl serves as a prototype of for a tack-fused piece that Etzold has since reproduced in various color combinations.

Not every piece comes out of the kiln as Etzold expected. This bowl developed a bubble that changed the lines and look completely, but still offers a stunning piece of glass sculpture. As part of The Art House Artist Cooperative, Etzold’s works become available to Ocean Springs visitors and then make their way all over the nation.     

 

Originally published 09/30/2013 at http://www.examiner.com/list/the-work-behind-that-beautiful-piece-of-glass-artist-clair-etzoldt

Model maker T.F. Monti's hobby becomes Gulf Coast museum

Following Hurricane Katrina, longtime model maker Thomas Francis “T.F.” Monti experienced up to three feet of water in his house. His family helped him to rescue his many models and move them to a storage shed while the house was rebuilt. Then Mrs. Monti put her foot down. Those models weren’t coming back into the house.

A labor of love

So youngest son Joe and his wife decided to use a building they owned to give T.F. the museum he had always wanted. They built shelves throughout the structure. On a Saturday afternoon, they moved about 50 models into the building. On Sunday, they invited him over to see their “new office.”

“He cried,” remembers Joe. “It took about three months to bring the rest of them in and he was with us the whole time. He was the curator.” T.F. served as curator for about six months until his death in September of 2009.

Their labor of love, which showcases T.F.’s lifetime of work, operates as a free museum on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Containing over 4000 models, the Monti family carries on T.F.’s legacy and shares the stories of what he built.

The exhibit includes the desk at which Monti built his models and where he repaired any damage that occurred as they were moved into the museum. The model he was working on sits on the desk as he left it.

Many of the models still show evidence of mud from Hurricane Katrina. Early efforts to clean them resulted in damage to the fragile pieces, so the family decided to leave the stains as part of the history of the collection.

A broad spectrum of models

In the entry area, visitors can view several items relating to Monti’s work as an engineer with the electric company. A model of his last pickup truck sits proudly on the shelf with models of some of the equipment he used. The backdrop for the model is a photo of Monti at the museum. Today in Mississippi, the Coast Electric newsletter, covered the museum in its July 2009 edition and a framed copy of the article hangs in the museum.

One room focuses on aircraft. Models represent the air forces of nations from around the world and throughout aviation history. Biplanes share space with jets and helicopters.

Another room features automotive models, classics and funny cars, sports numbers and work vehicles. Maritime models fill yet another area. Military rolling stock and equipment covers shelves in several small rooms. The space age gets its own room, as well.

Several dioramas take positions among the stand-alone models. The miniatures in the scenes depict fleets and camps, bringing the models into a relational focus.

Monti not only put together kits. He used the extra bits and pieces from those kits to create additional models and interpretive pieces for them.

Visitor information

Visitors come from the Gulf Coast, all over the United States and around the world. Veterans come to reminisce over the equipment they used in battle. Seniors come to remember how cars looked in their younger years. Children can see history and fantasy in one place.

“War & Peace: The T.F. Monti Private Model Collection” offers an inexpensive afternoon’s entertainment. The museum, located at 117B Highway 90 in Waveland, opens most weekday afternoons between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., as well as by appointment. Since the family runs the museum without hired staff, call ahead to make sure someone is available (228-216-7409).

Originally appeared on 08/6/2013 at http://www.examiner.com/article/model-maker-t-f-monti-s-hobby-becomes-gulf-coast-museum